Citizen Pain - The Way Of The Exploding Battery - Can I Restore This Chronic Hisonic Watch?

In this video Mike attempts to fix what many would walk away from a very damaged Citizen Hisonic tuning fork watch. As you can see the battery has practically exploded and caused some rather colourful damage. The Citizen Hisonic is actually a Bulova Accutron 218 movement sold under licence to Citizen back in the 70s ( I think) Watch and see if Mike is successful on restoring this watch back to its former glory. Please remember to like, subscribe and comment if you enjoed this episode.
My Second Channel: / @mywatchreviews
My tool affiliate links page. Items do not cost you any more and I earn a small commission. All tools are hand picked by myself. myretrowatches....
A donation to the channel can be made here. www.buymeacoff...
Like to buy a T-Shirt? then please look here: teespring.com/...
Thank you for your support.
My website: myretrowatches....
My Facebook Group - Retro & Vintage Watches & Restorations. In here you will find a very large friendly community where no question is too silly and you will find no watch snobbery.
Stuck on a WATCH REPAIR? join and get anwers from the watchmaking collective.
/ retro.vintage.watches....
My Instagram: / myretrowatches
Email. [e-mail]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About me:
My name is Mike and I am a hobbyist watchmaker. I am completely self-taught in watch repair and restoration. My channel is all about my journey of hobbyist of watchmaking. I have watch repair tutorials, watch restorations and watch repair videos. Some of my content you can easily follow along to if you are working on the same watch movement. My main focus is to document my journey and inspire more people into this wonderful hobby and demonstrate that this hobby can be very rewarding. I do not profess to be a professional watchmaker and in my videos, I show all my mistakes, mishaps, highs and lows and keep everything as honest as possible. It is easy to edit all the mistakes out and make my videos look perfect but I believe that keeping it real reflects the true reality of this hobby. So what are you waiting for? please check out my watch repair and restoration videos, get inspired and start your own watchmaking journey.
#watchrepair #watchrestoration #watchmaking

[@MyRetroWatches]

I hope you enjoyed this video guys and look forward to reading your comments. Please remember to hit the like button as it helps immensely to push the video out to a wider audience and we need to entice more people into this very fore filling hobby of ours!

[@nickjohnson217]

My old grandad used take off his hearing aid and put it next to his Accutron watch to wind my Nan up as it made an aweful noise, she hated and would chase him round the kitchen table with a broom, I’m nearly 60 now and wish I could go back for just a day to relive those memories, watches are full of memories in many funny ways, well done Mike another super video. 👍😉

[@MyRetroWatches]

@@nickjohnson217 that’s a great memory. You can relive it by owning an Accutron !

[@simong6855]

58:10 You gotta love Lidl, you go in for bread and come out with a watch case polisher.😃

[@MyRetroWatches]

@@simong6855 haha indeed. I bought it probably 6 years ago for about £20 . Never seen it in there again.

[@TobiasCat-p6b]

I bought a Bulova Accutron in 2005 for £26.33. It was all I had on me. I regulated the movement and it was down to just over +one second/day. I wore it for a week and just Had To Get it better... Idiot. Being a very old watch, it didn't like the endless fiddling. It now never betters 5 sec/day accuracy. My mother in law bought us an 'Art Deco' clock for a Christmas present. To be fair, it does look rather nice. It's Possessed! I swear it averages out close to bang-on +/- 1 second whenever I check it with the radio-controlled kitchen clock. And it most definitely is a bog-standard Chinese 30-cent quartz movement. Unbelievable. It sits in a room with 60-85% humidity and 15-25°C temperature. But over the last eighteen years it is close to being 'bang-on' time whenever I check it! I keep thinking I should record it on a 24hr/day video... Maybe I am stupid and all cheapo quartz clocks are as accurate? I realise all about rate, precision in timekeeping, but the ceramic green clock really is something else! Btw, in 1999, a shop was selling a gold Space View Accutron. £300. I hate myself for not buying it. The UK Accutron dealer lived about 1/2 miles away and I used to walk past it every day on my way to school. The Space Age really was an incredibly interesting time to have lived through!

