# Tuning fork watches



## indiana_holmes (Aug 25, 2008)

For sometime now, I have been wanting to get a tuning fork watch. At first, I only looked at Bulovas. By pure luck, I somehow found out that other companies such as Omega and Titus made them as well.

I have 2 questions. First, would an Omega tuning fork watch be a better acquisition than a Bulova? The second question is about the Titus tuning fork watch. Does anybody have any history on them? Also, the only place I've seen to buy a Titus tuning fork watch is Hong Kong (ebay of course). Their approval rate is very high, but does that mean anything?

I think I have asked too many questions in one thread. By experience, these kind of threads usually go unanswered. So for those brave enough to help me out with my questions and maybe give me some advice, *THANKS!!!
Chris
*


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## Eviltwin (Jan 23, 2009)

The titus is the same watch as the Omega. Titus bought all of Omegas tuning fork movements when Omega hit a bad patch. A titus generally can be got a fair bit cheaper than the Omega which is purely a snob value thing.

IMHO the titus is definitely a better value buy for this sole reason. Personally I would get a Bulova Accutron because they were the innovators and i feel that my own personal joy of owning a tuning fork model would be hightened by the sense of history that the Bulova would give.

Get a good one of whatever you get though as repairs are very specialized and i have been told that there are only two watchmakers in the Uk that will confidently work on a tuning fork movement


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## Ray916MN (Feb 11, 2006)

Here is an over simplistic way too brief response as pages could be written in response to your questions.

Bulova was the first tuning fork movement. 

Omega (ESA) made watches with tuning fork movements utilizing some Bulova patent(s), the ESA 9162 and ESA 9164. Omega, Titus, Tissot and Longines used these movements in some of their watches in the late 60s, early 70s. Omega was unique in coupling the ESA 9164 to a chronograph module to make the only tuning fork chronographs ever produced, the Speedsonic. 

Is an Omega tuning fork watch a better acquisition than a Bulova? The answer to this depends on what better means to you.

The Bulova Accutron is the icon of tuning fork watches, with several models being particularly valued (e.g. Spaceview, Astronaut) and Accutrons were the first tuning fork watches. Accutron movements were used for on board time keeping on the first space missions.

The ESA movements are considered by some to be of higher quality than the Accutron movements and put into watch models like Omega Constellations and chronometer certified are considered to be desirable, by collectors. Speedsonics of course are considered to be desirable.

So the answer on which is a better acquisition depends on which movement is used and in which model watch from which maker you are comparing and what your collecting interest is.


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## tomshep (Jun 5, 2007)

The watches used on the first space missions were Poljot 3017s, comrade.
The Accutron failed to be sufficiently dustproof for US space missions but not before Omega got so worried about it that they took out a licence to produce watches with the Bulova derived movement. This may have been the reason for designing the Speedsonic which is rare and expensive (but arguably worth it.) Universal Geneve made a few as well but Unisonics are relatively dear. Titus are well known and regarded as a bargain amongst the watch savvy but a Longines Ultronic can be worth looking out for. There is the occasional good deal to snap up there.


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

There are 3 commonly available tuning fork movements...
the Bulova 214 - the first Accutron
the Bulova 218 - an improved version
the ESA 9162/4 - a redesigned and greatly improved version

There are a few others. ESA made a chronograph. Bulova made a quartz controlled version.

HEQ has had a few threads on these. The search function is your friend.

I have at least one of all... I have a bunch of the ESAs. It is my favorite.










And here are two of my Omegas:


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## Ray916MN (Feb 11, 2006)

tomshep said:


> The watches used on the first space missions were Poljot 3017s, comrade.
> The Accutron failed to be sufficiently dustproof for US space missions but not before Omega got so worried about it that they took out a licence to produce watches with the Bulova derived movement. This may have been the reason for designing the Speedsonic which is rare and expensive (but arguably worth it.) Universal Geneve made a few as well but Unisonics are relatively dear. Titus are well known and regarded as a bargain amongst the watch savvy but a Longines Ultronic can be worth looking out for. There is the occasional good deal to snap up there.


Oops, guilty of the typical American bias to think we were the first. The Accutrons used in the first US space missions were built into the capsule as timers, and were not wristwatches.


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

One quick note... the Titus watches you see on eBay are modern recreations. They are not NOS. A couple of years ago someone dumped a quantity of NOS ESA movements onto the market. Shortly afterword the "NOS" Titus watches appeared from Asian vendors. I do not believe Titus ever made a tuning fork watch in the 70's.


