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Accutron Teams With La Palina for New Spaceview

Accutron expands the color options within its groundbreaking electrostatic-powered Spaceview 2020 collection with three new models. These include a brown-dialed collaboration with the La Palina cigar company, a new dark grey-dial edition and a version with a full green movement plate with contrasting, darkened bridges.

The new Accutron x La Palina Limited Edition Spaceview 2020.

With an openwork design, the Spaceview 2020 displays its dual electrostatic ‘turbines’ and accumulator framed by a clear bezel and connected bridges, all within a 43.5mm steel case. One model from the initial 2020 launch is cased in gold.

Retaining that original layout, Accutron commemorates the La Palina partnership by coloring the watch’s dial and outer ring brown and adding light green luminosity to the markers, hour and minute hands. Accutron then adds a cigar-friendly warm yellow second hand and a matching brown alligator strap to the new watch.

Finally, Accutron rolls the entire package into a humidor set with a cigar cutter and ten ‘Accutron blend’ cigars. The custom-designed humidor, which will hold a minimum of fifty cigars, is handmade by master craftsmen in
the Nicaraguan region of Estelí.

The new Accutron x La Palina Limited Edition Spaceview 2020 watch is a limited edition of 222 pieces. Priced at $5,000, it is available for pre-order with a fall delivery.

Grey and green

Just prior to the La Palina debut, Accutron also added two new models the ongoing Spaceview 2020 collection.

The first new style boasts a smoke-grey open-work dial with signature Accutron green accents and transparent outer ring, light green super luminous markers, hour and minute hands and orange second hand. Finished on a matching stainless steel bracelet, the watch is priced at $3,850.

The second style features a new green dial treatment with 
transparent outer ring, grey bridges, light green super
luminous markers, hour and minute hands and orange
 second hand. Offered on a charcoal calf leather strap, this model is priced at $3,450. Both watches feature a 43.5mm polished stainless steel case with domed scratch resistant sapphire crystal and water resistance to 50 meters.

 

 

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The Watches

Accutron Recalls Gridiron Nicknames

As football season continues, Accutron reminds collectors that the inspiration watches for two of its new Legacy models drew catchy gridiron nicknames in the 1960s.

The two models, the Accutron 565 and 203, were both initially launched in 1966 and were notable for their distinctive asymmetrical case designs, which accounted in part for their football-related nicknames.

The new Accutron Legacy 565. The original model 565 was known as the ‘Football Cross Hatch’ watch.

One watch, model 565, was known as the ‘Football Cross Hatch’ watch thanks the spiral pattern on its bezel. Likewise, fans called the 203 model the ‘Football Gold Relief’ watch primarily because of its case shape, which somewhat echoes that of the pigskin.

The new Accutron Legacy 203.

Accutron’s Legacy collection, first seen in late 2020, includes newly re-imagined versions of those original watches plus many others from the 1960s and 1970s. For these models (and the full Legacy collection) Accutron wisely resists the modern tendency by watchmakers to upscale retro editions by housing them in larger cases.

New versions

Accutron today adds the distinctive bezel cross hatch pattern to the crown (at 4 o’clock) on the new Legacy 565 ($1,390). This model is 34mm in diameter and features a silver-tone stainless steel case with a three-hand silver white dial, large hour markers and an outer minutes ring.

The new Accutron Legacy 203 ($1,450) offers the same 34mm size case, but with two-tone finish, a three-hand champagne-colored dial, Arabic numerals and thin markers on the outer ring. It’s sold with a brown croco-embossed leather strap with a double-press clasp.

The full Accutron Legacy collection is available online and in select stores with each design limited to 600 watches. All models feature sapphire crystals, a Sellita-based automatic movement and are water resistant to 30 meters.

All Accutron Legacy watches are priced at less than $1,500. Most retain what are now called unisex sizes, from 34mm to 38.5mm in diameter, and almost all are sold in both silver-tone steel and gold-tone steel cases. While several offer steel or gold-tone bracelets, most echo the era and come with croco-embossed or retro-style leather straps.

 

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Accutron Offers Spaceview Puzzle

Accutron has teamed with Vermont-based Stave Puzzles to create The Accutron Challenge, a hand-cut wood jigsaw puzzle inspired by the 2020 launch of new Accutron Spaceview.

The Accutron Challenge wood jigsaw puzzle, made by Vermont-based Stave Puzzles.

The puzzle offers seven separate challenges, including a “Beat the Clock” multiple design puzzle, with the final products creating seven different colored Accutron timepieces.

Accutron launched a new series of Spaceview watches last year to commemorate the original 1960 tuning-fork-powered Spaceview,  the first electrically powered wristwatch. The new Accutron Spaceview is powered in part using electrostatic generators.

The Accutron Spaceview 2020.

Accutron adds Stave Puzzles to its expanding list of U.S.-based collaborations, which also includes Hudson Whiskey, La Palina Cigars, and Esterbrook Pens.