[@brianwohlleben3182]

You killed me with the applause when the spring few off.😂😂😂

[@MyRetroWatches]

haha. bit of added comedy there!

[@geoffquickfall]

A capacitor, transistor and resistor. Right coil for timing, left coil for reverse current to stop movement after a physical shock sends the sweep second hand forward ~ 10 seconds. Quite ingenious. The capacitor holds a charge, the resistor regulates the charge and the transistor switches the current; causing a simple current oscillation that alternates between current and no current to the coil. This causes the coil to alternate between magnetic and non-magnetic which in turn attracts the tuning fork magnet in the coil cup and let the magnet release. The vibration causes the tuning fork to vibrate at 360 Hz on the Bulova/Citizen and 300 Hz on the Omega et al. Well done resurrection!!

[@MyRetroWatches]

That’s a much better explanation than I could ever give. Was not aware of the differences between the coils. What frustrates me is the right coil is the one prone to failure. I have 4 dead right coils here and no working ones left for any projects !

[@geoffquickfall]

@@MyRetroWatches that’s because the right coil is running all the time. The left coil only when the watch suffers a shock. With a physical shock the tuning fork becomes over excited. This causes the left coil to generate a current of the opposite polarity to the battery. This, in turn, causes the watch to stop for precisely the same amount of time that the seconds hand sprung forward! Again ingenious , just as your repair of what would have been considered a junker by the vast majority of professional watch makers. Since the left coil runs all the time, it suffers the most stress as the lubricants lose their carrier solvents and become hard. As the gears become harder to turn due to the drying lubricants, the current draw to the left coil increases. This in turn, heats the coil up to the point where the insulation on those fine wires deteriorates and causes shorts. Thanks again for the video and your enthusiasm!

[@dodgydruid]

There is a bit of a naughty no no whoops when Khrushchev was given as a gift an Accutron 214 when he visited the US and apparently when he got it back he gave it over to Slava who reverse engineered it producing their own clone of the 214 and the job was done so well, the interchange of parts was true 1:1, finding a Slava one is difficult as most ended up as parts donors for Accutrons but they are considered just about the rarest of the hummers as they weren't made in large amounts due to the rare metals needed.

[@borassictime918]

That dial is exquisite. Well done Mike, you’ve done a sterling job getting that working again, congratulations!

[@MyRetroWatches]

Many thanks pleased you like it. I could not be happier with the result.

[@etebol]

I really appreciate that you are fixing quartz watches. All the other you tubers I know off focus mostly on mechanical Swiss watches. Your videos are a priceless source of information. Thanks again.

[@alaththar819]

Sorry, this is not a quartz watch.

[@etebol]

@@alaththar819 google it

[@etebol]

@@alaththar819 I stand corrected Mr smarty pants. Although I was referring to the other videos he’s made. Also there are tunning fork watches that use quartz to regulate the vibrations.

[@traviswalker8933]

​@@alaththar819this is not a mechanical watch either.

[@MyRetroWatches]

Well, it’s mainly mechanical as all the motion is done by wheels.

[@billsomerset238]

A friend of mine has a version 1 accutron bought in the early sixties. I asked if would like to sell it to me. He said no.

[@enzogatto8029]

i still remember as an apprentice in the early eighties bulova had 2 click wheel teeth numbers 300 or 360 teeth

[@csspinner]

I never knew Bulova licensed the accutron movement to other brands! What a great recovery you accomplished on what looked like a lost cause. Thanks for sharing. - Chris

[@hansverlaan4829]

Mike you are a friendly man with great skills!

[@MyRetroWatches]

Thank you

[@ruipinto6347]

My dad owns a Omega Constelation f300 with the same tuning fork technology. Today I learned something new about how it works. Cool stuff.

[@steveone9375]

very interesting and a very nice result ,, i love mechanical watches but at the moment i only have a tisell diver

[@avianfish8732]

Top vid Mike! I was a bit frightened of doing one of these, now I might have a go.