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## Ray916MN (Feb 11, 2006)

A bit of a threadjack, but I've got a question about battery life of tuning fork movement watches.

I understand that the Accutron movements are power hungry buggers and that a 1 year battery life is about what should be expected. What can be expected with the ESA movements?

I've kind of always wanted a tuning fork movement watch and have been a bit biased to a first generation Accutron because the battery hatch (the crownless feature is neat too) makes it easy to preserve the index wheel and stop and start the watch whenever you want given the relatively short battery life.


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## John MS (Mar 17, 2006)

Ray916MN said:


> A bit of a threadjack, but I've got a question about battery life of tuning fork movement watches.
> 
> I understand that the Accutron movements are power hungry buggers and that a 1 year battery life is about what should be expected. What can be expected with the ESA movements?
> 
> I've kind of always wanted a tuning fork movement watch and have been a bit biased to a first generation Accutron because the battery hatch (the crownless feature is neat too) makes it easy to preserve the index wheel and stop and start the watch whenever you want given the relatively short battery life.


I get about 18 months on a battery. Pull the crown out to stop the motor and save the battery.


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## Janne (Apr 16, 2007)

I had my Omega f300 rebuilt by Omega to accept a modern battery.
I changed the battery about 2 years ago.
Just do not ask me what battery is inside. 

If you want a collectible watch I would go with an Omega. Or Bulova, then you can say you have a watch made by the inventors of the tuning fork movement.

No, Gentlemen, a Greek was the first man in space. 
Icarus was his name. Unfortunately his means of transport could not take the temperature.
His reentry was so fast that he died when he hit the sea, unfortunately.


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

janne said:


> ...
> No, gentlemen, a greek was the first man in space.
> Icarus was his name. Unfortunately his means of transport could not take the temperature.
> His reentry was so fast that he died when he hit the sea, unfortunately.


μην ρωτήστε. είναι όλα τα ελληνικά σε με


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## Janne (Apr 16, 2007)

Eeeb said:


> μην ρωτήστε. είναι όλα τα ελληνικά σε με


Agree 100% ! ;-)


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## Chascomm (Feb 13, 2006)

Eeeb said:


> There are 3 commonly available tuning fork movements...
> the Bulova 214 - the first Accutron
> the Bulova 218 - an improved version
> the ESA 9162/4 - a redesigned and greatly improved version
> ...


Some of the lesser-known tuning-fork watches are:

Prim - Czecheslovakia, possible Bulova clone, prototype only
Slava cal 2937 'Transistor' - USSR, Bulova 218 clone, short production run
NII 'Quartz' - USSR, in-house design, quartz-regulated tuning-fork, test batch only
Tianjin - China, possible Bulova clone, test batch only

Timex is alleged ;-) to have experimented with tuning-fork movements prior even to Hamilton's first electric watch.

And let's not forget the Citizen HiSonic! Produced as a joint venture with Bulova.










Interestingly what Bulova got out of the Citizen Electronics venture was the Citizen X8 transistor/balance-wheel movement for use in their Caravelle line. Citizen-branded X3's had been officially chronometer rated, yet were cheap enough for Caravelle, which gives you some idea of the difficulty that tuning-fork technology was always up against even before quartz watches arrived.


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## Ray916MN (Feb 11, 2006)

John MS said:


> I get about 18 months on a battery. Pull the crown out to stop the motor and save the battery.


Does this really save the battery?

If I understand the Accutron movement correctly, hacking is achieved by mechanically preventing the tuning fork from vibrating when the crown is pulled. But Accutron regulation is achieved by a sensing circuit which tracks the tuning forks amplitude/velocity and if it is lower than ideal, it puts more current into the impulse coil to try to get the tuning fork to vibrate more.

So if I've got this right, the watch sees hacking as a loss of vibration and would try to impulse the tuning fork harder to make it vibrate properly. Driving the impulse coil harder would increase the battery drain, right?


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## Chascomm (Feb 13, 2006)

Ray916MN said:


> Does this really save the battery?
> 
> If I understand the Accutron movement correctly, hacking is achieved by mechanically preventing the tuning fork from vibrating when the crown is pulled. But Accutron regulation is achieved by a sensing circuit which tracks the tuning forks amplitude/velocity and if it is lower than ideal, it puts more current into the impulse coil to try to get the tuning fork to vibrate more.
> 
> So if I've got this right, the watch sees hacking as a loss of vibration and would try to impulse the tuning fork harder to make it vibrate properly. Driving the impulse coil harder would increase the battery drain, right?


