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 myQ & 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 in2002
(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 byRoy Furchgottwho 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 titleis 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 to57 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
A Personal Note: Even now, six decades after Apollo 11, there are times when I look at my Accutron and think about the fact that I have a working scientific instrument
that is fundamentally identical to the ones left on the Moon. I won't be around to see those instruments when they are eventually brought back to Earth, but I'm hopeful that my
grandchildren will. Very
truly yours, Martin Marcus email