Reply With QuoteFascinating. Always good to read about new ways of driving a watch.
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The Accutron Electrostatic
The Electrostatic Accutron Concept Movement, Released Ahead Of Accutron's 60th Anniversary
https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/ci...nt-introducing
Fascinating. Always good to read about new ways of driving a watch.
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Very cool and I like the look of the turbines whirring away as well as the gliding seconds hand. Would definitely be interested if it's not massive or expensive.
Ooh yes, I like the look of that an awful lot.
Any guide on size or price anywhere? Can't find any dimensions or any other details on it.
I like it; if it’s reasonably sized (and priced) I think I’ll treat myself to one of those. I love the Spaceview hummers but hound them
A little too small when I had one.
I’m intrigued by the electrostatic motors too.
I'm interested in this one, looks great in motion and love the tech.
That's a cracker. I'd be interested in the price too.
"A man of little significance"
Very interesting movement, shame it's not available yet.
The way I see it is that...
1. The electrostatic motor uses less power than the traditional step-motors. Also, the electrostatic motor runs continuous which is pretty.
2. The electrostatic motor's job is just to move the hands around.
3. It reminds me of the Accuquartz where the tuning forks were used as mere motors to drive the hands whilst the real time-keeping was controlled by a quartz.
BULOVA 224 ACCUQUARTZ 1972
http://www.crazywatches.pl/bulova-224-accuquartz-1972
4. "The current produced is stored in a capacitor, and delivered to the larger electrostatic motor."
I am just concerned about the use of a capacitor which was the bane of the Seiko Kinetic...
Seiko Kinetic (the capacitor problem)
http://watchfix.info/Seiko Kinetic/Seiko Kinetic.php
How a Wimshurst Machine Works (I cannot fully understand it...)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA4aCd5qFWs
Wasn't the Seiko Kinetic problem fixed quite a long time ago though.
I believe the solution was to replace the capacitors with rechargeable batteries.Originally Posted by James_
The electrostatic motor will likely need hundreds of volts to run (at a very, very low current). It's obvious that a high voltage is needed, as they've used a pair of wimhursts to generate it, rather than a more efficient (but lower voltage) electromagnetic generator. Once upon a time I could have looked at the dimensions of that motor and done the maths to work out the voltage needed. Sadly I've long forgotten all that electro-mag theory, the only thing that remains is the memory of how tortuous it was to learn!I believe the solution was to replace the capacitors with rechargeable batteries.
A rechargeable cell stores a maximum of 4.2V (lithium ion). By putting may cells in series you increase the voltage, problem is, you'd need dozens to get the voltage high enough.
A very small capacitor can be easily built to handle the high voltages needed.
A cap is the obvious and correct choice.
How will this affect Seiko's springdrive premium pricing positioning I wonder.
Not sure why it would impact it at all?
It's currently positioned as a vintage enthusiast's piece, rather than a mainstream one. SD is in the 'luxury' bracket (I hate that term!).
I've been waiting a long time for an anniversary watch/movement and it certainly looks the part. What a shame a capacitor is used as I have no faith in their reliability or longevity
Gray
Ah okay - I thought they were going to make this as a new affordable movement or something.
They could well do so. It's a fair point actually - they're not going to have gone to all this effort to make this just for this retro styled piece are they! You could well be right about this going in to a whole range of watches.
Me too. When I see the word 'luxury' I want it to be covered in velvet, with gold trimmings etc etc etc.
"A man of little significance"
More about the capacitor issue...
The Seiko Kinetic: Boon or Bane?
https://quartzimodo.com/the-seiko-kinetic-boon-or-bane/
It will be a totally different technology.
The Seiko Kinetic was a high capacitance low voltage capacitor with a liquid dielectric. It's a 330,000uF 2.4V electrolytic. And yes, electrolytic caps fail.
The cap in the electrostatic watch will be a high voltage, low capacitance device. It will have a solid dielectric, and this type of cap has a much, much lower failure rate.
You're not wrong to be cautious and I'll admit that I'm speculating on what's inside, but I'm fairly sure I'm not far off. I do not believe that there will be an issue with this cap.
Thanks for the detail
Gray
I like this a lot, very cool piece!
Every time this thread gets bumped up, I hope it's been released so I can buy it!
Can't think of another watch that's got me this keen in a good while.
Just been watching on youtube Jay Leno's 1963 Chrysler Turbine car and it reminded me of this.
Still waiting. (sadface)
I’ve been thinking about this again and popped back to have another look at the promo site Accutron Watch
I’’’’m not sure if it was there before but there’’’’s now a cool video illustrating how the movement is assembled. It certainly looks like it could be a real thing
Last edited by timor54; 18th January 2020 at 19:29.
Definitely wasn't there a few months back. Good spot!I’ve been thinking about this again and popped back to have another look at the promo site Accutron Watch
I’’’’m not sure if it was there before but there’’’’s now a cool video illustrating how the movement is assembled. It certainly looks like it could be a real thing
Excellent update. Thanks.
