Accutron 214 service history by Martin Marcus

About me & Accutron214.com:

    My name is Martin Marcus. I graduated from Wentworth Institute in Boston in 1962 https://wit.edu.

    I am currently enjoying the 22nd year of my current occupation as an Accutron 214 repair specialist. During that time I've repaired and restored thousands of 214's, helping to move them out of storage and back on the wrists of their proud owners. This site was originally developed in an effort to tell the Accutron story. From the beginning one of my objectives has been to bring the important, but little known history of a true American icon to light. In the process I've worked to create a comprehensive collection of photos and in-depth information about first-edition Accutron 214's. Spend a few minutes browsing my Q & A page and you're bound to find something of value.

The The Accutron Place:
    I bought my first 214 in 1963 and when Bulova stopped making parts, I began to imagine the day when I would have to toss my Spaceview in a drawer for good. I hated the thought so I started collecting 214's and by the time I set up my first Accutron repair web page in 1998 on an antiques web site (Way Back Machine archive), I had become very proficient in Accutron 214 repair.

Accutron214.com:
   This web site was established in 2002 (web archive) when I retired from my original occupation as a tool & die maker. Back then, an internet search for Accutron 214 repairers brought back only a few hits, but since that time the number of online repairers has increased dramatically. There's no question that some are skilled in this line of work, but unfortunately others are not.

Who can you trust?
     Repairing an Accutron 214 requires specific knowledge, and certain unique skills which have been largely forgotten since Bulova pulled the plug on 214 production in 1977. One wrong move can destroy delicate parts in the "Index Mechanism" or the "Coil" which otherwise might have lasted for another 50 years. For that reason you should only trust an experienced repairer of vintage Accutrons with your "Hummer".

Beware of anyone who claims to be the only or the official Bulova recommended repairer of vintage Accutrons.

My 15 Minutes:
In August of 2002 I was privileged to be contacted by Roy Furchgott who was a regular contributor to the "Personal Tech" section of the New York Times. Back then he was a freelance journalist who was writing an article about the growing collectability of early Accutrons. The article's title is self explanatory: "For Collectors, a Race for a Space-Age Heirloom". Since that time, interest in the first-edition 214 caliber Accutron has grown dramatically and The Accutron Place has grown to 57 pages.

Notable Events:
Astronaut Jeffrey Hoffman at work.

March 3, 2013: After completing work on his two Accutrons, my shop was privileged to receive a visit by former astronaut Jeffrey A. Hoffman. Given his previous extraordinary career with NASA (1979-1997), his work as NASA's European Representative in Paris (1997-2001), and his current occupation as a professor in Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT, it was truly an honor to work on his Accutrons.

Professor Hoffman and yours truly. I'm wearing my Astronaut. He's sporting his 1970 Cushion Case Spaceview. Talk about role reversal!

Hoffman Biographies: Wikipedia & NASA