[@wackowacko8931]

@27:02 The coils are almost always covered in shellac/lacquer, including each individual strand of copper wire on the coils. It is standard practice in the electronics community to use shellac/lacquer on coils, transformers, motors, etc. at least for small/medium parts.

[@richprice2379]

Love your content. Where can you go to purchase replacement crystals for citizen watches? I have a couple that I would love to replace myself.

[@MyRetroWatches]

@@richprice2379 there is no where you go particularly because Citizen don’t make it easy.you can’t easily find crystal codes for models. I was only lucky with this one because I found a post online of another guy using this particular one. Japan yahoo auctions are the best place to find them but without knowing your crystal code choosing the right one is not easy

[@JEV1A]

First off I applaud your modesty as only a few watchmakers today would even attempt this restoration. Myself included, I hated how BULOVA sold out licensing to 218s. A true Accutron 214 and 218 is USA or Swiss made. I cannot afford the tools you have, I simply exchange movements when I see one this bad. 1-2 seconds a day is Normal. Bulova advertised a minute a month. Today Citizen is attempting to retro make the Accutron, it will never have the success the originals did. John V. Time & Again Florida USA

[@MyRetroWatches]

@@JEV1A this is not a new watch and from the 1970s when 218 s were made. I also don’t think that Citizen made the movements. I think Bulova did and then just stamped the bridge plates with citizen. It actually says Bulova on licence in small writing on the main plate. I’d be surprised to see anyone trying make this technology today although I think Citizen now own Bulova .

[@JEV1A]

A dying Bulova Company late 1970s decided to sell all licensing. Citizen owns Bulova today. You are one of the only watchmakers in the world that can take apart a Accutron callender and get it to work again. The springs are awful and warp easily. I tell clients sorry, go elsewhere. I have had luck dunking the entire 214 or 218 movement in a ultrasonic bath. Had a few come back to life. jv

[@steve1811uk]

Great work Mike, loved seeing your face when it started humming.

[@MyRetroWatches]

Thanks. I was, shall we say, a little bit excited.

[@jozsefizsak]

That's marvelous! I had no idea there were Citizen versions of the Accutron. I'm starting to want one again. Must resist! 😉

[@Loooxf]

Hi Mike, is this citizen for sale?

[@MyRetroWatches]

Sorry no. I would not put all that effort in just to let it go. I am planning on eventually selling watches I’ve restored but it still a few months off from happening.

[@stevefield3380]

Really enjoying your videos. Love the mix of mechanical and digital. Thank you for the time you put into the videos, your enthusiasm is very evident

[@MyRetroWatches]

Glad you like them and great feedback for me. I try to show a good mix of things. Anything that interests me really. All has to be affordable as I do like to demonstrate the fun that can be had without a big price tag and affordable is just , if not more so, fascinating.

[@NekkidWatchmaker]

I love these hummers. Well done Mike, great video

[@MyRetroWatches]

Hello mate, pleased you’re watching this one! I do have a bit of a collection of these now. Find them totally fascinating. Hope all is well with you and yours.

[@michaelgreen4585]

That is one maker of battery I will never use 😱

[@vatazhka]

I can only associate it with Bhopal Disaster

[@MyRetroWatches]

haha!

[@TobiasCat-p6b]

I'm a Citroen mechanic by trade. Watching experts accomplish intricate work on YT always reminds me of rebuilding a VW engine over the Christmas holiday: Working with my late father in law, who was alive at the time... Boxing day, not really cold, but very, very damp. And dark. 10:30 am we are trying to install the penultimate exhaust valve. 3:30 pm, it finally goes to plan. The reason? There Was Already Two Collets in There! No room for another!! 40+ years of experience foiled by our poor eyesight and freezing hands. It was mid-January when I finally told him just what the issue was... Great Video btw! I own one and I love it!

[@TheGramophoneGirl]

Love it and love the dial. Where does anyone buy one of these? Or are they way too expensive?