The video on this page has changed again... and its file name is now teaser-final.mp4I’ve been thinking about this again and popped back to have another look at the promo site Accutron Watch
I’’’’m not sure if it was there before but there’’’’s now a cool video illustrating how the movement is assembled. It certainly looks like it could be a real thing
I might be reading too much into this but I feel an announcement may be in the offing?
Excellent spot once again Timor!
Just spotted this: https://www.ablogtowatch.com/intervi...or-the-future/
About half way down there’s a bit about Citizen relaunching Accutron as a standalone brand.
Interesting, I had no idea Citizen owned Bulova now.
Interesting read, thank you for sharing.
It's odd that they didn't have a photo of the Electrostatic in the article - I'd suggest it's one of the most eye catching things they make.
The link content above has been changed to this:
https://www.accutronwatch.com/
The Electrostatic has disappeared and the picture is of the old-time Hummer.
Podcast???? WTF!!! Just give us the watches already.
"The whole purpose of mechanical watches is to be impertinent." ~ Lionel a Marca, CEO of Breguet
"The whole purpose of mechanical watches is to be impertinent." ~ Lionel a Marca, CEO of Breguet
Ahahahahaha $3.3k upwards! They're having a laugh.
Buy now $3,450
https://jrdunn.com/accutron-electros...spaceview.html
Last edited by abraxas; 12th August 2020 at 11:31.
"The whole purpose of mechanical watches is to be impertinent." ~ Lionel a Marca, CEO of Breguet
Love the idea, but I can't see myself spending that sort of money on a Bulova.
Well...
It’s not that unreasonable for a curiosity piece with a brand new movement concept and design. Presumably most or all of the parts are made specifically for that watch, there would be a significant R&D cost and relatively few expected sales.
I think the challenge comes in the fact that you can buy franken accutron space views all day long for less than £200, not sure how much a ‘genuine’ one goes for but I understand they’re extremely difficult to find and identify.
It’s a prohibitive price for me so I’m disappointed but not entirely shocked.
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I was fearing the worst on pricing but nothing like these quoted prices. If these are really true then that is probably the end of my interest
The early Seikos Kinetics will have used some of the very first commercially-produced supercapacitors which (and I'm guessing...) were probably packaged like contemporary electrolytics with a rubber or plastic cap to the can - they can and do dry out. Modern EDL supercaps are a mature and durable technology which use all-metal welded cans, so I don't believe there's the slightest need to be concerned about durability. Whether they use them in the Bulova, I've no idea!
We still haven't been told on how exactly it works. They are trying to confuse us with the original tuning fork Accutron.
"2020 marks Accutron's 60th Anniversary, relaunching many features of the original Accutron but with new technology like its electrostatic motor and turbine. This new movement features three turbines, one being an electrostatic motor, which runs continuously to power the hands. The two smaller turbines are electrostatic generators which gather energy by the natural movement of the wearer's arm. This energy is then transfered to the capacitor seen through the skeleton dial to power the watch."
"On this ultra-modern, almost sci-fi stylized watch there are two small circular electrostatic generators visible on the lower half of the dial. The top of the new Accutron Spaceview dial is a larger electrostatic motor, driving the hand forward. The new Spaceview 2020 and the DNA feature a larger, single capictor than it's predecesor which housed two smaller capacitors."
"Electrostatic Motor: At the core of the new Accutron Spaceview 2020 is the powerful electrostatic movement, resembling the original Spaceview. The new movement features two power generating turbines that energize via natural magnetic forces when your wrist moves and then charges a capacitor and then powers the watch's second hand; the minute and hour hand both use the traditional stepper which is guided by an internal quartz timing package. The original Accutron Spaceview was the first model of the brand to feature the signature tuning fork movement, which is widely sought after by collectors."
"The whole purpose of mechanical watches is to be impertinent." ~ Lionel a Marca, CEO of Breguet
https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/ac...cs-and-pricing
Very cool but $3.3 - $4k
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Looks great but I was thinking £500 :(
A chap in the comments called Ultraman just about wraps it...
"Everything about this has gone terribly wrong... Diameter, pricing, aesthetics, all of it."
"The whole purpose of mechanical watches is to be impertinent." ~ Lionel a Marca, CEO of Breguet
What a pity .. yet another own goal from Bulova, who seem to delight in pointing both barrels at the left foot, pulling the trigger, and then reloading to repeat the exercise with the right foot ...
Not only is this prohibitively expensive, but they've stuck it in a 43.5mm case diameter and it's 15.9mm thick .... !!!!
Nuts price , I'm out.https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/ac...cs-and-pricing
Very cool but $3.3 - $4k
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I hadn't actually noticed the different case designs, only the colours, and also didn't notice the case size. What a shame on all fronts.
Seems there are lots of other new Accutron models as well.
This one isn't bad ... albeit still on the pricey side ...
https://www.accutronwatch.com/products/2sw6b001
And this is lovely .. https://www.accutronwatch.com/products/2sw6c001
The 43mm case doesn't put me off, but I feel very bad for the person that buys this at retail. Prices on the secondary market are going to be, what, half? 40%?
For $3.3k there is a LOT of choice.
Also, you'd think the renders for the watch closeups would be a little more realistic.
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