Accutron Astronaut Repair and Restoration including luminous renewal.

Accutron Astronaut Restoration Services
FULLY INSURED - 1 YEAR GUARANTY

RESTORATION SERVICES PRICE LIST

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CAUTION: If you found an old Astronaut in a drawer and put a battery in it, you may be quite pleased to find that it runs, but may I suggest that you remove the battery immediately and have the watch serviced before it self-destructs. For an explanation please visit the Q & A Page

PLEASE NOTE: A readily available 1.55V silver oxide battery usually works well and most 214's can be adjusted to run properly through years of normal use without any difficulty but there are some movements which can only be described as over-active. The adjustment of an over-active movement with a 1.5V battery is so tenuous that any external force will cause the movement to speed up. This explains why some watches run great on the dresser but too fast when worn while others will run well for a while until a hard bump causes them to slip out of adjustment.

The bottom of each tuning fork tine was notched at the factory to set the frequency (click photo). A relative few have tuning forks that were cut to the lower end of their tolerances. This was OK when the magnets were energized by 1.3 volts but at 1.5 volts these forks are over-active. This causes them to index two teeth instead of one either periodically or with every stroke. Previously the only way to correct the problem was to replace the tuning fork with one that has thicker tines but that is not a reliable solution to the problem. Experience has shown that quite often, the watch will run well for months after the fork is swapped but the movement is still susceptible to speeding up after suffering a severe shock.

Is your Astronaut running too fast on 1.55V batteries? The electronic circuit in your Astronaut (commonly referred to as the coil) was designed to run on 1.35 volt mercury batteries which are no longer sold in the USA. Currently available batteries produce 1.55 volts. The micro-thin coil wire used in your 214 is already working against the ravages of age. Running an over-voltage of .2V through the delicate wire can't possibly be a good idea. The other delicate components in the circuit will not benefit either. Even if your 214 runs well with the new batteries, the longevity of your coil could be at risk. There is no longer any doubt that all 214's will benefit from a reduction in voltage back to the original 1.35 volts.

Fortunately there is a way to permanently solve the problem. A diode which lowers battery voltage in the circuit by 0.2 volts can be installed in the coil. This is really the best possible solution to the problem. The watch will perform as it did when new, battery issues will be resolved, and the life of the coil will be extended. Whether actually needed or not, this inexpensive modification is highly recommended. It is not noticeable and it is reversible.

See the information at: http://www.accutron214.com/AccutronBattery.htm

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I work on first edition 21's only. If need be, I will help you to verify that your Astronaut is a caliber 214 before you send it. The 214 is set from the rear of the case by lifting a spring loaded "C" shaped lever. Also on the rear of the case is a slotted hatch cover which unscrews to access the battery. If your Accutron does not have these features it is not a 214.

Each bezel, face, & hand combination has a unique set of features that require specific services to restore them to their best possible appearance. The Astronaut model is especially challenging because of the many elements that affect its condition.

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All of the metal parts including the hands are cleaned. They are then restored as close as possible to the original finish with special care taken to preserve the depth and crispness of engravings. Here we see the back of the Astronaut before cleaning

The photo immediately above is a before/after composite of this back cover. All but the deepest scratches are removed and even the deep ones are less noticeable.

After some initial brushing to remove the loose powdery rust this watch looked about average for its 37 years and it would have been easy to miss something that the microscope had revealed earlier.

Earlier microscopic examination revealed cracks in the painted dial markers that went all the way from the thick luminous paint at the top and through the white paint layer to the brass base metal. Note the crack across the paint on the one o'clock marker shown in the photo at the right. A portion of the paint is lifting and would soon flake off. All of the painted dial markers are very fragile. Also notice the rust on the hands which are made of steel and then chrome plated.

The owner of this watch opted to restore the markers rather than paint over them. In so doing, he avoided the future risk of having pieces of paint flake off and possibly work their way into the movement.

Restoring the dial began with the removal of the loose paint down to the base metal and cleaning the dial with a mild detergent. Then the areas to be re-painted are cleaned with a solvent to remove any residue of detergent or oils that may have remained.

On dials where the base coat is intact, only the luminous layer is scraped off.

Re-painting from the base metal involves two steps. First the white markers are painted in using a custom built stainless steel fixture.

