Results for Marine Chronometer & The Longitude Problem

In-Depth: The Microscopic Magic of H4, Harrison’s First Sea Watch

One can understand the opacity of the first published analysis of John Harrison’s first sea watch, colloquially known as H4 and the forerunner of the marine chronometer, in The Principles of Mr Harrison’s Time-keeper. Edited by the British Astronomer Royal Nevil Maskelyne, it was published by the British government in 1767; and hereafter referred to as Principles. Principles was both incomplete of enough information to allow the duplication of the watch, which Harrison (1693-1776) started in 1755 and finished in 1759, and contained somewhat incoherent description that only makes sense a posteriori after examination of the watch. ‘Principles of Mr. Harrison’s Time-keeper’ Amazingly, it was one hundred years later the next review took place. I can echo Harrison M. Frodsham’s comments in his review in Horological Journal of May 1878 when he said, “Former explanations taken from Harrison’s description are necessarily unsatisfactory, as his was very obscure, probably purposely so.”  Although this may be dismissed as 19th Century gossip by some scholars, this may have arisen in part to protect any military advantage, given the importance of H4 to maritime navigation. Considering H4’s historical performance, it is odd that the otherwise comprehensive A Treatise on Modern Horology in Theory and Practice (2ndedition) by Claudius Saunier, published in 1887, barely mentions Harrison and certainly not H4’s technical content. Perhaps it was because it was so quic...

INTRODUCING: The IWC Portugieser Chronograph Classic lives up to its name

In 1939 when two Portuguese merchants approached IWC about making a wristwatch with the same levels of accuracy usually seen in marine chronometer pocket watches, they had no idea it would be the beginning of a legend and the birth of one of IWC’s most popular collections. With a new slightly revised design, IWC have launched … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The IWC Portugieser Chronograph Classic lives up to its name appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Gumball Rally/Around-the-World-in-80-Days/24 Hours of Le Mans: Here’s a Proposal for a Real-Life International Chronometry Competition that Both Brands and Collectors might Enjoy

Ian Skellern's suggestion for an International Chronometry Competition is a group of well-heeled collectors – brands/independents are also welcome to participate, but I suspect they will wait to see how it goes – set off from, say, Geneva, but could be New York, Dubai, or Singapore, wearing one or two watches, on a two-week world tour. Here he explains how it might work.

In-Depth: The Horological Art of the Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud Régulateur Squelette FB RS

A stunning limited edition from Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud

First Look – Chapter Two in the Revival of L. Leroy with the New Elyor Flying Tourbillon

Parisian watchmaking maison L. Leroy was founded by Basile-Charles Le Roy in 1785 and became the official watchmaker to King Louis XVI and later to Napoleon I and Queen Victoria. Expanding operations to Switzerland, L. Leroy produced marine chronometers for the French Navy and amassed 384 gold medals in chronometry competitions. Iconic masterpieces like the […]

Are Chronometers Even Worth It? We Tested 5 of the Best To Find Out

We put COSC, METAS, Rolex, Grand Seiko, and Glashütte chronometers to the test. Here’s what certification actually means on the wrist.

Understanding the Vacheron Constantin Solaria with Christian Selmoni and Jean-Marie Bouquin

SJX recently visited Vacheron Constantin  and sat down with Christian Selmoni, style and heritage director, and head of speciality watchmaking, Jean-Marie Bouquin, to discuss the Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication, the most complicated wristwatch yet made. Mr Bouquin led the development of Solaria, and assembled it, creating a wristwatch that’s a worthy follow-up to the most complicated portable timepiece ever, the Berkley Grand Complication that was launched just last year. That in turn broke the record set by Vacheron Constantin in 2015 with the ref. 57260 “Tivoli”. They discussed the intricacies and innovation in the Solaria, including its modular “plug and play” perpetual calendar, and the implications for future Les Cabinotiers projects, as well as the novel star-tracking chronograph, and the benefits of using silicon for the spokes of the balance wheel. They also touched on the absence of a grande et petite sonnerie.  

Introducing – The New Ulysse Nardin Diver Hammerhead Shark Limited Edition

Few brands are as deeply embedded in maritime chronometry as Ulysse Nardin. With nearly 180 years of watchmaking heritage, the brand’s ties to all things nautical find expression in the more classical Marine collection and the brazenly contemporary Diver family. Following the 2018 relaunch of the Diver Chronometer 44mm series and a series of Diver […]

Will The Future Rolex Manufacture Solve Your “Pepsi” Problems?

When we talk about Rolex, we talk about huge numbers. According to Bloomberg, last year, Rolex produced 1.24 million timepieces with sales of CHF 10.1 billion. That wasn’t enough to get people their desired “Pepsi” GMT-Master IIs, though. The future Rolex manufacture, about which the brand issued its first official press release, might change that. […] Visit Will The Future Rolex Manufacture Solve Your “Pepsi” Problems? to read the full article.

Pre-Owned Picks: Two Time Zones, Two Hour Hands, Zero Problems. The GMT Watch.

Traveling across timezones for the holidays? Grab a GMT, a watch that's built for the task.