I have also read somewhere that hacking reduces battery life on an Accutron, whereas it preserves the battery on other electric/electronic watches.


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## Chascomm (Feb 13, 2006)

Ray916MN said:


> Does this really save the battery?
> 
> If I understand the Accutron movement correctly, hacking is achieved by mechanically preventing the tuning fork from vibrating when the crown is pulled. But Accutron regulation is achieved by a sensing circuit which tracks the tuning forks amplitude/velocity and if it is lower than ideal, it puts more current into the impulse coil to try to get the tuning fork to vibrate more.
> 
> So if I've got this right, the watch sees hacking as a loss of vibration and would try to impulse the tuning fork harder to make it vibrate properly. Driving the impulse coil harder would increase the battery drain, right?


Ray, I just noticed your signature. The attached picture might interest you. It's a 36000bph transistor-switched balance movement.

Sadly it's not mine :-(


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## WIS_Chronomaster (Sep 17, 2007)




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## John MS (Mar 17, 2006)

Ray916MN said:


> Does this really save the battery?
> 
> If I understand the Accutron movement correctly, hacking is achieved by mechanically preventing the tuning fork from vibrating when the crown is pulled. But Accutron regulation is achieved by a sensing circuit which tracks the tuning forks amplitude/velocity and if it is lower than ideal, it puts more current into the impulse coil to try to get the tuning fork to vibrate more.
> 
> So if I've got this right, the watch sees hacking as a loss of vibration and would try to impulse the tuning fork harder to make it vibrate properly. Driving the impulse coil harder would increase the battery drain, right?


Good question.
I can't tell you about Bulova, but the trick works on ESA movements.

Janne wrote that the Omega F300hz movement was "converted" by Omega to use modern batteries. To the best of my knowlege no conversion or voltage compensation is needed. The silver oxide 344 battery fits perfectly and the movement should hum along with 1 second per day accuracy.


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

Chascomm said:


> Some of the lesser-known tuning-fork watches are:
> 
> Prim - Czecheslovakia, possible Bulova clone, prototype only
> Slava cal 2937 'Transistor' - USSR, Bulova 218 clone, short production run
> ...


I did see the Slava movement once on the bay... not surprisingly, it was non-working. Almost bought it anyway but it went for too much.

The ESA versions are quite robust and they seem to be easier to work on. I bought a Bulova repair kit they made for watchmakers... but I have not yet put it to use. There are a few folks who will work on these, but most watchmakers won't touch them.

Some day I'll get one of the chronographs... maybe. They are not cheap.


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## Janne (Apr 16, 2007)

As I have not opened the watch (afraid I screw up the WR) I do not know what they did to the battery. It said in the accomplying work sheet that they have done it.
Anyway, Omega Constellation f300 on original Omega mesh:


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## Axel66 (Sep 28, 2006)

Very founded knowledge her!
Just to say, that the use of ESA tuning fork movements was not limited to the above mentioned companies (Omega, Titus, Tissot and Longines). At least I know of Eterna, Zenith and Certina and I'm pretty confident Roamer used to have one as well. Guess threr were even mor Swiss to use the ESA movement.

Cheers,

Axel

P.S. To add some pics to that thread:


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

Nice... bigger pics!!

I believe either the UGs or the Eternias are the Bulova 218 movements. I will see about the Certinas as I have just caught one in the bay. I suspect it is the ESA like most of the other Swiss.


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## Chascomm (Feb 13, 2006)

Eeeb said:


> Nice... bigger pics!!
> 
> I believe either the UGs or the Eternias are the Bulova 218 movements.


ETA was Eterna's movement division, and it was also part of the ESA cartel, so I would be surprised if the Eterna used the Bulova movement rather than the ESA.


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## Axel66 (Sep 28, 2006)

My Eterna has for sure an ESA.
And I'm 95% sure, that Certina used the ESA tuning folk chrono movement 9210 as well as Omega and Longines did.