[@MyRetroWatches]

Well they are not common in the UK. But you can find Hisonics on eBay and places but as to their condition mechanically and visually would all depend. A good one like this, serviced I think would be £300 +

[@solotwincam]

Bonjour j’adore cette restauration accutron j’en ai plusieurs à revoir qui ne fonctionnent pas pour l’acide de pile sur les pièces je les laisses tremper dans du vinaigre blanc Menager et ensuite rincé à l’eau ou l’alcool et c’est parfait pour un bon nettoyage 🧹 avez vous déjà essayé ? Gilles de Amiens en 🇫🇷

[@solotwincam]

Même technique que vous ! Super

[@MyRetroWatches]

Bonjour, j'ai utilisé du vinaigre dans cette vidéo puis j'ai utilisé un liquide pour nettoyer l'argenterie. Les deux élimineront la fuite de la batterie. Merci et j'espère que vous avez apprécié cette vidéo monsieur.

[@mumiemonstret]

It's fantastic to see a tuning fork watch in detail. I still don't really grasp how the whiskers can transfer the vibration to the 360-toothed wheel without ever skipping a tooth, it seems extremely finicky. Also note that every quartz watch has a tuning fork too. It's just driven piezoelectrically instead of electromagnetically. And it's way tinier, and vibrates 32,768 times a second. Unfortunately, you can't drive the mechanism directly from it so you need to divide the electrical signal by half 15 times and then let the resulting 1 Hz pulse drive a tiny synchronous motor. Not as smooth as this one!

[@dropfivezero3675]

I have a beautiful M9 up/down day/date Accutron that I would love to get running right. Runs fine until the hour/minute hands get to around the 6-12 o'clock area and stop. Hopefully I find somewhere to straighten it out some day. Great job!

[@Emilmarch]

I have a similar Citizen, but I can't dare to try fixing it. You did a brilliant job, I am so proud of you after this many watches, you became a professional.

[@MyRetroWatches]

Nice accolade but I’m far from a pro! Just have enough skills to take these on. They are not all that difficult apart from regulating them which as I said in the video took 5 days to get it within specs .

[@TobiasCat-p6b]

There was a Bulova repairer in Burnley, Lancashire: Riemann's the jeweller. Close to Burnley wasa last remainingAgent in Nelson. Situated in a quiet posh house on Hibson road, I walked past it every day on my way to school. It was seeing the glass sign which stoked my interest in the Bulova brand... I still can't find any references to the house? The sixties and seventies were such an amazing and exciting time!

[@lombat]

I forgot to breathe for 45 minutes while watching the video. People who do repair work like this are at least as valuable as those who make these watches. As a machinist, I can say this: I wish I could take lessons from you.

[@kizz.Commented]

I don't know if you are aware, that if you put a 'keeper' on a magnet, the lines of force become confined to the keeper and some little stray lines of flux might escape, but not very much. A keeper you can make from Ferrous metal, like 'iron' to sit between the south and north poles of the magnet. Once applied, you can put it in your ultrasonic bath and know the magnets are not going to harm the bath's electronics, nor will the ultrasonic bath have any effect upon the Magnets and their 'keepers. Keepers turn #'U' shapped electromagnets into rather effective transformers with ALL the lines of flux being used to induce EMF(Electro-motive-force) into the second coil of the transformer. Just an FYI. Excellent video though Mr Retro.

[@papemoe]

Thanks for this vid... I wear a citizens titanium eco drive everyday... Love it... Do they need servicing like a regular watch?

[@lucianozucco2873]

Magnífico trabalho, parabéns e obrigado por compartilhar seu conhecimento.

[@anthonycaryl1079]

Great title

[@MyRetroWatches]

Thank you. I did have help from my audience!

[@patrickmorrissey2271]

Great job. My Dad had an Accutron when I was young... Super cool....

[@TobiasCat-p6b]

I believe 'Mad Men' the TV drama, have a brief mention of the Bulova Accutron watch? I have one, and the high-pitched buzz really is, well a Buzz to hear! Magnificent USA. Well, they did go to the moon...

