Synchronize both motors via IC to provide an accuracy of +/- 5 seconds per month.Replica watches: For the 60th anniversary of the first fully electronic watch in history, Accutron hasn’t just released a commemorative limited series; it has been relaunched as a brand in its own right, distinct from Bulova. What is the strategy behind this more exclusive positioning?
In 1960, a model that would change the history of watchmaking was presented in New York: the Accutron, considered the world’s first fully electronic watch. With its open dial and futuristic design, it marked the industry’s entry into the electronic age. In the decades that followed, electronic replica watches would replace, in volume if not value, the traditional mechanical watch.
For the 60th anniversary of this event, the Citizen Group (which in 2008 bought the Bulova brand that introduced the Accutron) isn’t content with just releasing a commemorative edition.
A new Accutron brand has been launched, separate from the mass market Bulova, in a different niche, with more exclusive distribution, higher price, and more limited production.
The timing of the revival is revealing, as watchmaking’s future seems more tied than ever to a reassessment of its immense heritage. However, to mark the occasion in a way that avoids falling into pure vintage nostalgia, a caliber considered (almost) as innovative as the original Accutron has been developed, this time using electrostatic power – a first.
Echoing both Space Age (Accutron team working closely with NASA) and “Americana,” a dedicated podcast provides updates on the fetish themes of an era that have captured the imagination of a new generation. A book titled “Accutron: From The Space Age to the Digital Age” published by Assouline and written by Jack Forster, editor-in-chief of Hodinkee, carefully traces the epic history of the model with the tuning fork logo. Everything in this renaissance seems to point to a delicate balance between heritage and innovation.
“Beyond being a watch, the Accutron brand has been an integral part of American culture since the 1960s,” said Jeffrey Cohen, president of Citizen Watch America, who is leading this ambitious project. He took us behind the scenes of the Accutron relaunch.
Watch: Bulova has revived the famous 1960 Accutron several times in the past. What is really different this time?
Jeffrey Cohen: It’s a completely different logic, for two main reasons. On the one hand, we are launching permanent collections around the Legacy, DNA and Spaceview models, whereas a previous model like the Accutron II Alpha Watch in 2014 was a limited edition. And above all, Accutron replica watches is becoming, or rather becoming again, a brand in its own right, reviving the spirit of its origins. In fact, through our archives, we realized that there were multiple identities over time: sometimes it was the Bulova Accutron, other times Accutron mentioned itself. We believe that today it has earned the right to be a brand in its own right, distinct from Bulova.
What convinced you to opt for this distinct branding strategy?
First, a growing enthusiasm from the watchmaking community itself: Accutron has a strong fan base. It is also this entire era, that of Mad Men (the model is the subject of an episode of a series – Ed.) that fascinates today’s youth. In fact, when we introduced new models to our partners and retailers, their children were often the most enthusiastic. Sometimes the little ones had been given an Accutron by their grandparents, and it’s a bit like the model skipped a generation and now has a bright future again. In fact, we’ve been getting requests for a real Accutron relaunch for years. At last the time has come!
También ha involucrado a los propios coleccionistas y entusiastas de Accutron en este renacimiento.
Llamamos a un panel de entusiastas para definir el ADN más preciso para esta primera serie de nuevos productos. Vinieron a Nueva York y trabajamos en estrecha colaboración para revisar los modelos Accutron más icónicos y los mejores estilos para los nuevos diseños. Esto nos dio el impulso para el proyecto y nos ayudó a asegurarnos de que las opciones estuvieran en línea con la realidad de las expectativas de los fans. Entonces los «profesionales» entraron en acción.
On the one hand, the new Legacy collection is based on the aesthetic codes of the sixties; on the other hand, the Accutron DNA and Spaceview 2020 series reproduce the innovative spirit of the time, with a new caliber that works with electrostatic energy. Can you walk us through the R&D behind these models?
The research began ten years ago, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Accutron.
We didn’t just want to relaunch a design, we wanted to create a caliber that would stay true to the electronic precision of the 1960 model while offering true innovation. From a technical point of view, the development was quite a feat: the electrostatic motor was miniaturized enough to fit inside a watch, while conserving the amount of energy needed to power the model. This also explains the 44mm size of this series, as enough space is needed to accommodate such a high-performance movement, while still being absolutely portable. The Legacy collection, for its part, has dimensions closer to the models from the 60s and 70s that inspired it.
There have been numerous re-releases of “vintage” or “retro-futuristic” Perfect Fake Watches in recent years,
while the pre-owned segment has experienced significant growth. Who is the target audience for the new Accutron brand?
The target clientele is quite male and quite young, people between twenty and forty years old. That’s the best thing about this project: Back then, the Accutron was the watch of the new generation. And that’s still the case 60 years later, through this relaunch! We’re also launching a book, written by Jack Forster, highlighting this remarkable story,
and we’re launching a podcast that revives the “Americano” spirit that is so popular with the new generation.