Here are some tuning fork links (just in case someone doesn't know them):
http://members.iinet.net.au/~fotoplot/acc.htm
http://www.dashto.com/research/default.htm
http://www.dashto.com/accutronhistor/71to74.htm
http://www.accutrons.com/
http://www.richardkunze.de/st_000.htm

Here's a movement pic of my Eterna as well as bigger pics of my hummers:































































Cheers,

Axel


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## Ray916MN (Feb 11, 2006)

Axel66 said:


> My Eterna has for sure an ESA.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Axel


Nice watches!

So does hacking the ESA conserve the battery?


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## Axel66 (Sep 28, 2006)

Hard to say, the longest I posses the Longines (around 2 1/2 years) and it still runs with the battery it came - seller claimed it was new. I do hack the watch, when not wearing it.
So I would say, yes, hacking conserves the battery.

Cheers,

Axel


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

Axel66 said:


> Hard to say, the longest I posses the Longines (around 2 1/2 years) and it still runs with the battery it came - seller claimed it was new. I do hack the watch, when not wearing it.
> So I would say, yes, hacking conserves the battery.
> 
> Cheers,
> ...


I never hack mine and the batteries do not usually last 2.5 years... so, based on one data point, the answer is yes ;-)


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## Ray916MN (Feb 11, 2006)

Eeeb said:


> I never hack mine and the batteries do not usually last 2.5 years... so, based on one data point, the answer is yes ;-)


Yeah between John's response, your response, and Axel's response and pics, I'm gonna have to start looking more seriously at the ESA based watches.

I've been tracking Speedsonics and there are some incredible deals to be had these days.


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## keitht (May 18, 2008)

Just to clear up a couple of points raised by this thead.

The ESA 9162, 9164 and the 9210 were designed to run on both the mercury cells and later silver oxide and need no regulation.
if they run badly on modern cells, then the index tension is not adjusted correctly.

Stated battery life is 12mths, personnally i do not stop mine, but pulling the crown will disengage the current, unlike some of the Bulova Accutron movements.

The Eterna Sonics are ESA movements and the following makers as well.

Allegro Electronic ( Zenith )
Baume & mercier Tronosonic
Bucherer ( B&M branded movement )
Certina Certronic and C-tronic
Derby Sonic ( Longines based Chrono )
Eterna Sonic 
IWC Electronic
Longines Ultronic and Ti-tronic
Movado Xl-tronic ( Zenith )
Omega f300
Rado Electrosonic ( also in conjunction with Certina )
Tissot Tissonic
Titus Tuning fork
Technos Mosaba ( Ltd edt of 10,000 made in the early 90's from stock purchased from ESA )
Zenith Xl-tronic.

Omega, Longines, Certina, B&M and Derby also produced Chrongraph versions with the ESA 9210 movenent.

Care is needed with these designations as some of the makers also produced Dynatron models and quartz models with the same names.

I think i have listed them all...but its morning here after a long 12hr shift at work, so apologies if i have missed any.

Regards Keith


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## webvan (Dec 11, 2008)

What a stellar thread ! Nice to see Ray916MN in this one too ;-) Can't see any decent deals on speedsonics on eBay though !

Just to make sure I got this right, the ESA movements can use any modern battery, but not the Bulova movements or maybe only the 214 ?


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

The Certina C-Tronic has made it's trip from the UK...

It is indeed the ESA movement. Here are some pics of it and, by comparison, the Longines version. Note the difference really is only the nameplate.


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## sliphorn (Feb 7, 2009)

Webvan, it's my understanding that the Bulova Accutron can use modern batteries; it just needs to be properly regulated.

About two weeks ago I got back my Accutron 218 from having it refurbished. It was given to me by my father as a H.S. graduation gift in 1972. According to the code on the case it was made in 1970. I wore it for about 10 years and then stuck it in a drawer where it sat all these years.

I was pleased to find out that it is a solid gold model with a gold mesh bracelet that is fused to the gold case. I'm also very pleased that it has been keeping excellent time at +1 sec./day as set to my atomic clock.

It's a treat to watch the super smooth second hand and also to put it to your ear and listen to it hum. 

Truly a great timepiece.


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

ooooooohhhh!!! Post some pics! Pleeze!


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## sliphorn (Feb 7, 2009)

Eeeb, I would love nothing more than to post pics, but I don't own a camera.

I know, I know.......................


