How this Electrostatic Watch Works - Watch and Learn #84
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- Опубліковано 1 жов 2024
- Today we are checking out the worlds first Electrostatic watch, the Accutron 2020 Spaceview from Bulova. Powered by twin turbine generators, and containing two separate driving motors, this watch is truly a conversation piece as well as a time piece.
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*** Correction. One hour of walking (6000 steps) correlates to one day of power reserve. ***
now that's more like it!
Aha!
Oh!
Also, I thought someone else said accuracy was 5 seconds in a MONTH? Confirm?
+/- 5 seconds per month for accuracy per the manual
Was super excited about this when it was first announced. Really nice pick up. The technology behind it is amazing (thank you for explaining it) but I'm very put off by the size (especially the thickness) and the price. Hopefully, we will see a smaller (and maybe more affordable) version in the future :)
Wears smaller than what you might expect. The Spaceview 2020 wears smaller than the Accutron DNA (despite that one appearing smaller in pics).
Been waiting for this one! Great to finally get an idea of what's going on with this movement. Crazy interesting and I love the look of those rotors spinning around. But if it only generates 1 hour of power for one day of wear, doesn't that mean the accumulator is going to run dry in these than a year? Oh wait, you answered this already in another comment.
I found your video because i was curious how this watch functions but I am honestly underwhelmed. It has both a rotor and a battery so it's just like a kinetic. The only thing that's different is the way current is generated (or used in the case of the second hands). Like they wanted to add a sweeping seconds hands to a kinetic watch at all costs
I would have been more impressed if they found a way charge a quartz watch both with light and movement, and then try to use that extra power to make the seconds hand tick more often honestly
Loved this one Marc! Such a beautiful watch! The turbines !!! I was mesmerised !!! The watch looked big on my phone let alone seeing it in person! It’s a statement piece for me and it needs to be this big!
You mentioned so many great milestone movements in this video, including spring drive and kinetic. I own them all except for this one (for now). I love the history of the Accutrons. I have a rebuilt piece from the original series and am looking forward to picking one of these new ones up soon. So glad you mentioned the Precisionist - they are so underrated. I was fortunate to pick up a solid blue dial few years back before they just went a little too crazy for my personal tastes.
Mr. Millsap, Rebuilding an Accutron is quite a accomplishment!! I love the sweeping seconds hand of the Accutrons and The Precisionist!! I found the blue dial with spiral pattern on it; under $160. Yes, I agree, most of them are too "crazy". The 2020 is big and expensive. "So many Watches; Not Enough (Money)(Time.)"
Very cool, but not at $3500 IMO. Thanks for the great videos Mark.
I remember seeing commercials for the Accutron with the tuning fork when I was a little girl and I was very fascinated by the concept of that.
I had never encountered one since then but I always remembered it.
So cool.
I definitely prefer the old tuning fork model 😏 Thanks for the review!
My thinking too, it would be nice if they brought out the tuning fork watch.
@@DanielNoblett1111 totally agree 👍 it would sell like crazy
Love the tuning fork.
Nice looking watch. However, it seems like all those "power saving" features might be a pita. At the beginning of your video, you were moving it pretty good describing its dimensions, etc., yet nothing moved until you took it aside for a vigorous shake. How about those who wear it while sleeping at night? How much vigorous activity before seeing the time?
Great watch, great review. The size? I can pull off a 44mm watch but most can't without it looking freakishly large. Lol. $3600.00 yeah thats gonna be a pass for me. I'd much rather have a vintage Spaceview and a get a new Spring drive
Got that!
Ridiculous.
:)
There were electric movements too- they had a balance spring but driven by a battery. It was just before quartz. I have a Timex from that era.
Miniaturizing an electrostatic generator and motor to drive a wristwatch is an absurdly beautiful and nerdy endeavour. I would never pay the ridiculous price for a watch like this, but it pleases me that such a thing exists. I wonder what's next.
Interesting engineering, nice conversation piece, terrible watch.
LOL! Great way to put it.
I guess this is interesting physics so to speak, but I have 2 kinetics that are very accurate. More so than this watch and no where near the price of 3k. Somewhat the same principle of this movement. You can actually get up to 6 months storage and the hands will continue to operate. Sorry, this one just isn't my cup of tea. Nice video, looking forward to your video on the different movements.
$3,000? That’s my question. Meantime, there are a lot of lovely non-battleship-sized vintage Accutrons available for reasonable dough. I just picked one up for $60. Works great; still very accurate.
Cool!
@@islandwatch and it was a 30 Year presentation watch from Weyerhauser to one of its workers. I love those personal history watches. (Marc, thanks for explaining how the watch works.)