[@TobiasCat-p6b]

And one of the two chaps' names? BUZZ!!! :-)

[@johnsrabe]

Good title. Congrats to the winner.

[@MyRetroWatches]

The citizen pain and chronic Hisonic are from two people the bit in the middle I added😂

[@legless1956]

Congratulations for getting it going and restoring it it looked like a right wreck and now it looks fantastic, I didn't even know they made watches with that mech in it. I bought a flip clock that has a tuning fork mechanism that vibrates at 400hz, I hate it I can hear it whining when it's in the next room, I had to take the battery out of it it was like it was inside my head (I think it's a French make with a Japanese mech) I used Spectroid on my phone to measure the frequency.

[@dodgydruid]

I decided to up my game a bit, bought some Moebius 9010 for my Timex Viscount rebuild, I have up til now relied upon generic oils but thinking its a one time bigger buy to get in some decent stuff lol

[@joecombs8315]

My favorite part of the videos are the cleaning section. Would love to see some time lapse video of before and after of the cleaning of the parts.

[@MyRetroWatches]

I will look into doing some of this. My videos tend to be quite long and in the past I have shown the cleaning machine working and pegging the holes, all kinds really but I dont always want to include all the same things in each video as I would think for a viewer it gets boring after a while. I thought in this one the transformation of the plates would satisfy you all but so far no one has commented on that.

[@mrld3005]

suscribed! have you tried repairing vintage RED LED watches?

[@Tom_Kowalczuk]

I've got Seiko 6730 movement in similar condition (rust). Dmn thing is soo small and parts are impossible to locate due to age of the movement.

[@tedoyle61]

Just happen to find your channel. Great video. Lots of work, I too, would be nervous on all of this. Thanks for posting.

[@SkylerLinux]

Honestly for the big plates, and really anything with the battery base was on. I'd have put them in the jar with it in a sonic cleaner, just to make sure the bubbles don't stick and get a cleaning and neutralizing effect at the same time.

[@morriscarstairs2685]

I really enjoyed watching that video, thanks very much.

[@peasantrobot]

Are there Citizen mechanisms with capacitors instead of batteries? Than you!

[@Romans828KJV]

Watchmaking is fun but also maddening at times when you run into snags

[@Romans828KJV]

Watchmaking is fun but also maddening at times when you run into snags

[@kepkopke]

Я бы заклеил катушки. Аффтар так рьяно пинцетом рядом шурует, что повредить их легко. И предметы с краской как календарь он так спокойно цапает металлическим пинцетом что сердце замирает!

[@nelsonpascoal340]

Por favor pode me informar onde consigo o diagrama eletrônico do gerador de pulsos de circuito eletronico? Obrigado....

[@JoseReyes-jt6ob]

Absolutamente maravilloso qué gran trabajo, admirable. Gracias por mostrarnos esta gran restauración y puesta en marcha de un movimiento maravilloso. Salú2 desde Puebla México.

[@MyRetroWatches]

thank you sir.

[@peterbroderson6080]

I have a quartz with the same problem. My answer was not to buy a quartz watch again, I have an Accutron but without a battery for the same reason.

[@pattonhorton2072]

I was expecting the opening shot to have the watch cry "Rosebud" in its dying breath.

[@crybabychrononaut]

Gorgeous ❤

[@bahrialbayrak]

Arkadaşım saat tamir ederken bu işi konuşmadan yapsan olmazmı bırak video zaten kendini izletir sen konuştukça insanın izleyesi gelmiyor

[@MyRetroWatches]

No! Just rude for you to even say it. You don’t have to watch!

[@WillyMcCoy50]

Thanks for taking us to this mysterious movement!

[@brieeloise2618]

Spectacular repair, fascinating movement!

[@MyRetroWatches]

Thank you.

[@neonteepee8453]

White vinegar for battery acid and general electrical corrosion, de-oxit is really good for verdigris

[@bezdinara]

Стварно пријатан за гледање видео. Веома занимљив сат, али још боља рестаурација.

