Bulova recently dug deep into its vast design vault and – with the assistance of collectors – emerged last week with the Accutron Legacy collection, twelve limited edition automatic watches that re-imagine eye-catching 1960s and 1970s Accutron designs.
The collection, available now online and in select stores with each design limited to 600 watches, all feature sapphire crystals, a Sellita-based automatic movement and are water resistant to 30 meters. All are priced at less than $1,500.
Most retain what are now 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.
Rather than display all the new Accutron Legacy models, here is an edited selection of our favorites.
This new Accutron 505, based a 1965 original by the same name, features a 33mm case and is offered in gold-tone ($1,450) and silver-tone steel ($1,390).
This new 38mm Legacy model echoes the 21343-9W from 1971 and features a silver-tone octagonal-like dial design with applied faceted hour markers.
With an asymmetrical case and crown placement at 4 o’clock, this Accutron Legacy collection luxury watch is based on 1960s “521” model. $1,450 in gold-tone.
This new 34mm model references the “203” from the 1960s. $1,450.
Based on the “412” from the original 1960’s collection, this new model is 34mm in diameter. $1,450.
Side view of the new 412 Accutron Legacy model, measuring 12.5mm thick.
The “R.R.-O”, first launched in 1970, has been reimagined as part of the Legacy collection. $1,290.
The new 34mm Accutron 565, based on the 1965 original. A unique cross-hatching detail was added to the already visually distinctive asymmetrical case. $1,390.
The backof the new 565, showing the Sellita-based automatic movement inside.This Accutron limited edition Legacy collection timepiece reimagines a watch from 1960, the Date and Day Q. $1,390.
This Legacy Accutron takes the original “261” first launched in 1971, and updates it with an automatic movement and a 38.5mm case. $1,390.
Just ahead of the re-opening of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York on August 29, the museum and Bulova team up to celebrate the museum’s 150th anniversary in 2020 with the Bulova MET150 Edition, a special edition Bulova watch.
The Bulova Met150. Sales of the $295 quartz-powered watch benefit the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
The Bulova Met150 edition utilizes the historic Aerojet design silhouette from the 1960s, in 39mm stainless steel case with silver-tone crown and accents on a black dial. The quartz-powered watch features a three-hand calendar function, box mineral glass, and smooth grain black leather strap with red contrast stitching. Bulova places the Met logo is on the dial in the museum’s signature red hue.
The timepiece has launched digitally as part of The Met150 Edit on The Met Store website for Met members and will also be available at The Met Fifth Avenue once it reopens this Saturday, August 29. All proceeds from the sale of each watch ($295) will support the Museum’s collection, study, conservation and presentation of more than 5,000 years of art. Bulova, which since 2008 has operated as a separate brand within the Citizen Watch Corporation, was founded in New York City in 1875 and maintains its headquarters in the city.
In 2020, The Metropolitan Museum of Art is recognizing the 150th anniversary of its founding with a dynamic range of exhibitions and programs. Highlights of the year include “Making The Met, 1870–2020” and displaying new gifts throughout the Museum. More information is available at metmuseum.org/150.
After ten years of research, Bulova’s Accutron brand this week unveils a new type of watch movement that relies on electrostatic energy to help power its hands, and places the movement into two new Accutron watches.
The Accutron Spaceview 2020
The new watches, the Accutron Spaceview 2020 and the Accutron DNA, are the premiere models within the newly separated Accutron brand, and each feature designs that echo the dress of the historical Bulova Accutron Spaceview of the 1960s, the world’s first electronic watch (powered by tuning fork technology).
Accutron DNA models.
The movement
The new Miyota-built movement, which Bulova previewed in 2019, relies on both a power cell and on spinning turbines that react to the action of the wearer’s wrist to re-charge the cell.
The larger of the three electrostatic dial-side rotors, which is actually a motor, spins furiously while the watch is worn to directly power the seconds hand. The smaller two electrostatic generators, propelled by a more conventional rotor inside the movement, electrostatically charge the power cell, the integrated circuit and the quartz-based timing components that control the hour and minutes hands.
The watch’s energy is stored in an accumulator cell that powers two motors. Integrated circuits synchronize the motors to provide accuracy to +/- 5 seconds a month. Depending on how often the watch is worn, Accutron says it expects the electrostatic power feature will allow the watch to replenish its power for up to a decade without requiring a cell replacement.
In addition, Accutron has built a power-saving function into the new movement. After a certain period of inactivity, this function will stop the seconds hand to alert the wearer that power is being conserved. An even more comprehensive power-save feature, called the ‘energy conserving function,’ stops all of the hands, which prevents power from being depleted.
Two models
Both new Accutron watches display the same shade of green on bridges and/or case rings to clearly reference historical Bulova Accutron watches, notably the Accutron Spaceview.
The Accutron Spaceview 2020 Limited Edition, which is packaged with a special book on Accutron.
The Spaceview 2020 most directly recalls the open, avant-garde design of the original Spaceview, which offered a clear view of its tuning fork electronics.
The new watch offers a 43.5mm stainless steel case and clear case ring with dot-shaped primary hour markers, fit to a black leather strap. A limited edition Spaceview 2020, with a green case ring, will also be available packaged in a deluxe box set with an illustrated book “From the Space Age to the Digital Age.”
