Introducing the Bulova Accutron Astronaut GMT Watch
Tuesday - 28 February 2023
Just before Watches & Wonders 2023 kicks off, no doubt bringing us several luxury GMT watches to get excited about, tuning-fork movement-maker, Bulova unveils its new Accutron Astronaut GMT watch – this time powered by an automatic movement but with many design features that are faithful to the original Accutron Astronaut GMT 1968 “T” model.
During the 1950s, the chances of stumbling upon an affordable GMT watch were incredibly sparse, yet vintage GMT watches like the Bulova Accutron Astronaut certainly became a strong contender. If you weren’t lucky enough to own one of these, you’ve had a long wait to endure for anything similar to its kind. Bulova has since released many timepieces from the Accutron watch collection including the DNA, Legacy and Spaceview watches yet, until now, no Bulova Accutron Astronaut GMT watch. That’s all about to change because Bulova is releasing a re-designed model based on the original 1968 “T” watch. It has the distinct saucer steel case, a 24-hour bezel and a dramatic black dial that makes tracking two timezones at once incredibly easy.
The Bulova Accutron Astronaut GMT watch was first introduced in 1962 and by May 1963 had reached outer space as part of the Mercury-Atlas 9 mission. Its unique tuning fork movement – an innovation that gained Bulova great admiration - was a perfect attribute for Lockheed A-12 pilots, surviving extreme conditions. Marking the first re-edition of the brand’s Astronaut GMT watch is the “T” model. It has grown in size to meet the needs of the modern wearer with a 40mm diameter and a solid stainless steel case. The new Bulova Accutron Astronaut GMT watch features short sculpted lugs and a small winding crown at 3 o’clock as opposed to having a lever that folds out from the back of the case. This newer version also features an upgraded sapphire crystal glass front in a double-boxed design and a matching semi-circular sapphire glass caseback that shows elements of the working movement just above an Accutron-engraved steel section.
The new Bulova Accutron Astronaut GMT watch features a split-colour day and night bezel design that follows in the footsteps of the original “T” version of the Accutron Astronaut watch, dating all the way back to 1968. Polished and facetted hour markers with small square-shaped luminous spots against a matte black dial constitute one of the rarer dials of the Accutron watch series. Triangular markers point out the hours around the dial, whilst four central hands take centre stage on the dial. The hour and minute hands have been treated with Super-LumiNova, whilst the GMT hand can be identified by its rectangular tip. Even the seconds hand has a luminous strip running through it for enhanced nighttime readability. The Accutron and Astronaut lettering can also be seen at the 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock locations on the dial respectively.
It was a sad time when the advent of the quartz movement, in turn, signalled the diminishing of Bulova’s tuning fork movement. Although incredibly adapted to facing adverse conditions and featuring just 12 moving parts with an incredibly high frequency, the tuning fork was delicate and very tricky to service. The Sellita SW330 movement replaces the tuning fork movement in this new Bulova Accutron Astronaut GMT watch, providing a 42-hour power reserve once fully wound and promising the advantage of an independently adjustable GMT hand. The watch comes fitted on one of Bulova’s “Bullet” style bracelets crafted from stainless steel and features brushed central links with an outer edge that is meticulously angled for a unique finish.
As much of a delight as the new Bulova Accutron Astronaut GMT watch is, it won’t be taking up permanent residence in the brand’s catalogue and has been produced in a limited series of just 300 pieces worldwide. It makes the watch highly collectable and desirable, so if you’re hoping to bag yourself one of these special 1968 re-edition pieces, you’ll need to move quickly. You can visit the product page for the watch here online, or call and speak to a member of our Jura Watches sales team on 01335 453453 to place an order today.
