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Bulova Accutron TE-14 clock

L
9 years ago
AI Appraisal
Description

This is a Bulova Accutron TE-14 clock.  According to th Vintage Technology Associatoins web page at  www.decadecounter.com/vta/tubepage.php?item=11 is one of the rarest Bulova Accutron's in existance. 

Quote from Vintage Technology Associatoins web page.

"including a 1000-day counter, a 5-year switch, a cycle timer and a digital output timer. Such devices are among the rarest of all Accutron timepieces."

I got this out of a piece of cold war suplus sale out of California.  It was in a AUTOMAX Time Lapse Camera in painted NASA Blue.  I have never seen one of these cameras in NAS Blue paint.

Serial # F73998 with an N4 under that.  N for NASA?  See attachaded picture.

This one has the 1000 day calander and is in 24hr clock.

Quote from Vintage Technology Associatoins web page.

"Bulova's relationship with the US space program began in 1958, when the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory approached Bulova to provide timekeeping mechanisms for the Project Vanguard satellite program. The first Accutron in space was aboard the Vanguard 1 satellite, which achieved orbit on March 17, 1958. Accutron timers were subsequently used in many early series of communication satellites, including Explorer, Tiros, Relay, Syncom, Telstar and Pegasus. Gemini 6 and Gemini 7 both flew with Accutron panel clocks, and the Apollo program used dozens of Accutron mechanisms in various mission-critical functions."

"The Bulova Timer Laboratory ultimately produced over 200 different models of military and industrial instrument timers with specialized complications, including a 1000-day counter, a 5-year switch, a cycle timer and a digital output timer. Such devices are among the rarest of all Accutron timepieces."

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G0C0PzIRcI

Category Watches and Timepieces
Medium Stainless Steele
Distinguishing marks Serial # F73998 but the N4 is not seen on other items of this era
Condition Excellent
Size and dimensions of this item Front dimensions 1 5/16 X 1 X 5/16, .68 in thick
Date Period Could be 1969 to 73 estimated
Weight 42 Grams
Price Paid (If known) Purchased in lot of declassified military surplus electronics and photography equipment out of California.
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