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## keitht (May 18, 2008)

Axel66 said:


> My Eterna has for sure an ESA.
> And I'm 95% sure, that Certina used the ESA tuning folk chrono movement 9210 as well as Omega and Longines did.
> 
> They sure did, The Chronolympic, marketed as both the Certronic, and the C-tronic.
> ...


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## webvan (Dec 11, 2008)

Wow that chrono is nice...and rare it seems ! I googled some of the references above but didn't find much of interest.

@sliphorn - thanks, they are the more expensive ones being the originals so I'll probably have to start elsewhere...


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## webvan (Dec 11, 2008)

Question to the happy Tuning Fork watch owners, what is the best accuracy in your experience ? I'm being offered a mint watch with an accutron 218 that loses 2 seconds a day, not bad, but I thought it would be more in the 1s range. Thanks !


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

None of mine achieve that... but none of mine have ever been regulated either.


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## webvan (Dec 11, 2008)

Ah ! What kind of accuracy are you getting ?


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

I'll tell you in a week. I've got to get ready for a business trip and won't be home for a few days...


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## sliphorn (Feb 7, 2009)

Mine has really settled in and has not budged one way or the other in over a week.
It's holding steady at 3 seconds faster than my atomic clock day after day. That's 3 sec fast in over a week, not 3 sec per day. Amazing!


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## Grootmokum (Jan 11, 2008)

Eeeb said:


> Nice... bigger pics!!
> 
> I believe either the UGs or the Eternias are the Bulova 218 movements. I will see about the Certinas as I have just caught one in the bay. I suspect it is the ESA like most of the other Swiss.


Here's a picture of a Certina C-tronic. Inside is a Certina 29-151 (= ESA 9162) 

















And here my little"Tuningfork-family": CertinaC-tronic (Certina 29-151 / ESA 9162), BulovaAccutron (Accutron 214) and Omega Genève F300 (Omega 1260 / ESA 9164).

The Bulova is the most accurate of the three (between -1 and +1 sec/24H), followed by the Certina (between +1 and +2 sec/24H) and the Omega (+6 to +7 sec/24H)..


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## igorRIJEKA (Oct 6, 2008)

I don't get one thing with Omega f300

f300 is "officially certified chronometer" but the movement is unajusted? :think:
while other COSC watches are adjusted in 5 or 6 positions :think:

:thanks


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## JohnF (Feb 11, 2006)

Hi -

Simple. Adjusted watches were at that time subject to a relatively onerous import duty. Unadjusted watches were not.

Hence they were labeled unadjusted and Omega adjusted them in the US to avoid the import duty. The import duty was designed to make life easier for US manufacturers, but had too many loopholes to work meaningfully, which is part of the reason why there aren't (m)any US watch manufacturers left.

JohnF


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

The ESA 9162/4 movement is not adjustable in the mechanical watch sense of adjusted. So it makes no difference to its accuracy abilities to import them as 'unadjusted' and, as John says, it does make a difference on the import duty.

All f300s were capable of being COSC Chronometers based on the criteria of the day. Those that got the red logo (indicating they were Chronometers) were just the ones Omega paid to have certified.

My own data shows these watches are routinely capable of achieving better than 1 second per day error.


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## webvan (Dec 11, 2008)

Talking of accuracy I recently picked up an ESA9162 Tissonic on eBay, it is wickedly accurate, spot on for 15 days, Springdrive/Twin Quartz accuracy !


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## robert11 (Jun 15, 2008)

keitht said:


> Allegro Electronic ( Zenith )
> Baume & mercier Tronosonic
> Bucherer ( B&M branded movement )
> Certina Certronic and C-tronic
> ...


Universal Unisonic. Used an ESA


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## ron (Dec 30, 2006)

*Re:I think Universal Genève only just used*

the Bulova movement (218 serie) altrouth with a nicer finish (coté de Genève ) and chronometer rated. Never saw one with a ESA cal.
Correct me if I'm wrong.:thanks

thanks
Ronald


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

*Re: I think Universal Genève only just used*



ron said:


> the Bulova movement (218 serie) altrouth with a nicer finish (coté de Genève ) and chronometer rated. Never saw one with a ESA cal.
> Correct me if I'm wrong.:thanks
> 
> thanks
> Ronald


That is my belief too... but I have no UGs so that is not a 'frim' belief ;-)


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## robert11 (Jun 15, 2008)

*Re: I think Universal Genève only just used*



ron said:


> the Bulova movement (218 serie) altrouth with a nicer finish (coté de Genève ) and chronometer rated. Never saw one with a ESA cal.
> Correct me if I'm wrong.:thanks
> 
> thanks
> Ronald


I stand corrected! It does in fact have the 218. Thanks guys


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## HazChrono (Jun 2, 2008)

do all tuning fork watches run at ridiculously high beat rates e.g like omega's 300hz?