The Accutron Challenge is priced at $745 and can be purchased from Accutron’s website.

 

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Accutron and Esterbrook Team for Pen Collection

By Nancy Olson

With East Coast roots and an American heritage that has served them well, Accutron and Esterbrook have joined forces to produce the Accutron by Esterbrook—a pen collection that commemorates both well-known brands and their inventive spirits.

“Accutron and Esterbrook pens are two storied American brands who share the same DNA,” said Jeffrey Cohen, President of Citizen Watch America, Accutron’s parent company. “Pioneering their respective industries with the spirit of innovation, both brands made history and continue to do so today through these special collaborative projects.”

A bit of history

Richard Esterbrook, a Cornish Quaker, arrived in the United States from England in 1856 and founded the Esterbrook Steel Pen Manufacturing Company in Camden, New Jersey. The company thrived, and Esterbrook eventually grew to include nearly 500 employees, eventually producing about 216 million pens a year. Though it began as a dip pen maker, Esterbrook’s wares grew to include fountain pens as well.

Accutron brings the same penchant for technological advancement and design with new watches powered by electrostatic energy, reimagining the brand’s historical timepieces.

Not long after Accutron released its first watch in 1960, President John F. Kennedy used an Esterbrook pen to write the speech that set the United States on a course to the moon. In another twist of intermingled fate, NASA used Accutron technology on dozens of missions later that same decade, and into the next.

The Accutron Estie Traditional with gold-plated steel nib.

The pens

The new Accutron by Esterbrook Limited Edition pen series includes three models. The Accutron Regular Estie rollerball pen is limited to 110 pieces, while the Accutron Regular fountain pen with a gold-plated steel nib is limited to 300 pieces.

The Accutron Oversize Estie pen with an 18-karat gold nib is limited to 100 pieces, each pen numbered.

The Accutron Oversize Estie Pen with gold nib.

This new Estie pen series is made from a proprietary DiamondCast formula in Accutron’s emblematic green, here blended with gold and diamond dust. Each pen is equipped with a cushion cap closure to provide a secondary seal  ensure an easy start. The fountain pen nibs are specially manufactured for Esterbrook by German nib maker Jowo and may be inked with any international cartridge or converter.

The Accutron Regular Estie Roller Ball pen.

Incidentally, the Estie is one of the most-loved (and prolific) collections within the Esterbrook range of pens. It offer a classic style, numerous nib options and a penchant for color, all of which have made it a favorite among young and old, serious pen collectors and those just seeking a pleasurable everyday pen.

Prices: Accutron Regular Estie Rollerball pen, $350; Accutron Regular fountain pen with gold-plated steel nib, $395; Accutron Oversize Estie pen with an 18-karat gold nib, $750.

 

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The Watches

Updating Classic Designs

In recent months my inbox has been a repository of reminders about classic American watch design. And while plenty of digital missives arrive from the encouragingly high number of youthful watch designers active across the United States these days, I’ve been especially impressed by the retro-design regimen currently underway at Accutron.

Accutron’s Legacy collection transports us back decades with its studied re-introduction of dials and cases that truly met, and in many ways help define, the Swinging Sixties and the Space Age. The collection’s aerodynamic curves, electrical references and rampant asymmetry are a treat to both the eyes and the wrist. And by retaining vintage sizes Accutron enhances the nostalgia, setting the imaginative dials within their proper proportions.

The newest version of the Accutron Date and Day Q.

A stylish reminder of Accutron style from this era can be found in the Accutron Legacy Date and Day Q, a Legacy release that echoes the original 1971 streamlined ‘flying saucer’ 34.5mm oval case design and 4 o’clock crown.

Updated Bulova Classics

Bulova also understands the value its design archives. The Bulova Oceanographer ‘Devil Diver’, its Computron and Bulova’s array of military watches are prime examples.

Just recently Bulova notes that it is expanding its array of Bulova Classic designs with new versions of the 1948 Sutton and the 1960s Aerojet.

The newest Bulova Sutton reprises a 1940s design but with a contemporary dial aperture and case size.

Both these re-releases are automatic models powered by Miyota movements. The new Sutton automatic ($395) recalls Bulova’s President watch, circa 1948, though the new model offers an updated 33mm by 49mm case size and a contemporary dial aperture to expose the movement. Bulova is offering the watch with a white dial on a brown alligator grain leather strap or with a black dial on a black alligator grain leather strap.

My favorite among the recent debuts is the new Aerojet, reprising a Bulova design from the 1960s. Bulova unveils two new 41mm steel-cased versions featuring the Aerojet’s signature cross hair dial with a bi-color Day/Night indicator and vintage Aerojet logo.

The new Bulova Classic Aerojet reprises a 1960s design.

These come with colorful sunray blue or brown dials with a degrade effect. The blue model is available on a black distressed leather strap for $450 and the brown on a multilink bracelet for $495.

   

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