Then the luminous paint is applied leaving the white paint showing evenly as a border. This layer is built up with several coats in order to get the correct thickness. The finished product looks sculpted and the extra thickness assures a brilliant glow in the dark.

Finally, the dial is coated with a low gloss finish to restore the rich black color and to protect the dial for years to come.

The process of restoring the hands begins with removing the old luminous paint and cleaning the rust off of the reflective surfaces. Unfortunately the pitting remains but to the naked eye the hands appear to be smooth.

The hands are then lacquered to restore the shine and to prevent any further rust. The arrow on the GMT hand is given several coats of luminous paint. The others have the luminous paint applied on the bottom so as to fill the center cut-out by capillary action. Several coats are required because the paint shrinks and a uniform thickness is required for an even glow. After drying the paint usually needs to be scraped to remove any excess thickness so that the hands won't rub each other when they are on the movement.

The bezel ring is disassembled and cleaned, then the engraving is filled with black paint. When the paint is dry the ring is lightly sanded on a lathe to remove the excess paint and to restore the original factory graining. The bezel ring can then be assembled to the case with a new crystal.

When they were first made, all 214 back cover's, stems, and battery hatches left the factory with a distinctive graining. The original graining on any 214 cover can be restored to factory specs.

Finally, the restored dial and hands are installed on the now clean, lubricated, and adjusted movement. The assembly is then put back into its restored case, and the cover is closed. The watch is then observed for approximately 2 weeks, during which time, fine adjustments can be made to the movement.

Various Astronaut luminous configurations

RESTORATION SERVICES PRICE LIST

Prices do not include replacements for damaged or missing parts.

REQUIRED SERVICES

ASTRONAUT BASIC SERVICE: $200. (regulator diode may be required at additional cost)

Cleaning, lubrication, and adjustment of the movement to work correctly with a readily available 1.5V battery
Disassembly and cleaning of the case. (bezel, back cover, battery hatch, setting stem, and threaded lock ring)
Disassembly, cleaning, and lubrication of Astronaut bezel ring
Installation of replacement parts.
Polish crystal (included as of 3/11/08) Restores transparency, does not remove scratches
A new 387S battery
New gaskets
New stainless steel spring pins for your band or bracelet.
One year guarantee.

DEPOSIT: A deposit of $35.00 is required. The deposit will cover the cost of inspection and return shipping should you decide not to proceed with the repair. The deposit will be applied to the total if repair is authorized.

OPTIONAL SERVICES

COIL MODIFICATION: Install regulator diode to reduce battery voltage to 1.3 volts: $50. (optional for most 214's) (required on over-active movements)

CRYSTALS:
Sand, buff, & polish old crystal: $20.00 (removes all but the deepest scratches)
New Generic Crystal; $20.
Reproduction Astronaut Crystal; $45.00.
New-Old-Stock Crystal; $45.00 and up

RESTORATION SERVICES

STAINLESS STEEL CASES:
Buff stainless steel case; $75.00

GOLD & GOLD FILLED CASES:
Gently buffed & polished: $75.

ASTRONAUT DIALS: *
Remove old luminous, clean dial and apply fresh high-glow *luminous paint; $125.00

LUMINOUS HANDS: *
Plated: Clean, clear coat and apply fresh high-glow *luminous paint; $75.00
Painted: Refinish and apply fresh *luminous paint; $75.00

METAL BRACELETS:
Ultrasonic cleaning; $10.00

ASTRONAUT BEZEL RINGS: **
Disassemble, clean all parts, re-paint numbers, and ** restore circular graining; $75.00

REAR COVERS: ** Restore straight & circular graining on rear cover, setting stem, & battery hatch; $125.00

PLEASE NOTE: Because each restoration project is unique, firm quotes can only be given after careful inspection.

SERVICE REQUEST FORM: CLICK HERE

* Ultra-bright, long lasting, long glowing Strontium Aluminate crystals.
** Same as original factory finish. Removes or hides all but the deepest scratches.

The best way to contact me is by e-mail. Please be advised that if you access my voice-mail and leave an e-mail address I will try to reply promptly but if you don't hear from me within one day it's probably because I didn't get your correct e-mail address and my message was returned as undeliverable. Due to the many incoming calls that I receive from people seeking information about their watches, I regret that I cannot return phone calls so please e-mail me by clicking the link below.

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