Accutron Unveils Retro-Style Railroad Watch

The R.R.-O timepiece was originally produced for North American railway workers.

Accutron

Accuracy down to the second goes hand-in-hand with fine watchmaking, and what could be more precise than a watch used on railways and trusted with crucial timing decisions? That’s where the new Accutron Legacy “R.R.-O” enters the watch market, and it’s a seriously cool new timepiece worthy of adding to your collection for that very reason.

The first edition of the R.R.-O, launched in 1970, was approved for use on North American railway systems and was specifically approved to meet exacting Canadian Railroad specs. The original watch made use of a highly accurate tuning fork movement system, and it was groundbreaking in another way: The original timepiece was as accurate as the pocket watches favored at the time by railway personnel.

Accutron

And that attention to detail and accurate timing proved more crucial than ever, as incorrect timing could lead to accidents as operators switched tracks. Every second counts, to say the very least. It’s a good thing indeed that the Accutron Legacy “R.R.-O” pays homage to that original model with a crisp, classic design, a cool crown placement at 4 o’clock and a 26-jewel, Swiss-made automatic movement.

It’s also worth noting that Accutron’s illustrious history included other models of watches designed for use on the railroad (note the placement of the numeral 0 at the 12 o’clock mark to meet Canadian Railroad standards), but the R.R.-O proved the most popular.

Accutron

“Accutron stands for ‘accuracy through electronics,’ so it is no surprise that the brand was relied upon to provide an exceptionally accurate timepiece for railroad servicemen,” said Jeffrey Cohen, President of Citizen Watch America.

The watch also gets it right as far as style points are concerned. Take the sharp white dial, which clocks in at a throwback-sized 34mm. It stands out nicely on the black leather strap. It retails for an investment-level, yet accessible, $1,290, and if you want to make it your own, you’ll have to act with speed in mind — only 600 models are available. 

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