Is my watch a Conversion or Real Spaceview?

Quick links:

• Characteristics of Factory Spaceviews vs Conversions
• Take a look at a selection of converted watches
• Warning on fake white hands
• Accutron Crystals
• Listing of Factory Spaceview case numbers.

This I believe would probably be the second most commonly asked question about Accutrons. The most commonly asked question would have to be "What's an Accutron?", but since we are all "Accutron-literate" here, we'll ignore that one!

It isn't always easy to tell a conversion from a Factory Spaceview, and in fact if the conversion is done correctly, perhaps it doesn't really matter. Here are the differences as far as I know:

Factory Spaceview (see Pic 1.)

• Has a minute chapter ring (called by Bulova a "reflector") instead of a full dial. It is a narrow metal ring around the inside edge of the watch with minute and (sometimes) 5 minute markers on it (see Pic 3). It is held in place by the crystal, which has a thin metal compression ring inside its rim.
• Factory spaceviews usually have white hands (in various styles and with a luminous insert) and white, orange or red sweep second hand. This is so they can be seen more easily against the darker colors of the movement.
• The crystal usually had the name Bulova Accutron printed on it in the lower left quadrant, or the Bulova Fork logo and the name Accutron, but nothing else.
• Bulova also supplied Spaceviews which did not have the reflector. (Pic 2.)These had a printed crystal and white hands and white or colored second hand. Also, some crystals had luminous printed chapters. Go to "Replacement Crystals"

Pic 1. Factory Spaceview with Reflector	Pic 2. Factory Spaceview with Printed Crystal	Pic 3. Various types of Reflectors

• May have a plain or unmarked crystal, or lesser quality non-Bulova crystal.
• Standard gold or silver finished hands.
• May be in a case style not used by Bulova as a Spaceview. Click Here for a list of Spaceview case numbers.
• Pic 4 below shows a converted Spaceview. Click Here to see a selection of typical conversions.

Pic 4. Converted Spaceview
(fitted with genuine Bulova crystal)

As we Accutron collectors become more sophisticated and knowledgeable, the scammers and unscrupulous dealers who try and pass off Spaceview conversions as the genuine article become cleverer in their attempts to deceive us.

It has been brought to my attention (thanks John B.) that at least one dealer who is selling Spaceviews via an internet Auction site is painting silver and gold colored hands white, in attempt to make conversions look more correct, and thus bring a higher price. So now we have to examine white hands very carefully to ascertain if they are genuine or not.

• The paint finish must be matte.
• The paint finish must be perfectly even, with no ripples, wrinkles, or any dust or foreign material stuck to it. Under a loupe, it may have a slight granular appearance, very consistent and even. Occasionally, small lumps may be noticed, but these will be in the paint, not stuck on to it. Again, these will only be visible under a strong loupe.
• The painted edges of the hands should be perfectly sharp, with the paint evenly covering the sides if the hands. (Expect some edge-to-edge curvature, and slight thinning of the paint right on the edges).
• The white colour should be absolutely consistent with no variations in color hue or density. (An exception may be if there is a small rust spot, which can occur if a watch has had some moisture in it during its lifetime).
• Sometimes a watchmaker will touch up damaged white hands with a little bit of white correction fluid. It can usually be seen where the white correction fluid ends and the original white paint begins.
• The underside of the hands may not be painted, with the exception of the luminous paint and some fine overspray.
• Check very carefully the luminous material in the hands. When the hands were manufactured, the luminous paint was applied to the back of the hand, AFTER the hands were painted. From the top, you should see the white paint go "underneath" the luminous paint. Make sure there are NO traces of paint on top of the luminous paint. Check them glowing in the dark if necessary, there will be dark spots if any paint is on them. An exception to this is, once again, are small rust spots, which can be seen easily in daylight as a brown discoloration of the yellow-green luminous paint. Rust spots are not very common on these hands.
• The luminous material should be slightly "inset" into the slot cut in the hand for it. If it comes level to, or overlays the top surface of the hand, be suspicious. It was originally applied to the back of the hand, and in such a way as not to flow all the way through the hole.
• Check the second-hand. Same rules as above. It should have a tiny hole at the pivot point. If the hole is filled with paint, that's not a good sign.

In summary, we are looking for hands which have been finished in the Factory to a high standard of perfection, which is difficult to achieve in an amateur workshop. If you are planning on buying a Spaceview via the internet, make it a condition of purchase that you reserve the right to have the watch examined by an independant expert watchmaker, and that you can return it for a full refund if he deems it to be modified in any way.

NOTE: As of around 2008, Clark Watch Parts are selling reproduction Spaceview hands and crystals, made by a Swiss company to a very high standard. I certainly don't mind these being used as they really look good. You can find them on Ebay, user name nostalgia-2000.

The index mechanism of the Accutron 214 movement is very susceptible to damage when removed from its case by unskilled persons. If the second-hand is moved backwards even the smallest amount, the index wheel can be damaged, and the index and pawl jewels torn off the fingers. Avoid any watch that is not keeping time to Accutron Standards, ie 60secs/month.

Bulova supplied various types of replacement crystals with minute chapter and/or logo printed on them. The pic below shows 3 types of genuine Bulova replacement crystals. However, inferior quality copies of these exist. They are distinguishable from a genuine Bulova-supplied crystal by the lower quality of the silkscreen printing on them. The printing should be "razor sharp" and with no rippled or wavy edges, misalignment or distortion. Click Here for a listing of Spaceview Crystal Part Numbers.

If your watch is a conversion which originally had a reflector, or printed crystal AND genuine white hands, then I guess it probably doesn't really matter, as the movement in a Spaceview is identical to a normal 214 anyway. The reflector rings on non-Spaceview watches usually did not have luminous dots. Reflector rings, crystals and white hands were standard stock items, and could be purchased easily. So, a good watchmaker doing conversions would have used them (when they were still available).

Accutron 214 watches came in dozens (possibly hundreds) of different case styles, but not many were sold as Spaceviews. Click Here for a list of Spaceview case numbers.

How much is my watch worth? That is the next most commonly asked question, and I would not like to hazard a guess, as it depends on many factors, including overall condition and the case material (ie solid gold vs plated). However, any watch that comes with its box and original papers authenticating it will fetch a premium price for its condition. Check out some of the watch dealers on the net, or get a current copy of "Complete Price Guide to Watches" by Shugart and Gilbert. It should be available from most large bookstores.

While I am a confirmed Accutron addict, I like Spaceviews as much as anyone else. If they are done properly, I don't mind conversions. I believe the apparent Spaceview "craze" has gone a bit far for a couple of reasons:

1) In order to make a fast buck, lots of dealers have converted many very attractive and collectible original 214's to Spaceviews. This means that in the future, complete and original 214's will become more scarce and expensive to us collectors. The dials removed during the conversion process will have been long-lost, or at least been damaged or deteriorated by having been cast aside as worthless.