Accutron Miscellaneous

Beginning in 1953, Max Hetzel, while employed by Bulova, began constructing his prototype Accutron, which would later become the world's first commercially-available "electric" wristwatch. This differed from Elgin and Hamilton's earlier attempts at a battery-powered wristwatch because it, unlike the Elgin and Hamilton calibers, did away with hairspring escapements and relied solely on battery power.

Mr. Hetzel used a Raytheon CK718 transistor for his first prototype and Raytheon CK722 transistors for the remaining 7. The CK722 was the first commercial transistor and therefore made the Accutron the first commercially available product to use a transistor.

Mr. Hetzel produced a total of 8 prototype movements which served as models for William Bennett, a Bulova engineer, to manufacture commercially-available Accutron wristwatches. Here are a few photos of a CK722 transistor with its original packaging. These are as hard to find as the most collectible of Accutrons. Frankly, I think they are harder still.

Govt. Astro	Alpha from 1967			The Holy Grail of Accutrons...the elusive Platinum 214.
Tony Rice (middle), Blue Grass Guitarist, and his Spaceview		Press photo, 1960	Accutron creator -- Max Hetzel.	Russian-made, Slava, 214, unlicensed???
			Sigma 7...check out the Astro watch.
Have you ever seen one of these...a gold-filled Spiral Lug?
	This is the early polishing cloth shipped within the Accutron boxes.