[@pieterjlansbergen6988]

Fantastic! Well done! And now who needs a Grand Seiko spring drive when we have MiKe that shows us the way to a very special alternative? Greetings from Italy and keep on the good work.. cheers

[@MyRetroWatches]

Thank you! These are truly special watches. Happy you enjoyed this episode. (I really must go to Italy , nearly 52 year now on the planet and not been!)

[@ireshumayanga8704]

I have good working condition original this cityzen watch ⌚️

[@dodgydruid]

Sorry not been about, I am working on 5 Slava rebuilds with new movements, also converting my Alba Manta Ray to receive a NH36 and also sorting my display boxes out as kinda snowed under with loose stuff everywhere lol Also built a new PC case for my monster machine and need to transfer that over tomorrow and then got to fix a printer so I can print a return label off for that dodgy ripoff seagull chrono as Aliexpress have kicked the seller out of its system as it seems quite a few got tucked up by the lack of ST19's getting some nasty Hong Kong Phooey quartz movement instead.

[@MyRetroWatches]

Ian?

[@FilmFactry]

I'm not a watch person, but found this very exciting. Amazing how this was designed, and how ever all these parts were manufactured. Makes you really appreciate the intricacy of the analog world vs the smaller silicon electronics.

[@MyRetroWatches]

Pleased you enjoyed it from a non watch perspective. These are a true marvel at micro engineering. Accurate to 1 minute a month and that was in the 60s before quartz . Incredible

[@seederi]

I was absolutely stunned by the end result, with new crystal that dial really got me excited about it! Bracelet was same with my GS, full of rust, which probably means someone loved using it regularly. Keep up the good work!

[@MyRetroWatches]

I can only agree. Snowflake dials are great and this one came out as good as I hoped it would. .

[@justincrouse4317]

Wonderful videoas usual!! Thanks for doing this style watch. Also, I love that movement holder!! Is it available somewhere?

[@justincrouse4317]

Found it on your links, thanks!!

[@res00xua]

The wire for the coils are enamel coated. Some will solder and others are high temperature for motors and must be scraped to solder

[@Walaki]

This watch is on my VERY want list, it would look superb next to the 214 Accutron Spaceview in the box

[@MyRetroWatches]

I have a spaceview video in production right now. First time working on a 214

[@jeffreyhickman3871]

This watch ⌚️ is definitely showboat, not shipwreck. Your friend, Jeff.

[@MyRetroWatches]

Not now anyway !

[@Ale63871]

Hermoso reloj y hermoso trabajo de restauración.. saludos desde Argentina 🇦🇷

[@MyRetroWatches]

Thank you.

[@jeffreyalbarandorivera8595]

I like your videos sir no bullshitting. Best Regards from The Philippines.

[@MyRetroWatches]

I appreciate that

[@Fizeeek]

Amazing work, what technology!

[@RedJeanetteRedlover]

Just found your channel! I'm subscribed to a few other watch repair channels and I'm happy to find another one! Just subscribed to you now too!!! ❤

[@MyRetroWatches]

Thanks for the sub! I was one of the first here 7 years ago so I am pleased the algorithm is still promoting the channel after all this time.

[@wasakee]

Thanks for the interesting content. I noticed that you used the digital microscope basically for 80% of the watch services, do you consider it a valid alternative to standard loupe/sterep scope technique? Seems really comfortable and reliable!

[@MyRetroWatches]

@@wasakee well I only really use it to film on, I have reviewed this scope in great detail last year and still impressed with it. I disassemble a watch and build it all by just looking at the scope. I can’t really use it like that all the time and always have my loupe on my glasses and what you don’t see on film is me eyeballing close up with the loupe! When I am not filming I don’t use this scope at all for my repairs and solely rely on x3 loupe and my AMscope stereo microscope.

[@TheAtomstrike]

Fascinating, excellent work! It is unlikely that transistors in sot23 package existed in the 60s.

[@MyRetroWatches]

This watch is more like a 70s watch but Accutron 214 were from 1962 I think. The 218 (in this watch) was a later improved movement.

