Accutron 214 Restoration

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I work on first edition 214's only. If need be, I will help you to verify that your Accutron is a caliber 214 before you send it.

The 214 is set from the rear of the case by lifting a spring loaded "C" shaped lever. Also on the rear of the case is a slotted hatch cover which unscrews to access the battery. If your Accutron does not have these features it is not a 214. Click on the thumbnail image (left) to see a larger photo.

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THE RESTORATION PROCESS

FULLY INSURED - 1 YEAR GUARANTY

Each bezel, face, & hand combination has a unique set of features that require specific services to restore them to their best possible appearance.

The Astronaut Model is shown in the restoration process below. Astronauts are especially challenging because of the many elements that affect their condition. All basic 214 restoration items are described below with the addition of several that are specific to the Astronaut.

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Contrary to popular belief, the grade of stainless steel used for watch cases will rust over a period of years. Water gets in between the metal parts where it can stay wet for days and the inevitable result is shown in the photo of the Astronaut bezel with its rotating ring removed at the right.
The repair process begins with the dis-assembly, wire brushing, and ultrasonic cleaning of the case to remove caked on debris.

The original graining on any 214 cover can be restored to factory specs. The back cover is taken apart, the angled surfaces on the cover, setting stem, and battery hatch are buffed to a brilliant shine, then the straight graining on the flat part of the rear cover is restored. Special care is taken to preserve the depth and crispness of engravings. The circular graining is restored on the setting stem, & battery hatch. Finally, a new gasket is installed on the battery hatch, and the cover is re-assembled. The photo on the left is a before/after composite of a 214 back cover.

For most covers, all but the deepest scratches are removed and even the deep ones are less noticeable. The photo on the left shows the back of a 214 before restoration. The finished cover is on the right.

The rotating Astronaut bezel ring is disassembled and cleaned, then the engraving is filled with black paint. When the paint is dry the ring is lightly sanded on a lathe to remove the excess paint and to restore the original factory graining. The bezel ring can then be assembled to the case with a new crystal.

After some initial brushing to remove the loose powdery rust, this watch looked about average for its 37 years, and it would have been easy to miss something that only a good microscope can reveal.

Microscopic examination revealed cracks in the painted dial markers that went all the way from the top layer of luminous paint, through the white base paint, to the brass base metal. Note the crack across the paint on the one o'clock marker shown in the photo at the right. A portion of the paint is lifting and would soon flake off. All of the painted dial markers are very fragile. Also notice the rust on the hands which are made of steel and then chrome plated.

The owner of this watch opted to restore the markers rather than paint over them. In so doing, he avoided the future risk of having pieces of paint flake off and possibly work their way into the movement.

Restoring the dial began with the removal of the loose paint down to the base metal and cleaning the dial with a mild detergent. Then the areas to be re-painted are cleaned with a solvent to remove any residue of detergent or oils that may have remained.

On dials where the base coat is intact, only the luminous layer is scraped off.

Re-painting from the base metal involves two steps. First the white markers are painted in using a custom built stainless steel holding fixture.

Then the luminous paint is applied leaving the white paint showing evenly as a border. This layer is built up with several coats in order to get the correct thickness. The finished product looks sculpted and the extra thickness assures a brilliant glow in the dark.

Finally, the dial is coated with a low gloss finish to restore the rich black color and to protect the dial for years to come.

The process of restoring the hands begins with removing the old luminous paint and cleaning the rust off of the reflective surfaces. Unfortunately the pitting remains but to the naked eye the hands appear to be smooth.

The hands are then lacquered to restore the shine and to prevent any further rust. The arrow on the GMT hand is given several coats of luminous paint. The others have the luminous paint applied on the bottom so as to fill the center cut-out by capillary action. Several coats are required because the paint shrinks and a uniform thickness is required for an even glow. After drying the paint usually needs to be scraped to remove any excess thickness so that the hands won't rub each other when they are on the movement.

The movement is taken apart. All metal parts are ultrasonically cleaned. The movement is then re-assembled lubricated, and adjusted. Finally, the dial and hands are installed on the movement. The assembly is then put back into its case, a new gasket is installed, and the cover is closed. The watch is then observed for approximately 2 weeks, during which time, fine adjustments can be made to the movement.

