Johannsen of London Admiralty Pattern Chronometer Deck Watch

Technical characteristics

Type

Chronometer deck watch

Maker

Asmus Johannsen & Co

Retailer

Lawrence & Mayo, London

Dimensions

Height 5cm, Width 9.5cm, Depth 12cm

Serial number

8064

Place recorded

United Kingdom

Date of manufacture

circa 1916

Maker / attribution

Asmus Johannsen & Co

Movement escapement

English lever movement

Design

Visible features

• White enamel dial signed 'A. JOHANNSEN & CO 149 MINORIES LONDON 8064' • Blued steel spade hour and minute hands accompanied by a fine sweep centre seconds hand with counterpoise • Outer track calibrated to fifths of a second with Arabic five-minute numerals (5 to 60) • Fluted winding crown located at 12 o'clock above a shaped brass mounting plate • Mounted in a round metal bezel casing set within a wooden transport case

Casing and Housing Details

The instrument is housed in a two-tier mahogany display box with physical dimensions listed as 5 cm in height, 9.5 cm in width, and 12 cm in depth. The seller states that the watch itself is 'Cased in a polished round, screw down back stamped 8064' and sits in a 'fitted brass carrier numbered 8064, and is topped with a protective window with screwed-in bezel.' The upper lid of the wooden case is documented as featuring an inset ivory name plaque signed 'for the retailer Lawrence and Mayo, London 8064 - Admiralty Pattern chronometer watch.' The listing provides a UK Ivory Act 2018 Exemption Submission Reference of 163KFG19.

Dial and Visual Presentation

The deck watch displays a white enamel dial with black Roman hour numerals, an outer chapter ring calibrated to fifths of a second, and Arabic five-minute numerals from 5 to 60. The time is indicated by blued steel spade hour and minute hands accompanied by a sweep centre seconds hand with a counterpoise. Direct visual observation records the dial signature as 'A. JOHANNSEN & CO 149 MINORIES LONDON 8064'. Although the dealer's text opens by referring to a '24 hour Admiralty Pattern Chronometer Deck watch', the visual dial layout displays a standard 12-hour Roman numeral track. The watch is positioned within a circular bezel set into a shaped brass mounting plate, with a fluted winding crown situated at 12 o'clock, housed within a wooden outer box.

Reported Movement and Rating Documentation

The internal mechanism is not visible in the provided photograph, and all movement specifications represent seller-reported claims. The dealer reports a 'three quarter plate English lever movement having tangential club toothed lever escapement with steel escape wheel' driven by a top-wind spring. The balance assembly is described as an 'Overcoiled free sprung bimetallic balance with gold compensation and quarter screws', signed 'Asmus Johannsen, 149 Minories, London' and numbered 8064. The seller also notes that the instrument is 'Accompanied by a rating certificate dating 21st July 1927 from the Kom El Nadora Observatory, Alexandria, Egypt. Rated to Egyptian meantime.' While the seller dates the piece to 'circa 1916' (and the dealer declaration cites the '1910s'), these dates remain unverified claims from the listing.

Identification

Reference

Deck/24

Serial number

8064

Source note

Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.

Catalogue references

No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.