[@krugerdave]

Oh boy, "Union Carbide" on that battery 😅 That's got to be an old one, at least 40 years, I'd say; Bhopal was in 1984 and I think the company didn't keep the name for long after that!

[@MyRetroWatches]

Ironically I have just had exactly thr same watch turn up and I opened it to find the same battery, this time not exploded though fortunately.

[@thomasgabriel2213]

WOW! The watch looks amazing, and work it took....what a great video. And on another note....you are looking quite well. I know it has been a rough year or so for you, but you are looking happy and healthy again. Good to see!!

[@MyRetroWatches]

@@thomasgabriel2213 thank you on both counts. Missing my parents but just keeping busy and moving on. August will mark 2 years since prostate cancer too. Hoping to have a clear run of good health and happiness going forward.

[@MrRoundel]

Nice work! That's interesting that you assemble the calendar works and under-dial parts before replacing the train. With your method, one doesn't have to fight the fork magnetism attracting the springs while you're setting them. And you're getting really good at handling that spring that tucks under the date-wheel retaining plate. I picked up some nice technique that you've worked out. Taking out the pawl bridge, with pawl finger, rather than turning it on its post the way the manual says. Thanks.

[@MyRetroWatches]

I just do what works for me. Sometimes I do movement side first but got fed up with everything flying to the coils if I went wrong. Despite having the manual I don’t really read them. I find the movement not that difficult compared to some mechanical watches it just more about the handling of the pawl and index wheels, then of course regulation. This was double indexing at first but I cleaned the wheel x3 in the cleaning machine in its own basket and then had to adjust the pawl angle to put more pressure on but after that it was fine. Now dialled in to around 1 second a day -

[@MarceloCN]

That's a true restoration video. Hell of a job.

[@MyRetroWatches]

Appreciated.

[@Bucket_Boy101]

That's a genuinely gorgeous watch, Mike! I don't think I'd ever wear one though cause the vibration would probably annoy me hahaha

[@MyRetroWatches]

You don’t feel them vibrate at all, just hum if you hold them up to your ear, or put the watch on your bedside table !

[@fishandreptileinfo]

What an amazing video to watch. So much so, I subscribed.😉

[@MyRetroWatches]

Thanks for subbing!

[@gerryodonnell321]

Two things saved you here, The battery was upside down and the watch as you say was probably stored face up. I love this style of old Japanese watch and there is nothing not to like about these watches. Great skill, very professional video, thank you

[@MyRetroWatches]

Thank you. The batteries in Accutron go positive down so it was in the correct position as much as it looks odd.

[@jimmurphy6095]

I hate quartz watches.... That's a beautiful watch... That dial is amazing. Nice job.

[@MyRetroWatches]

This is not quartz though. It’s pre quartz

[@robertkat]

Never in your wildest dreams a battery in any watch explodes. Another stupid youtube video.

[@MyRetroWatches]

Whatever… it’s far from a stupid video. Yes batteries don’t explode but this one leaked over every component.

[@meytrap]

Hi Mike, I just wanted to let you now I got here after watch an old episode of WILTY. I was hoping that it was Lee's story and I am so happy it was. Cheers mate!

[@MyRetroWatches]

haha yes that was a highlight to 2023/24 actually and I do mention it at the end of my PanAm digital watch video. Lee is genuinely a big watch fan and was attempting to repair a watch to learn how they work. It was great to talk to him about all this, I gave him some advise and we had a 2 hour zoom call discussing it all. Pleased you found your way here because I could not get my name or channel mentioned on the BBC!

[@Lackooo84]

No jewel lubricants?

[@MyRetroWatches]

@@Lackooo84 I used my auto oiler on the jewels as the capped jewels can’t be removed or oiled from the top like conventional jewels. I shown in the video using the auto oiler

[@Lackooo84]

@@MyRetroWatches Ah, okay.

[@simonsallen]

As I watched the beginning of the video, I thought this was a no-hoper. Corrosion from Batteries is horrible stuff it just corrodes everything well done.

[@MyRetroWatches]

Thanks. This one cleaned up very nicely indeed.