Various Astronaut luminous configurations

CAUTION: If you found an old Accutron in a drawer and put a battery in it, you may be quite pleased to find that it runs, but may I suggest that you remove the battery immediately, and have the watch serviced before it self destructs. For an explanation please visit the Q & A Page

Is your 214 running way too fast? See the information at: http://www.accutron214.com/AccutronBattery.htm

RESTORATION RICE LIST
Prices do not include replacements for damaged or missing parts.
FULLY INSURED - 1 YEAR GUARANTY

ALL RESTORATIONS START WITH ONE OF THE FOLLOWING REQUIRED SERVICE PACKAGES:

REQUIRED - BASIC MODELS: $150.00 plus parts (regulator diode may be required at additional cost)
Cleaning, lubrication, and adjustment of the movement to work correctly with a readily available 1.5V battery
Disassembly and cleaning of the case. (bezel, back cover, battery hatch, setting stem, and threaded lock ring)
Installation of replacement parts (if any)
Crystal polish (restores transparency and shine, does not remove scratches)
New 387S Energizer battery
New gaskets
New stainless steel spring pins for your band or bracelet
One year guarantee (parts and labor)

REQUIRED - SPACEVIEW MODELS: $150.00 plus parts (regulator diode may be required at additional cost)
Same as 214 basic.

REQUIRED - HACKED MODELS: $175.00 plus parts (regulator diode may be required at additional cost)
All 214 basic services plus adjustment of the hack mechanism.
(includes Railroad Approved models) (does not include Astronaut)

    What is a "Hacked" model? The hack is an additional factory installed 214 feature which
    stops the tuning fork when the recessed setting stem is lifted. The "hack spring" is highlighted
    in the photos at the right. Correct adjustment of this feature is critical. This feature will only
    work if the tuning fork magnets are strong enough to self-start the movement when the stem
    is lowered back into its recess.

REQUIRED - ASTRONAUT MODELS: $200.00 plus parts (regulator diode may be required at additional cost)
All 214 basic, and hack services plus disassembly, cleaning, and lubrication of Astronaut bezel ring.

DEPOSIT - ALL MODELS:
A deposit of $50.00 is required. The deposit will cover the cost of inspection and return shipping should you decide not to proceed with the repair & restoration. The deposit will be applied to the total if repair is authorized.

OPTIONAL SERVICES

COIL MODIFICATION:
Install regulator diode to reduce battery voltage to 1.3 volts: $50. (optional for most 214's) (required on over-active movements)

CRYSTALS:
Sand, buff, & polish old crystal: $20.00 (removes all but the deepest scratches)
New Generic Crystal; $20
Reproduction Astronaut Crystal; $45.00
New-Old-Stock Crystal; $45.00 and up

RESTORATION SERVICES

STAINLESS STEEL BEZELS:
Buff stainless steel bezel: $95.00

GOLD & GOLD FILLED BEZELS:
Gently buffed & polished: $75.

ASTRONAUT BEZEL RINGS: **
Disassemble, clean all parts, re-paint numbers, and restore circular graining; $95.00

REAR COVERS: **
Restore straight & circular graining on rear cover, setting stem, & battery hatch: $125.00

THREADED LOCK RINGS:
Buff stainless lock ring: $35.00

214 DIALS: *
Remove old luminous, clean dial and apply fresh high-glow luminous paint: $35.00

ASTRONAUT DIALS: *
Remove old luminous, clean dial and apply fresh high-glow luminous paint: $125.00

CHAPTER RINGS: *
Remove old luminous, clean and apply fresh high-glow luminous paint: $125.00

LUMINOUS HANDS: *
Rust Free: Clean, and apply fresh high-glow luminous paint: $75.00
Rusted: Clean, clear coat, and apply fresh luminous paint: $95.00

SPACEVIEW HANDS: *
Reproduction white luminous hand set: $75.00
Chapter Ring type (left) - Alpha type (right)

METAL BRACELETS:
Ultrasonic cleaning: $10.00

PLEASE NOTE: Because each restoration project is unique, firm quotes can only be given after careful inspection.

* Ultra-bright, long lasting, long glowing Strontium Aluminate crystals.
** Same as original factory finish. Removes or hides all but the deepest scratches.

Accutron 214 Restoration Appointment Request

PRIVACY NOTICE: The information you send on this form will automatically create invoices and return shipping labels. No information will be made available to anyone else for any purpose whatsoever.

I work on the first edition 214 caliber Accutron only. Please compare your watch's back cover with the photo at right. If your Accutrons' back cover is similar it is a 214.

The best way to contact me is by e-mail. Please be advised that if you access my voice-mail and leave an e-mail address I will try to reply promptly but if you don't hear from me within one day it's probably because I didn't get your correct e-mail address and my message was returned as undeliverable. Due to the many incoming calls that I receive from people seeking information about their watches, I regret that I cannot return phone calls so please e-mail me by clicking the link below.

If you phone please spell out your e-mail address slowly, enunciate clearly, and indicate whether there are spaces
or capital letters.

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WORK SPACES

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