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Vintage Quartz Apprieciation

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Vintage Quartz Apprieciation

Post by MoT »

The early days and years of quartz watches were filled with movements that showed some great craftsmanship and innovation.

Use this thread to share your vintage quartz, or to just learn about some!

I'll start with this 1979 Bulova Accutron Quartz housing the 2453.10 movement.

Image

Image

There is a trimmer (gold screw located below the crown) that allows regulation to a maximum of +/- 7 seconds per day. The quartz movement also has a pretty interesting feature that Bulova called "Accuset", and it is activated via the inset pusher above the crown.

When replacing the battery, or when power has been interrupted, you have to reset Accuset. To do that you:
  • Pull crown to second (time setting) position when seconds hand reaches 12:00.
  • Press Accuset button.
  • Move the hands until the date changes. This establishes midnight. then set time. Move hands 5 minutes ahead of time standard being used, then back to correct time.
  • When time standard being used (I use time.gov) reaches 0 seconds (1:00:00 for example), push crown to date setting position and set date.
How to use Accuset:

If you think the watch has gained or lost time, reference the time standard used when setting the watch. When the standard reaches 0 seconds (again, 1:00:00 for example), press and release the Accuset button. The seconds hand will then either pause if ahead or will speed up (looks like an EOL indicator) if behind and then resume regular operation once synchronized.
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Re: Vintage Quartz Apprieciation

Post by Wolfsatz »

What do we consider Vintage?

Semi Vintage Timex Reefgear with a pretty nifty feature. Temp sensor. It works quite well after fresh juice, which happens to be a weird cR2025. Took the resin strap on a 24 hour washing period and took the coloring off the strap. Holding quite nicely without any rot.

I love that this one has a dome crystal and the greenish old school screen. I have no clue how to use the tide tool at all. The bezel rotates bidirectionally.

ImageTX Reef Gear by Wolfsatz, on Flickr
:arrow:... What time is it? :mrgreen:
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Re: Vintage Quartz Apprieciation

Post by MoT »

Wolfsatz wrote: Fri Sep 25, 2020 10:43 pm What do we consider Vintage?
I suppose a general rule of thumb could be anything at least 20-25 years old.
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Re: Vintage Quartz Apprieciation

Post by Wolfsatz »

ManOnTime wrote: Fri Sep 25, 2020 10:49 pm
Wolfsatz wrote: Fri Sep 25, 2020 10:43 pm What do we consider Vintage?
I suppose a general rule of thumb could be anything at least 20-25 years old.
L3 puts it at ... 17 years old. :o Is older than Wolf Jr.

BTW.. that Bulova day date is delicious! Unique Bulova retro look! Nice!
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Re: Vintage Quartz Apprieciation

Post by Wolfsatz »

I think this one is from early 90s... so this one is a true vintage. And the dial is quite a stunner

ImageStarfish by Wolfsatz, on Flickr
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Re: Vintage Quartz Apprieciation

Post by Klaatu3 »

Timex titanium quartz, received as a gift from my parents in 1989…bought at Sears, if I remember right. I wore it through boot camp that year and for several years afterward. It was a perfect field watch and I always thought it unusual for its time: stylized titanium case & back, screw-down crown at 4:30, ideal hand length, grid pattern on dial, hooded & drilled lugs. The case width is 34mm so it doesn’t get much wrist time anymore. I just change the battery every few years and it still keeps very accurate time.

timex-titanium.jpg
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Re: Vintage Quartz Apprieciation

Post by Sporkboy »

3D0A5B6E-4A83-4A2F-A38D-32DE2E863E8C.jpeg
7B46D8B1-7EEC-461B-85D6-9D89431F924C.jpeg
Inspired by this thread I decided to make an offer on a couple of lots that hadn’t sold in a few months. They just kept getting reposted. I mad an offer on 2 lots combined and I have a bunch of untested watches coming my way for $31.50.

No telling what will power up here, but there are a few fun ones in here.

There is a decent looking lugless National Semiconductors watch that I am really hoping works.
4F53A4BD-0C4F-4607-81B7-D0F42B9BCD6B.jpeg
9FB385C1-34E1-49A3-9337-A5C343E192B1.jpeg
I have been thinking about a vintage stainless digital and this one could fit the bill.
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Re: Vintage Quartz Apprieciation

Post by Split-Time »

Sporkboy wrote: Tue Sep 29, 2020 11:55 am 3D0A5B6E-4A83-4A2F-A38D-32DE2E863E8C.jpeg7B46D8B1-7EEC-461B-85D6-9D89431F924C.jpegInspired by this thread I decided to make an offer on a couple of lots that hadn’t sold in a few months. They just kept getting reposted. I mad an offer on 2 lots combined and I have a bunch of untested watches coming my way for $31.50.

No telling what will power up here, but there are a few fun ones in here.

There is a decent looking lugless National Semiconductors watch that I am really hoping works.
4F53A4BD-0C4F-4607-81B7-D0F42B9BCD6B.jpeg9FB385C1-34E1-49A3-9337-A5C343E192B1.jpeg

I have been thinking about a vintage stainless digital and this one could fit the bill.
This is cool. Good luck! I bet a lot of us (myself included) will be interested in the success rate, age, condition etc :D .
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Re: Vintage Quartz Apprieciation

Post by Sporkboy »

These were out of the estate of a retired watchmaker, but are sold as untested.Hopefully they are all without old batteries, but I am guessing that won’t be the case.

On the National Instruments above, it looks like there were some marks from trying to open the caseback. Not sure if someone tried and gave up, but that is what I am hoping for.

There are 34 watches in total for this combined lot. If those, 15 appear like they might be usable. At $31.50 for the lot that comes to rolling the dice at $2.10 each. We will see what comes in. Looks like there is a ladies Bulova in there even.
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Re: Vintage Quartz Apprieciation

Post by MoT »

ManOnTime wrote: Thu Sep 24, 2020 11:55 am The early days and years of quartz watches were filled with movements that showed some great craftsmanship and innovation.

Use this thread to share your vintage quartz, or to just learn about some!

I'll start with this 1979 Bulova Accutron Quartz housing the 2453.10 movement.

Image

Image

There is a trimmer (gold screw located below the crown) that allows regulation to a maximum of +/- 7 seconds per day. The quartz movement also has a pretty interesting feature that Bulova called "Accuset", and it is activated via the inset pusher above the crown.

When replacing the battery, or when power has been interrupted, you have to reset Accuset. To do that you:
  • Pull crown to second (time setting) position when seconds hand reaches 12:00.
  • Press Accuset button.
  • Move the hands until the date changes. This establishes midnight. then set time. Move hands 5 minutes ahead of time standard being used, then back to correct time.
  • When time standard being used (I use time.gov) reaches 0 seconds (1:00:00 for example), push crown to date setting position and set date.
How to use Accuset:

If you think the watch has gained or lost time, reference the time standard used when setting the watch. When the standard reaches 0 seconds (again, 1:00:00 for example), press and release the Accuset button. The seconds hand will then either pause if ahead or will speed up (looks like an EOL indicator) if behind and then resume regular operation once synchronized.
After about two weeks this was running 7 seconds fast. A press of the Accuset button at the appropriate time paused the seconds hand until real-time picked up the slack.
Join us on Discord and interact live with your fellow members (click the icon):

Want to ensure your favorite watch site can keep the lights on? Click here: https://www.patreon.com/motswdf

Your friend in time,
Matt - MoT

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"You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them." - Ray Bradbury
"Remember no man is a failure who has friends." - Clarence Odbody
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