$60 bucks how? They hover around $400-$700 everywhere I look. I do agree with you though Bulova is putting it out there at $3,000 to see who bites. But who knows maybe they know the market better than me. 🤷♂️
$60?!! Wow. Most of the original Accutrons I've seen are $300-$600 or even $1300 for some...
@@armandr1613 Bulova has nothing to do with them now. They sold it all to Citizen. I've heard.
I think Seiko have updated the capacitors in the Kinetics. I fitted a new capacitor and the watch now sits at full power over many months of not wearing it. Massive difference, changed my view on kinetics.
I gave my son a Seiko kinetic and it kept dying because he never moved around enough to keep it going as he was always working on his pc as a video editor. He still wears it cause I gave it to him but the fact that it doesn’t work drives me nuts lol
Yup, Kinetics have this issue.
I like some of their Legacy line, but: (1) They are thick for a semi-dress watch, (2) They are shockingly small - 33mm - 34mm? Are they just designed for women, and men should wear those bizarre open works one? No, thanks., (3) It says in the description they run on an automatic 26 jewel Swiss movement, but no details. Is it really an automatic, or some strange combination of quartz and automatic? And why no details, that always bugs me., and (4) They are quite expensive for a brand that has long lost its history and credentials.
Thanks for the feedback
i am put off that the actual time keeping is kept by a battery. and where is the tuning fork? the tuning fork was thing that made the original spaceview cool
The motor and turbines are cool to see but overall I think this is an unattractive watch. Accutron needs to go back to the drawing board before the next release.
The lust is high on this one. 🤤Always liked Bulova growing up, and now I'm old enough to afford a few of their models, I have done. A lunar pilot, a precisionist chrono, and a Curv. This electrostatic would make a nice addition to the collection albeit a fairly significant jump in price from the others though. 😞
My first watch at 19 was a Bulova marine star, i actually bought it at my local jeweler, later i learned that the woodside factory was selling watches and i would go and buy my watches at the factory store. Unfortunately now Bulova has lost its MOJO.
its neat, i still like my railroad hum, size also fits me better lol
Thanks Mark. I just re watches this video because I just bought this watch.
You answered a bunch of my questions about it. So thank you.
Seiko kinetic much?😀
I'll do something on kinetics soon.
It's a rube Goldberg machine for a single complication. If they had to add the date it would need a backpack and a second watch case on the other wrist
Ha! You are correct, great way to put it.
Thank you for the tutorial. This watch is so cool. Looking forward to the different watch movement series. Your watch and learn videos are great. Wishing you and yours a very happy holiday season.
Thanks!
Great review! My cousin had one after they landed on moon. I have a battery unit from that era. Very sentimental to me.
Delray Watch actually has a used one for sale for $2,600 if anyone is feeling that itch.
Flippers!
Interesting watch. I feel that if I owned one I’d have to spend 15-20 minutes explaining how it works every time someone asked what is that. 😵💫 Thanks for sharing it Marc. Have a great day! 👍🏻👍🏻🇺🇸
That's the joy of it, right?
Bulova nailed it with the innovative technology and the looks are reminiscent of the 214 SpaceView. But man, that's huge!! Almost Hubloty 😅
BTW, I'm wearing my 1940 Bulova President while watching this video. It's a tad smaller, just 20mm wide on a rectangular case. ⌚🤟🏻
I am not into open heart automatics but this is by far more appealing.
Marc, your Tiffany Islander looks so much better than this huge guy.
Thank you ;)
Marc, these are so great. Thanks for still doing the watch and learn vids.
Thank you
Amazing watch. I have an original Spaceview which I purchased new in 1973 (bearing a 1971 serial number). This one is a little too big for my wrist. I hope they can make it smaller. Good vid. Keep at it!
Super geeky cool! Thanks!
You know with the lume orientation issue, I wouldn't mind if the solution was to simply not lume the 12 or even 6 o'clock indice. It would only be noticeable at night when it really maters.
True, good point.
I love it! But it sounds like a commitment to wear it often!
I'm looking at my original Accutron Spaceview with a green alligator Accutron strap that is in almost pristine condition.
They are a lot smaller that the later model mentioned here probably 34mm?
Thank you for the video. I've read a bit about the watch, and was still rather confused. This helps. IIRC from what I read, if you depleted the capacitor, you have to send it in for service, hence the full charge when you get the watch, and the power saving modes. According to the FAQ: "The second hand has stopped at 4 o'clock on my Accutron electrostatic timepiece: Your timepiece's energy reserves are below operation and recharge levels. Please send to an authorized service center."
