If you can cast your mind back to 1977 (if you’re not old enough like me – just google it) there were a myriad of questionable design choices and fashions. I find it difficult to pick a handful of cars from the 70s that were good – your average daily driver was a Morris Marina or if you were in the US a squared off Chevy Impala. They are not design icons. I don’t even have to go into much detail about clothes – flares, floral prints and freaky suits. Just awful.

I do feel like there was one area of design and fashion that managed to get out alive. The quartz crisis was the end for many watch manufacturers – but my god did they produce some absolute bangers during the 1970s. First notable mention was the Royal Oak released in 1972 – an absolute timeless piece streaks ahead of its time. It was like somebody had found the paintbox and started making ever more colourful chronographs and dive watches.

So here we go – a combination of new all conquering quartz technology and fantastic 70s design. The Bulova Accutron Quartz Deep Sea.

Released in ’77 this was a super accurate dive watch. It featured an armoured crystal, screw down crown and a uni directional bezel. It was available in two variations – black gloss dial or white gloss dial. Both pressure tested and rated to 666 ft or 200 metres.

The most standout feature that set this watch apart was that the wearer had the ability to make tiny adjustments in the watch using Accuset. Accuset was provided on Bulova’s high end quartz movements. The process was straightforward – find a super accurate time source like your local atomic clock and when that ticks over the hour hit the little button. This will then cause the second hand to either stop completely and wait or suddenly double time it round the time to catch up with this new time.

The ‘ticking’ 2423.10 0 jewel movement features a quick set day and date function. The day wheel on these Accutron quartz are in both English and French. One confusing problem is when using the quick set the days actually flip through in reverse. So if it’s Sunday today and the watch says Saturday – you will be flipping through the week which is an odd peculiarity.

To assist with the legibility of the numbers and font there is a lovely elongated cyclops that is sit underneath the crystal. I do not understand why this isn’t the norm for watch magnification – it’s out of the way and it doesn’t scratch up ever.

I do have the original steel link bracelet for this watch – but it wears a little oddly. Today it is on a £1 nato strap – don’t judge.

I hope you learnt something – pop any questions in the comment!