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Ships’ clocks are not just BIG watches but have a window of their stores so railroad men could set the pre-

very specific collectible value , and have been a staple cise time on their railroad watches. Webb C. Ball of Cleve-
on military vessels for over 300 years. They vary in value land was the most famous for this. The first example (A.),
from $400 for a Hamilton non-gimbaled 1940s-era made by Chelsea for Ball Watch, is worth only $500. The
clock, which is basically an oversized pocket watch, to gimbaled Hamilton (B.), in its original box, is valued at
$500 – $2,000 for a gimbaled, boxed Hamilton, to thou- $700-$1,200. The modern Mühle Glashütte (C.) is valued
sands for a marine chronograph that is free sprung with at $1,200 if new, and $350 if used. Recently, a rare ship’s

helical hair springs. chronograph (D.) with a chain-driven Earnshaw chrono-
graph, from 1850, was sold at auction for over $12,000.
Marine chronographs were invented by the famous
John Harrison in the 1700s. The word chronograph If you have a fine ship’s chronograph, please contact

denotes a very steady swing in the balance wheel, mak- Hess Fine Art and allow us to bid on it or include it in one
ing a steady tick-tock, tick-tock. Many historians suggest of our upcoming auctions.
that the chronograph is a precursor of the metronome,
which keeps a steady beat for practicing musicians. Connect with Jeffrey Hess on JHJ to buy and sell
watches, jewelry, precious metals, gold, silver, platinum,
The value of ships’ clocks varies by maker, age and diamonds and gemstones, coins, vintage and antique
condition. Chelsea and Hamilton are the most collectible items, estate items, original paintings, collectibles, glass
American ships’ clocks and are valued between $200 artwork, pottery, porcelain, silver flatware and holloware,
and $2,000. The precise timekeeping of ships’ chrono- other fine art, and more.
graphs resulted in jewelers keeping them in the front

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