Accutron Astronaut Restoration.

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ASTRONAUT RESTORATION

FULLY INSURED - 1 YEAR GUARANTY (Parts and Labor)

RESTORATION PRICE LIST

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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 has these features it is a 214. Click on the thumbnail image (left) to see a larger photo.

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THE RESTORATION PROCESS

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. The inevitable result is shown in the photo of the Astronaut bezel with its rotating ring removed at the right.

The process begins with the the disassembly and ultrasonic cleaning of all case parts.

Rust and/or corrosion (if any) is then removed with hand tools and wire brushes.

The bezel is buffed and polished to remove minor scratches and restore the factory finish. The focus is to preserve the crispness of factory edges as much as possible. A sloppy job here can seriously devalue any watch because it's the crispness of the case that most affects the outcome of an appraisal.

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, battery hatch, and outer lock ring are buffed to a brilliant shine. The straight graining on the flat part of the rear cover is restored with special care 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 above left is a typical 214 cover. Adjacent is a before/after composite and the photo above right shows the same cover fully restored. For most covers, all but the deepest scratches are removed and even the deep ones are less noticeable.

The rotating Astronaut bezel ring is disassembled and cleaned, then the ring is sanded on a lathe to restore the circular graining while also removing scratches.

The engraving is then filled with black paint and when dry, the ring is sanded again to remove excess paint. The bezel ring can then be re-assembled and installed on the bezel with a new crystal.

Some dials have a factory applied clear coat finish that after decades has become fragile due to age. The old lacquer, whether tinted or clear is often crazed and is prone to flaking off which can result in a patchwork of different colors and missing printing.

Furthermore, what can appear to be dirt spots to an owner are usually corrosion blooms from the base metal under the lacquer and plating. True dial restoration can only be accomplished by professional dial restorers who have the silk screen equipment and literally hundreds of screens to strip and restore a dial to it's original state.

The above clear coat issues are not a problem with more durable enamel dials such as the black Astronaut "A" model dial.

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 luminous on the hands begins by removing the old luminous paint. If the plated steel hands are corroded, the loose rust is scraped off. The hands are then lacquered to restore the shine and to prevent any further rust. Unfortunately the pitting remains but to the naked eye the appearance is greatly improved. 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 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 (Parts and Labor)

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)
Reproduction Astronaut Crystal; $45.00.
New-Old-Stock Astronaut Crystal; $95.00

RESTORATION SERVICES

STAINLESS STEEL BEZELS:
Buff/Polish Astronaut bezel; $95.00GOLD & GOLD-FILLED BEZELS:
Gently buffed & polished: $75.00

ASTRONAUT BEZEL RINGS: **
Disassemble, clean all parts, re-paint numbers, and restore circular graining; $125.00

REAR COVER **
Full Restoration Includes: Buff all angled surfaces, restore straight and circular graining on rear cover, setting stem and battery hatch. Buff stainless lock ring - $150.00

Partial Restoration: Buff angled surfaces and restore circular graining on setting stem and battery hatch - $95.00

ASTRONAUT DIALS: *
Remove old luminous, clean dial and apply fresh high-glow luminous paint; $145.00

LUMINOUS HANDS: *
Rust Free: Clean, and apply fresh high-glow luminous paint; $95.00
Rusted: Clean, clear coat, and apply fresh luminous paint; $125.00

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.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Martin Marcus
5 Laurel Court
Marblehead, MA 01945 (781) 639-0442

e-mail: martin@accutron214.com

Site Map

Please be advised that I almost never get up from my microscope to answer the phone which seems to ring constantly, even on weekends.
I do however, reply to my e-mail every evening, so that's the best way to contact me. Simply click on the link above.

For those of you who hate to type, feel free to call and leave a message on my answering machine, but don't forget to leave your e-mail address.
Please spell out the address slowly, enunciate clearly, and indicate whether there are any special characters such as dashes, underscores, or capital letters.

I always try to reply to e-mail on the day in which it was received, so if you don't hear from me within one business day,
it's probably because I didn't get your correct e-mail and my message was returned as undeliverable.

I regret that I simply don't have the time to return either phone calls, or e-mails from people who are just looking for information, or advise.
There are just too many of you, and my first priority is to keep from falling behind on my repairs.

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Work Spaces

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Ultrasonic Cleaning