Bulova took a few more liberties when designing the Accutron DNA, which offers a more contemporary adaptation. The Accutron DNA case ring is a sportier with its squared primary markers and its sapphire crystal is domed. Case ring color choices of green, blue, black or gold-tone offer more variety.
The new Accutron DNA
In addition, the Accutron DNA is attached to the wrist with what appears to be a nicely integrated black rubber strap, and the watch’s case is also larger, measuring 45.1 mm in diameter.
Frank Sinatra is once again announcing “it’s Bulova time.”
The famed late singer is the star of a new series of ten Bulova watches named after well-known Frank Sinatra songs. The brand’s new Frank Sinatra Collection is dedicated to Sinatra – who was known for wearing Bulova watches – and features watches with cases and dials inspired by designs from the 1950s and 1960s.
A Fly Me to the Moon model from the new Bulova Frank Sinatra Collection.
Sinatra connection
Bulova’s connection to Frank Sinatra began in the 1950s during The Frank Sinatra Show television program for which the brand was the sponsor.
A pioneering advertiser known for extensive early radio and television campaigns, Bulova has in recent years renewed its connection to the music industry with partnerships with the Recording Academy, the Latin Recording Academy as well as through initiatives like Tune of Time or with non-profit partner, Windows of Hip Hop. Bulova has also teamed with the GRAMMY Awards to create a series of watches. Frank Sinatra took home nine GRAMMY awards during his long career.
“Our commitment to music includes many talents, many genres, many voices. Who better than ‘The Voice’ himself, Frank Sinatra, to continue to showcase our dedication and appreciation for the art of music and its ability to transcend time,” says Jeffrey Cohen, President of Citizen Watch America, which includes Bulova within its corporate umbrella.
Frank Sinatra and Tina Sinatra
“No one respected time more than my father, he never liked to keep an audience waiting, adds Frank Sinatra’s daughter Tina Sinatra. “He often said, ‘If you’re not early, you’re late.’ Dad’s association with Bulova spans over six decades and we are proud to continue the relationship into the 21st Century.”
The watches
The new Bulova Frank Sinatra Collection includes manual-wind, automatic or quartz timepieces made in a square, rectangular, round and tonneau case shapes and named for some of the best-known Sinatra songs, including “My Way,” “The Best is Yet to Come” and “Fly Me to the Moon.”
My Way
The watches are cased in either stainless steel or gold-toned steel and are powered by a Sellita or Miyota automatic or manual-wind caliber, or by a Miyota quartz caliber. Many feature gold-toned hands and indexes and are offered in steel or leather straps. Prices range from $495 to $1,350.
In addition, Bulova pays tribute to Sinatra by placing an image of the singer’s Fedora hat on the crown and by imprinting song titles on the inside of the straps and on the caseback of each watch. Frank Sinatra’s signature is also seen on each dial.
My Way, showing engraved caseback.
The first series in Bulova’s Frank Sinatra Collection includes:
My Way is a tank-style stainless steel or gold-tone steel watch with a silvery white or black dial and a Miyota quartz movement. Prices: $495 and $525.
My Way, with black dial.
The Best is Yet To Come is an assortment of 40mm round case watches in either stainless steel or gold-toned steel with an exhibition caseback showcasing a manual-wind Sellita SW215 movement. Prices: $1,150 to $1,350.
The Best is Yet to Come is a 40mm manual-wind watch offered with various dials.The Best is Yet to Come, with a steel bracelet.
Three pieces under the name Fly Me To The Moon feature 39mm round steel or gold-tone steel cases and powered by a Miyota Caliber 8215 automatic movement seen through an exhibition caseback. Prices: $750 to $825.
Fly Me to the Moon
The Young At Heart includes a selection of timepieces in a gold-tone stainless steel tonneau-shaped case. One of the novelties is presented with a brown sunray brush dial inspired by Sinatra’s Whiskey partnership complete with a brown calf strap.
The Young At Heart, brown sunray dial.
The other is seen with a silver white sunray dial with a black calf strap. A Miyota Caliber 8215 automatic movement powers both pieces. Price: $695.
The Young At Heart includes a selection of timepieces in a gold-tone stainless steel tonneau-shaped case.
Bulova will sell each watch with a package that mimics a vinyl album box set. It will also include lyrics from Sinatra songs and incorporate various vintage images.
The Frank Sinatra collection will be available later this year on Bulova.com and at other Bulova official retailers.
At the Grammy awards this Sunday, Bulova will once again present a specially made Bulova Grammy watch to each first time award winner. The watch is one of two special Grammy-themed models Bulova has made as part of its partnership with the Recording Academy.
(The Bulova Grammy watch available to the public is an automatic model with music-themed dial.)
The watch to be awarded to the first-time Grammy winners features a drum-themed steel case and black silicone strap with stainless steel fret style inserts. It’s finished with a gold-tone crown and gold-colored dial made of a custom alloy called Grammium developed by John Billings, the craftsman who creates the gold gramophone Grammy statue. Each timepiece will be personalized to the first-time award recipient with a customized glass case back including the Grammy logo stamp, the award and award recipient’s name.
The second Bulova Grammy watch, which is available to consumers, is a 44.5mm black-toned steel automatic watch with gold-tone guitar tuning peg-shaped crown at the four o’clock position and a black skeleton dial with a guitar pick and fret inspired markers. The watch also features an open dial and exhibition case back showcasing the skeletonized Miyota automatic movement with a 42-hour power reserve. Price: $680.