HANDS-ON: The Yema Navygraf Forces Sous-Marines is a dive watch brimming with ’70s charm

One of my very first articles for Time+Tide was a short overview on Yema and their key models, and since then their growth has been meteoric. Although they now hardly need any introduction as one of the most popular microbrands, the French brand has mastered their own niche within the dive watch scene. Both then … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Yema Navygraf Forces Sous-Marines is a dive watch brimming with ’70s charm appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The evolution of Jay-Z’s watch collection: 99 problems but a bare wrist ain’t one

Most of us have a dream of making it big. Even when such heights seem impossible, seeing that achievement in others provides the extra boost you need to keep striving for your own goals. Which is how I felt watching Jay-Z get inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I happily watched his … ContinuedThe post The evolution of Jay-Z’s watch collection: 99 problems but a bare wrist ain’t one appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Does Mido deliver the best value COSC-certified Swiss in-house chronometers available in 2021?

Is this headline a valid question, a bold claim, or simply the stone-cold truth? My knowledge of the Mido brand has recently been re-ignited. The Swiss brand has been in the game for more than 100 years, but my awareness previously centred on their vintage reissues. I see Mido’s DNA represented in the delightful ’60s … ContinuedThe post Does Mido deliver the best value COSC-certified Swiss in-house chronometers available in 2021? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Introduces the Polaris Mariner Memovox and Mariner Date

Modelled on a 1960s diver’s alarm wristwatch, the Polaris was revived in 2018 as a full-fledged collection of watches ranging from time-only to chronograph. Now Jaeger-LeCoultre adds two more to the line up: the Polaris Mariner Memovox and Polaris Mariner Date. Looking very similar to each other, both share the same a gradient-blue dial but are distinguished in function; the Memovox is an alarm while the Date is a three-hand base model. Polaris Mariner Date (left), and Polaris Mariner Memovox Initial thoughts Probably because it manages to be sporty and slightly retro at the same time, the gradient (or fumè or smoked) blue dial is being used once again for a Polaris dive watch, not long after the similar-looking limited edition for the American market. And it’s worth noting that the three-tone blue dial takes inspiration from the Memovox “Snowdrop” of the 1970s. In short, the look isn’t novel, but it is a good one. And a few tweaks have been worked in to help it stand out, most obvious with the use of orange accents. The new Memovox on brand ambassador Benedict Cumberbatch The Polaris Mariner Memovox Although both watches have been updated in design and upgraded in functionality – water resistance is now 300 m instead of 200 m – they are beset by a sharp increase in price. For instance, the new Mariner Memovox alarm watch costs about 40% more than the equivalent limited edition of 2018. And the Mariner Date costs a bit over US$11,000, while the standar...

Happenings: Karl-Friedrich Scheufele And Vincent Lapaire To Lecture At The Horological Society Of New York

The duo will share the story of a pioneer of marine chronometry – Ferdinand Berthoud – and unveil a contemporary interpretation of his work, the Chronomètre FB 2RE.

Let Them Eat Cake: The Intriguing Story Of Marie Antoinette And Her Legendary Breguet Pocket Watch No. 160 – Reprise

In 1783, just as the queen of France, Marie Antoinette, was sitting for a portrait, an officer of the queen’s guard visited Abraham-Louis Breguet’s workshop: Queen Marie Antoinette desired a pocket watch containing all known horological complications at the time. It took 44 years to complete and is perhaps the most famous watch in history, as much for its intriguing story as its ingenious mechanics.

The Observatory Chronometers that Timed the Tour de France

Watches once owned by prominent personalities are captivating. Paul Newman’s “Paul Newman” Daytona, the Rolex “Bao Dai”, Buzz Aldrin’s Speedmaster Moonwatch, the Henry Graves Supercomplication, and even J. Pierpont Morgan’s lost pocket watch, are amongst most sought after timepieces in the world. In fact, a good number of the most expensive watches ever sold at auction have notable provenance, which turns a mere watch into a historical artefact. Probably the most important timekeepers in cycling, these are a pair of Longines split-seconds stop watches – refs. 7411 and 8350 respectively – that were used by Jean Pitallier, the former president of the French Cycling Federation, to time the Tour de France in the fading glory days of mechanical sports timing, just before quartz stopwatches took over. In fact, the pair of stopwatches are not merely chronographs, but also observatory certified chronometers. Watchmaking once represented the cutting edge research of mechanical engineering. Observatory time trials at Neuchatel, Geneva or Kew were rigorous scientific affairs, with movements Peseux 260 and Zenith 135 competing to be the most accurate movement in the world. But such movements were three-hand, time-only. Aside from tourbillon movements, very few complicated calibres were submitted to timing contests. Mr Pitallier’s pair of Longines were both certified by the Neuchatel observatory. The swan song of competitive timekeeping In modern day watch collectin...

The Revolutionary List: 30 Pioneering Watches – the Rexhep Rexhepi Chronomètre Contemporain I

How the Panerai Luminor Due Redefined the Brand: From Luminor Marina to Angelo Bonati’s Vision

Hands-On: The F.P.Journe Chronomètre Souverain 20th Anniversary Edition

What a difference some blue can make.

Panerai at Watches and Wonders 2025: The New Panerai Luminor Marina

Hands-On: Could F.P.Journe's Chronomètre Furtif Dethrone The King Of Waitlists, The Chronomètre Bleu, As The Brand's 'It' Watch?

Another watch from F.P.Journe with a difficult-to-produce dial, case, and fantastic movement.

Introducing: The New Panerai Luminor Marina Collection, With New Movement And New Measurements

A slightly slimmer big watch with some even bigger upgrades.

Ferdinand Berthoud Celebrates Sincere Fine Watches’ 70th Anniversary with the Chronomètre FB 1RES.3 Sincere Platinum Jubilee Edition

Introducing the Speake Marin Openworked Sandblasted Collection