Accutron Returns To The Space Age

In a world overrun with look-alike steel sports watches, Accutron has been marching to the beat of its own innovative drum for more than 50 years. Originally formed as a division of stalwart American watchmaker Bulova, Accutron relaunched in 2020 as a new brand, one with a catalogue of watches unlike any other on the market. From the futuristic Spaceview, with electrostatic rotors visible through a cutaway dial, to the vintage-inspired Legacy “505 Alpha” and its three-sided case, Accutron’s models are distinctive in both looks and technology. However, to truly understand why these watches are such outliers, we must first travel back to 1960, when Accutron landed on the watchmaking scene.

“Accutron’s ‘golden era’ in the 1960s was a period that included both revolutionary technology and incredible strategic marketing initiatives,” says Eric Senftleben, the brand’s managing director — and something of an amateur Accutron historian. That “revolutionary technology” was a Swiss-engineered electric movement that employed a vibrating tuning fork to achieve an accuracy of just two seconds per day.

“The introduction of this movement,” he continues, “was essentially the first innovation in timekeeping in about 300 years, with an accuracy that was never before achieved in electronic watches.” So essential, in fact, was this movement to Accutron’s identity that the brand’s name is derived from the phrase “accuracy through electronic.” And, while the technology many have been supplanted by quartz in the 1970s, the tuning fork logo still adorns every Accutron timepiece, as well as those manufactured by sibling brand, Bulova.

Clever marketing was another important aspect of Accutron’s success, and a series of print advertisements and billboards from years past stylistically have a very Mad Men look in retrospect. Some of these ads touted Accutron’s unprecedented accuracy, while others played up the brand’s unique high-frequency hum. “The Tick vs. The Hum,” read the tagline of one 1968 print ad. “That eternal ticking can drive your watch cuckoo,” cheekily proclaimed another.

The similarly avant-garde design of Accutron’s 1960s watches was justified by the technology inside their cases, starting with the 1960 Spaceview, which foregrounded the tuning fork movement beneath a domed crystal and cutaway dial.

Unconventional case shapes were also a hallmark of the brand, from the rhomboid 521 “TV Watch” famously worn by Elvis Presley, to 1966’s “565” which was nicknamed the “cross-hatched football” for its etched elliptical case. Both of these watches, plus several more from the brand’s golden era, have been re-released as limited editions in recent years, albeit with Swiss-made automatic movements in place of the original electronic ones.

And, while they may not have the same space-age charm (or distinctive hum) as the originals, there is precedent for the swap — or so says Senftleben. “Accutron has Swiss roots,” he explains, “and there was original production in Switzerland, so using Swiss movements in the relaunch was a good way of bringing Accutron back into the market.”

But the accuracy and reliability of Accutron’s watches didn’t solely appeal to style-savvy early adopters. It also helped the brand earn the approval of the fledgling U.S. space program, which went on to use Accutron watches and clocks on 46 NASA missions. In 1962, Bulova produced the Accutron Astronaut, a GMT watch with a 24-hour rotating bezel that found its way onto the wrists of pilots in the X-15 rocket plane program, and was almost certainly on board in 1967 when the still-unbroken speed record of Mach 6.7 (7,274 km/h) was set. Accutron relaunched the 1968 “T” version of the Astronaut last year as a three hundred-piece limited edition, complete with original 24-hour bezel and “bullet” bracelet.

Then, of course, there’s the 21st-century Spaceview line, which has furthered the legacy of the original model in terms of both design and technology. It has a similar sci-fi aesthetic as its namesake, and displays the world’s first electrostatic movement through the same cutaway dial and domed crystal.

“The Spaceview Evolution, and other high-tech pieces, showcase our dedication to pushing the boundaries of watchmaking,” says Senftleben. “These timepieces, equipped with our cutting-edge electrostatic technology, embody Accutron’s ongoing commitment to precision and accuracy. They demonstrate our ability to evolve with the time, offering watch enthusiasts contemporary designs that incorporate the latest advancements in horology.”

However, there has been one major change at Accutron in the last half-century: the degree to which the brand takes on feedback from collectors. This newfound open-mindedness resulted in the Spaceview 2020 x RedBar, a limited-edition watch created in partnership with the international enthusiast and collector group.

For 2025, which marks the 65th anniversary of the Accutron brand, there’s every reason to expect at least one major anniversary edition and, if the fans get their way, perhaps even a reissue of the original 1960 Spaceview. “I don’t want to reveal too much,” teases Senftleben, “but I would say that we might be planning something special to commemorate this anniversary. Stay tuned!”

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