😱👌😎
Wow, what a piece ! 👍
Quartz before Quartz after Seiko Quartz... 🤪😏
G'day Marc. I presume this movement hacks like normal? I noticed when the second hand hit 12 the minute hand wasn't hitting the minute markers precisely. Would this be because you didn't precisely align the minute hand to the start of a minute?
I know that you've been doing these Watch And Learn episodes for quite some years now. And of course you've been covering most of the important stuff already through the years by now, and it's getting harder to find interesting stuff to put up. Still I get super happy whenever you manage to find some new angle to teach us something many of us didn't know before. And of course all of this was new to me, thanks for sharing.
Keep up the good work!
i'm watching and learning! many thanks.
That's the idea!
So it's an ugly ass Quartz watch? And you paid over 3 grand for it...what a boring watch and learn
Thanks for watching and for your awesome opinion!
@@islandwatch and I'll keep watching this is a fantastic channel and your insights on the industry and watches in general is extremely entertaining. I just didn't love this one.
I wonder if tropical humidity affect’s the electrostatic function? Hawaii can be hard on all the watches I’ve ever owned! Corrosion and temperature/humidity change’s have killed my Rolex, seiko, Tag Heuer, Chase Durer & many Timex watches not to mention iPhones, Mac & numerous servers etc…
Im still waiting to time when the watches will be more thick than wide :D But this is closing to it.
Getting there! :)
I Googled this video because I saw an Accutron watch for $19, 600. I wanted to know what on Earth a watch could do or how it could work that it deserves almost $20,000. And as I'm watching, he hasn't said anything that deserves that kind of money. I can't fathom paying more than $200 for a watch.
Marc,
Are you familiar with the Seiko YTO2A kinetic watch charger? They were sold to dealers and repair facilities and never sold to the public. Do you think this would charge the electrostatic movement of this watch?
One thing for sure it didn't have the impact of the original Accutron technology launch. I'm not sure Citizen had planned that lukewarm reception, same for springdrive iirc, until people understood the tech...
They need to call this watch a Citizen watch it's not an Accutron, tired of these foreign companies buying up American company names for marketing purposes.
Great info. BTW- I can't get over how much you sound like Bill Hader impersonating Alan Alda!
You mean after ~10 years the watch will not work ! ?
It`s need to be serviced and changed the ... accumulator/battery/capacitor (whatever you want to call it) ?
Wow that's pricey Mark but a beautiful watch. I owned a 1962 M1 Spaceview Accutron which I just traded for a Bulova Precesionist last year. They are amazing watches and that humming sound is amazing. Very cool video and thanks for sharing. Crazy how they don't like to share information on their technology but glad you did your best explaining to us! Keep up great content. Always enjoy any content you put out👌 My 97 Seiko Kinetic only has 1 month power reserve versus new ones have 6 months power reserve. So I have to shake it 2000 times a day!🤯🤯🤯🤯
Thanks Steve. I'll have a video on kinetics soon.
If Accutron would present it in a more elegant trim, it could probably compete on price with the GS Spring Drive. If they would give it so much as a metal chapter ring, I would buy one.
I question your assessment of the motor being discretised to give the appearance of a linear sweep in the second hand. Most motors are continuous machines and have a constant angular velocity. Unlike stepper motors DC and AC motors rotors move in a continuous rotation. It is the current/voltage that changes to keep the magnetic moment constant. At least this is my understanding. AC motors work with a push-pull cycle, DC motors use a pull-freewheel cycle.
Is there an IC quartz controlled electronic regulating board in it sort of like what a Spring Drive movement has? Also, when the watch fully shuts down, does it still keep/remember the correct time when it wakes back up or is the function solely to save the charge in the energy cell thingy?
I'm in love with this watch even though I'm not a watch wearing person because my disability is really bad I can't work so could never afford it :(
Well worth the money, as the engineering under the hood is innovative, and valued over any RM costing millions. That said, pity a watchmaker given this to service, and overhaul, good luck.
Thanks for the review, Marc. Cool-looking watch, but a bit too big for my taste.
When you do the watch and learn about the various technologies used in watches over the years (great idea), make sure to include the "electric" watches from the early 1960s, such as the ones Timex made. I had one as a freshman in high school in 1964!
Why 10 days? Maybe they figured that most people who buy the watch don't wear it daily. They may were it for a few days and then put it back to a display box or a drawer for a month or even longer. The power down mode conserves the energy so the next time he/she decides to wear it, it's ready to go. No setting is needed.
The only thing I dont love about this stunning watch is the fact I will never ever be able to afford one. Time to save up for a 2nd hand "surfboard" or "parking meter" .