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## ron (Dec 30, 2006)

*Re:In fact that's*

the slowest freq. of them all, other ones; omega megasonic :720hz
accutron 214 -218 :360hz
other accutrons humming by 440/480hz
If you don't count cal. beta 21 :256hz

thanks
Ronald


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## webvan (Dec 11, 2008)

*Re: In fact that's*



ron said:


> other accutrons humming by 440/480hz


Which ones would that be ?


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## ron (Dec 30, 2006)

*Re: cal series, 2210 and 230*

2210 at 440hz
230. at 480hz

thanks 
Ronald


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## webvan (Dec 11, 2008)

*Re: cal series, 2210 and 230*

Thanks, not familiar with these movements, will have to look them up!


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## eldarinn (Oct 18, 2007)

Just wanted to add that I have a Movado-Zenith tuning fork using the same Omega ESA caliber. It's really the same thing :-D


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## HazChrono (Jun 2, 2008)

*Re: cal series, 2210 and 230*

are they a really pain to have serviced, repaired, batteries changes etc? i have heard that putting in incorrect batteries can affect the accuracy, even damage the mv't


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

*Re: cal series, 2210 and 230*



HazChrono said:


> are they a really pain to have serviced, repaired, batteries changes etc? i have heard that putting in incorrect batteries can affect the accuracy, even damage the mv't


You must have heard that on the Internet.

I have a bunch. All run nicely. I suppose the wrong batteries could ruin any watch. n.b. 9 volts is too much :-d


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## xtekian (Jul 11, 2009)

Sort of bringing up an old thread here, but I am interested in getting a tuning fork watch and have a couple questions...

1) how difficult is it to get batteries for the watch? where would i get them?

2) how loud is the hum in these types of watches?

thanks =)


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## eldarinn (Oct 18, 2007)

The batteries are not hard to find although for obvious reasons they are not as popular today as in the 70s. Just search ACCUTRON BATTERY in ebay and you will find a few results;

As for the sound, it depends how 'sealed' the case is but from a distance as far as 1 meter (3 ft) already, you are likely not to notice this humming anymore, unless you really listen carefully in a quiet environment.


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## Janne (Apr 16, 2007)

I can hear my Omega across the whole bedroom, if the sound is amlified by the watch sitting on a hard surfece.
I am a really light sleeper, and the humming is IMO quite disturbing.


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## indiana_holmes (Aug 25, 2008)

One quiet night, when I first got my Omega hummer, I came into the bedroom and heard this strange high pitch, squeal or hum type of noise. My wife and I keep our watches in a watch box on a chest of drawers near our bed. At first I couldn't figure out what the noise was and where it was coming from. I have fairly sensitive ears being a musician. I walked around the bedroom and finally figured out the sound was coming from our watch box. Sure enough, when I opened the box and put my ear close to the Omega hummer, the sound was bright and clear. It amazed me how loud and clear the pitch was. I never hear it when I wear it, however. That in a way still puzzles me:-s.

The interesting part of the watch, to me that is, is that I can vaguely hear 2 pitches. They sort of combine to make one pitch. The watch is 300 Hz just as your Omega hummer is. Oddly enough, the pitch I hear mostly is about 440 Hz (an A 440) or the pitch an orchestra tunes to. The sound I should hear is about an E or a fourth lower than the A440. 

Maybe this should be another thread in itself. Can I tune my watch? It runs a bit slow, but not enough to bother me. Just a question that might interest some of you. By the way, many of my musician friends get a kick out listening to my hummer. At least that's what they say:roll:.

Have a great day!
Chris


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

indiana_holmes said:


> ...
> 
> Maybe this should be another thread in itself. Can I tune my watch? It runs a bit slow, but not enough to bother me. Just a question that might interest some of you. By the way, many of my musician friends get a kick out listening to my hummer. At least that's what they say:roll:.
> 
> ...


Yes you can. For Bulovas i t involves rotating the small disks with the notches that are on the inside of the two coils. For the ESAs it involves rotating the metal "disks" at the bottom of the fork... the ESA even marks which way to rotate for advance or retard. There are some websites with more detailed instructions.

