HOW ONE WATCH COMPANY REINVINTED THE WATCH, AND THE TIMEKEEPING METHOD ITSELF. By Karen Alberg Grossman
accutron: back to the future F
irst unveiled in 1960 after three centuries of watchmaking preceding it, Accutron’s cutting-edge innovations in the timekeeping world were groundbreaking. So much so that they put Accutron on notice with NASA, who tasked the watch company with creating new instruments used in space flight to help astronauts navigate difficult and specific tasks with extreme accuracy.
Accutron changed the way NASA (and the world) told time by creating the world’s first fully electronic watch.
Accutron’s electrostatic energy is created by twin turbines that rotate as a result of human motion at incredible speed between two electrodes affixed to the movement. The energy, stored in an accumulator, powers two motors; a world’s first electrostatic motor fueling the fluid second hand and a step motor powering the hour and minute hands. Both motors are synchronized through integrated circuits to provide accuracy to +/- 5 seconds a month.
And once you’ve listened, it’s time to take a look. Because in this case (pun intended), you can. The Accutron Spaceview watch features an open dial where the state-of-the-art tuning fork movement is on full display. This was true when it launched to great sensation in the 1960’s and is also true with the rebirth of the Accutron brand and the Spaceview watch, which was redesigned and re-released in 2020 with an all-new and even more advanced electrostatic movement.
Featuring a 43.5mm polished stainless steel case with super luminous hands and markers, a domed scratch resistant sapphire crystal and water resistance to 50m, the new Spacewatch 2020 style retails for $3,450. Complementing it is the sportier Accutron DNA in 45.1mm (both pictured above on the right) for $3,300. Shop the Accutron Spaceview watch and the complete Accutron watch collection now at Mann’s Jewelers and online at mannsjewelers.com
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Accutron changed the way NASA (and the world) told time by creating the world’s first fully electronic watch and a proprietary movement powered by electrostatic energy.
If this sounds fascinating on paper, it literally sounds fascinating in person as well, as the tuning fork faintly hums along at 360 Hz, which is a slightly flat F sharp.
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10/12/21 9:35 AM