Complicated but still a cool watch, thanks Marc for sharing your knowledge always good to learn something new.
Thanks for watching!
ARE YOU ON Heroin?? I learned so much from this show!! I hope your ok mark.
Hamilton did the first electronic watch ..not quartz ..bad battery life didnt do well ..but there is a gap between auto & quartz
After 10 days of non movement, does the watch actually stop keeping time, or do the hands go into hibernation mode like the second hand?
0:44 Talk about watch movements in a chronological fashion. I see what you did there
I always wanted and original Acutron. The actor Don Johnson wore an original as Nash Bridges in the TV show of the same name.
Very cool watch, and yes it belongs in your collection. I'm used to my casio solar watches going to sleep that took a bit of getting used to after 30 ish years of macanical watches.
Thanks!
I don’t get it, great idea but why not just use the actual tuning fork rather than invent a whole new system? Shrug
I just ordered the LaPalina edition and am waiting for it to arrive. Love your Vids and Content!
@08:10 i though accuracy is +/- 5 a month not a day according to some resources and reviews.
I prefer it over its less than successful rival brand Sloppytron.
It's interesting that the English word "watch" can take on two meanings in the title of this video. 🙂
I have a 1966 Spaceview. You could probably fit 4 of those inside the case of this new one. I had no idea what was going on in this new electrostatic movement, so thanks for the video!
Thanks for watching
I like it and I'd consider buying it except I have skinny wrists. It's just too big. If they could knock it down to 40, it'd be perfect. But I can't justify spending that much money on something that would look awkward on me.
Not sure they could.
Very cool. I’m not upset the entire movement is not electrostatic driven. I think this solution is better to see the operation of that smooth seconds hand. I wonder if this piece will inspire other watchmakers.
It's different for sure.
Acutron sounds like Futurama´s movie star robot.
Appreciate the progress of technology, but not for me.
doubt this watch will still work in years when most automatics will
So every time it stops I have to set the hour all over again and again?
Are you going to do a collaboration with the island Boys?
I was tempted to get one. But the size is way too much for my wrist.
the watch that hums and eats up battery life within a year.....
Cool watch and a neat application of technology to time keeping. When will we see and Islander variant? LOL
When this gets shrunk to 41mm I might become interested.
My isl looks like a Rolex I want a green dial dress watch
so after five minutes on the night table it stops and you have to reset it in the morning? Thats not good, but I still love it!!! Or does it catch up to the correct time? In video when it started back up it didn't fast forward.
The hour and minute keeps moving except for the second hand if its sitting on a night table..no need to reset it..
Interesting watch, but it is hard to read, in my opinion. It is important to me to be able to tell the time with a quick glance. That is probably why I do not like skeletonized hands.
It's actually very easy
I bought the Accutron 2020 yesterday and it looks spectacular. However I have one issue with it. To get the sweep second hand to run I need to shake the watch vigorously. The second hand with then run but only for a few minutes. Then it stops and I need to start the process over again. Am I doing something wrong or is there an issue with the watch?
I think that's expected. How do you like watch a year later? So tempted to pick one up
@@bigdreams5554 More than a year latter I love the watch. Just a little jiggle will get the second hand moving if it isn't already running. I've come to consider that a charming quirk. It's a great time piece and it gets a lot of time on my wrist.
$3500+ wow
Yeah, pricey.
Cool technology, smooth sweep like Spring Drive is cool, but a huge package! I have serious reservations about the power save second hand. I think that ruins it. Yes, stopping after an hour, for overnight savings makes sense,but not 5 minutes!
Very nice. A bit expensive though
Very interesting!! I may be selling my Tudor and if I do, I just may pick up one of these! Very cool!! Thanks Marc for sharing this with us!!! PS I love all my Islander watches!!!
Great detail thanks for sharing.
I wish they did a version of the Spaceview DNA with the more open generator bridges etc from the 2020. It feels like they missed an opportunity to make one stunning design and made two different 'nice' ones.
Hey mark .. saw that islander date just on Insta. You know what you need to do now? Make that strap fit the alpinist! Lol
You like it that much?
@@islandwatch we just need a decent bracelet for the alpinist.. even if you make endlink and clasp upgrades for the strapcode one - which has already sold out - im sure it will sell like hot cakes
Would love to see what’s under the case back. Definitely a intriguing watch. Great video.😊
I love this watch.. thanks for featuring it on the channel.. Was talking to a jeweler friend of mine about it the other day. Saw you mention it when you were on with The Urban Gentry channel. Love those vids, BTW..
Nice video, thanks.