What has been the pandemic impact on this release?
We had planned to present the models at Baselworld, then at Couture, but ultimately thought it wiser to postpone the launch until this fall,
given the cancellation of these events and the evolving public health situation. The models will be sold through our retailers in all markets.
This is another point related to the launch of Accutron as a full-fledged brand: much more exclusive distribution. Some people were surprised by the price of the new products.
The objective is to offer a quality, technological and exclusive brand. With Accutron, we are no longer in the Bulova price range: it is a new adventure with its own distribution, its own identity and its own codes. And given the amount of R&D and technology infused into these new models, we think the prices are understated!
Spaceview 2020 & Accutron DNA: a revolutionary caliber
Relaunched as a brand in its own right, Accutron replica watches introduces an innovation that is (almost) as
amazing as the original: the world’s first electrostatic gauge. The power is created by twin turbines that rotate as a result of human movement at very high
speeds between two electrodes attached to the movement. The energy, stored in an accumulator, powers two motors;
the world’s first electrostatic motor that powers the fluid seconds hand and a stepper motor that powers the hour and minute hands. Synchronize both motors via IC to provide an accuracy of +/- 5 seconds per month.
Legacy: a wide range of reinterpretations
Last year, Accutron invited collectors to the brand’s headquarters in the Empire State Building in New York to
initiate the design of this collection and develop models that reflected the characteristics of the Accutron series
of the 1960s and 1970s, which They are among the most emblematic of the brand.
Collectors invited by the brand spoke about their own relationship with Accutron
and selected the most sought-after vintage models, which served as a source of inspiration for the relaunch. The Accutron Legacy Collection comprises twelve replica watches, all limited to 600 pieces and equipped with a 26-jewel Swiss-made movement.
Reinterpretations include the reinvention of two 1966 originals, known as the 203 and 565,
which feature a visually distinctive asymmetrical case design and 4 o’clock crown placement. Model 203 is offered in a 34mm gold-tone and silver-tone stainless steel case with a 3-hand champagne dial,
Arabic numerals at 12 o’clock, and fine line markers on the outer ring.
The 565 has a crosshatch detail added to the same visually distinctive asymmetrical case design.
Accutron takes inspiration from another original model from the 1960s, the 521. The new Accutron 521 also has a visually distinctive asymmetrical case design
and a crown location near 3 o’clock, however, the dimension of the case 32.8mm x 32.5mm remains its original size for unisex use today. The first model has a gold-tone stainless steel case and mesh-style bracelet with a double-press deployment clasp,
with a silver-white 3-hand dial and stylized double-bar hour markers. The second model is presented in a gold-tone stainless steel
case with a silver-white 3-hand dial and stylized double-bar hour markers.
Staying in the 1960s, Accutron launches two replica watches cheap directly inspired by the vintage Accutron 505 from 1965. Presented in a sleek and striking 33mm alpha case design with crown placement at 4 o’clock, the 505 is Offered in silver tone.
or a gold-tone stainless steel case with a silver-white 3-hand dial and matching applied hour markers.
The remaining watch in the Legacy Collection that takes inspiration from
this time period is the original 412 from 1969, a tried and true classic model. Featuring a round case design with a crown positioned at 4 o’clock, the 34mm gold-tone stainless steel case comes
with a 3-hand silver-white dial with gold-tone faceted and applied hour markers.
Going into the 1970s for influence, the brand first introduces a model inspired by a 1970 original: the first railroad-approved watch in wristwatch form.
The Accutron R.R.-0 has a unique faceted railroad case design with a 4 o’clock crown placement. Offered in a 34mm stainless steel case with bold Arabic numerals and a bright white 24-hour dial,
the watch features a 0 at the 12-hour mark to meet Canadian Railroad
specifications and a red second hand for control. accurate. The watch also includes a calendar function and is complete with a black leather strap with a double-press deployment clasp.
The year 1971 recalls two Accutron models, the 261 and the day and date “Q”. The new reinvented 261 replica watches offer a unique and elegant cushion case design with crown placement at 4 o’clock. The Accutron Day and “Q” another vintage watch from 1971
that is mostly remembered for its beautifully stylized oval case and crown placement at 4 o’clock. Dressed in a 34.5mm silver stainless steel case and dark blue dial,
the piece is presented with cool gray applied Roman numerals and a blue accented day/date function.
To complete the Legacy collection, Accutron replica looks back to 1974 and reinterprets the distinctive 21343-9W model. The new 21343-9W watch features an exceptionally attractive cushion case design with its crown at 4 o’clock. The 38mm silver stainless steel case features a rounded corner shape and a three-link bracelet with a double-press deployment clasp.
Accutron Legacy Collection models range in price from $1,290 to $1,550.