[@MikeB_UK]

That is a very pretty watch. Amazing restoration - never thought that would run again! Well done. Always love your videos. One comment from near the start, You might want to try getting some Oxalic Acid crystals and trying this stuff on some rust. Quite cheap. Used to be sold on ebay but now you need to Google it and buy from a chemical supplier. It is really for getting rid of brown stains in wood for the woodwork brigade, but if you put it on brown rust it turns it grey and inert. It will also turn bare steel the same grey and makes it pretty corrosion proof. I discovered it years ago and found it great for rusty tools and also bits of rust on radiators before then painting them. You just dissove as much crystals as you can in say a teeny jam jar and then use a small paintbrush to put the stuff on. It does it's work pretty quickly. I rinse things I have done and then dry them. Worth a try to see if you like the colour as may come in handy one day to resurrect some part you cannot buy. A small bag will likely last you a lifetime. I agree the phosphorous type rust converter that leaves things black and purple is not a nice end colour for anything. Hope this is of some use.

[@MyRetroWatches]

Thank you for this advise I will look into getting some.

[@jochenstacker7448]

57:53 oof that is a lot of wrist cheese. Not to be confused with arm candy.

[@azsharptime549]

I am waiting for your help. Can you help me?

[@marcosney4116]

amazing video, thank you for sharing

[@PaulGs-Stuff]

I have had some sucess fixing speaker coils that have broken off at the end (common on a speaker as it is a moving and becomes work hardened and brittle) by taking a couple of turns off the coil and using it to attach back to the post with solder. Not sure if that would work on Accutron coils but maybe.

[@MyRetroWatches]

The coil wires are so small, would be talking .0001” or so plus the coils are coated in lacquer so you would need to remove all that too. I think it could be done on other watches but this one would be quite a challenge.

[@aemvasconcelos]

Great video, great watch, great restoration. I never saw a smother seconds hand, much better than a Grand Seiko

[@MyRetroWatches]

Thanks. You can’t compare an Accutron second hand to anything mechanical. Nothing comes close. From memory a high beat does 8 beats per second, Hisonic 320!

[@tylerhoman3800]

Hey man, Just around 5:56 you cut from the crown removal. Where do you release the crown? I can’t find it for the life of me.

[@MyRetroWatches]

@@tylerhoman3800 a small screw needs to be loosened (not removed) it’s also in the 218 service manual that you can find on my site

[@Rakadazan]

Nice video, which camera is your side angle shot, it's very crisp and vibrant?

[@MyRetroWatches]

@@Rakadazan that one is all about the canon F2.8 100mm that does a sensational job. All recorded in 4k and then cropped

[@mrtee197729]

Hi. Nice video. Do you have a link to the magnifier that attaches to your glasses. Thanks

[@MyRetroWatches]

They are not cheap. www.cousinsuk.com/product/watchmakers-loupes-donegan-usa?code=E9605

[@JohnM-c5f]

That wobbling tuning fork shot was amazing! Thanks for the watch porn as always!

[@MyRetroWatches]

Most welcome .

[@crr8297]

Thanks for the video, nice job. I've worked on a few 214 and 219 watches, they are my favorite, I like the way they hum and how the sweep second hand moves so smoothly

[@MyRetroWatches]

I have my first 214 spaceview coming and I might film that one despite never working on one before.

[@crr8297]

@@MyRetroWatches There's quite a history on the spaceview, they are lovely watches, I hope you're able to film it too

[@Petrust123]

Enjoyed the video, I don't know why you knock yourself you do great job and we all learn from mistakes at least you are honest enough to leave them in.

[@MyRetroWatches]

I’m have high expectations for my own work I guess. Also too honest for my own good

[@davidgranger3628]

Astonishing refurb .I have dreamt my whole life of owning a Bulover accutron ,dont mention the space view .70 now and my pension means it will never be realised but at least your video shows how they work .I did think the crystal was 32,768 but i guess Alzheimer's is approaching . If you want to play with a Bulover Computron come back to me