If my ESA hummers are in good shape, I can usually get them down to one or two seconds per day error. The Bulova 218 can occasionally reach that level of accuracy. It is only luck if the Bulova 214 does. Indeed, modern ETA 2892 A2s are more accurate than Bulova 214s.... Chronometer grade ETA 2824s are too.

My daughter is a violinist. She loves her Bulova hummer. Too many loud noises in my long life for me to hear them...

(Wore the first pictured Omega hummer of mine all day today... beautiful!)


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## tmaca (Mar 11, 2011)

Ray916MN said:


> Oops, guilty of the typical American bias to think we were the first. The Accutrons used in the first US space missions were built into the capsule as timers, and were not wristwatches.


Yup. NASA used the Accutron for all the instrument panel clocks, as well as for the timing of scientific instruments, including a radio signalling device on the moon. An Accutron movement was even placed on the moon by the first crew that landed there. But they were not selected as wristwsatches for the Astronauts, not so much because they weren't dustproof, but because Bulova apparently do anyhting to get them certified as such.


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## panamamike (Nov 19, 2009)

tmaca said:


> Yup. NASA used the Accutron for all the instrument panel clocks, as well as for the timing of scientific instruments, including a radio signalling device on the moon. An Accutron movement was even placed on the moon by the first crew that landed there. But they were not selected as wristwsatches for the Astronauts, not so much because they weren't dustproof, but because Bulova apparently do anyhting to get them certified as such.


Hummers are fantastic watches. They're the alternate technology that never took off. Electro mechanical if you will.

I have an Omega f300 variation. 1250 Movt. That smooth sweeping hand always makes me smile.

One thing you should note. Accutron service is difficult to find and parts are getting more difficult to find. A well maintained watch can last a long time, but one should take note of this issue.

Mike


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## dacattoo (Jan 9, 2011)

The 214 and 218 will run on 1.5 volts if they will run on the original mercury battery voltage of 1.35 volts. I have yet to work on one that wouldn't run because the voltage was too high. One year max, can't tell you if hacking actually increases the drain, should be easy to tell next time I am working on one and have my meter hooked up.


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

dacattoo said:


> The 214 and 218 will run on 1.5 volts if they will run on the original mercury battery voltage of 1.35 volts. I have yet to work on one that wouldn't run because the voltage was too high. One year max, can't tell you if hacking actually increases the drain, should be easy to tell next time I am working on one and have my meter hooked up.


Keep us advised. As I remember it, hacking does not disable the vibration of the fork. So I suspect it has no effect on the battery life. But your answer will be definitive!

I love these hummers. From the Accutron 214 to the ESA 1250 they had a life of 20 years. But Girard Perregaux created a modern quartz watch that was cheaper to build and had 20x the accuracy... so hummers vanished. Such is progress.


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## panamamike (Nov 19, 2009)

Which are the favored models for collectors? I'd be interested in knowing which ones are considered "important".


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## TheJohnP (Jan 28, 2010)

The important ones would also be the ones to be most cautious as there are a lot of fakes or remodeled to appear original models out there.
But the 214 Spaceview Accutron or the Astronaut would be some that are high on most tuning fork collector lists.


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## Eeeb (Jul 12, 2007)

panamamike said:


> Which are the favored models for collectors? I'd be interested in knowing which ones are considered "important".


The Bulova Accutrons (the real tuning fork ones) are a bit fragile compared to the ESAs... and are less accurate too. But most folks don't seem to care.

The ESA-Dubois Depraz chrono versions are the rarest. The Longines is the rarest of those but the Omega encasement almost always goes for more money.

I haven't harvested a Spaceview yet but would like to... however the overwhelming number of franken Spaceviews have kept me away.


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## panamamike (Nov 19, 2009)

Eeeb said:


> The Bulova Accutrons (the real tuning fork ones) are a bit fragile compared to the ESAs... and are less accurate too. But most folks don't seem to care.
> 
> The ESA-Dubois Depraz chrono versions are the rarest. The Longines is the rarest of those but the Omega encasement almost always goes for more money.
> 
> I haven't harvested a Spaceview yet but would like to... however the overwhelming number of franken Spaceviews have kept me away.


fragile, really? I thought they were supposed to be pretty tough. I have some interest in the astronaut. I like the GMT feature.

Mike


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