Thomas Mercer Brittanica Table Chronometer
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
2015
The Thomas Mercer Brittanica is an octagonal table chronometer created as a unique piece in collaboration with British furniture designer Jake Phipps for the Only Watch 2015 auction.
The case, base, and dial bezel are fashioned from AISI 316 stainless steel combined with white leather and extra-white crystals. Powered by the hand-wound calibre TM0802 with a spring drive and steel chain fusee system, it provides an 8-day power reserve and incorporates a spring detent escapement with an ovalising balance oscillator visible through an upper aperture. The blue central dial displays a celestial map representing Geneva's night sky on 7 November 2015 at 5 PM, complemented by a small seconds register at 12 and a power reserve indicator at 6.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Desk clock
- Calibre
- Calibre TM0802
- Materials
- AISI 316 stainless steel with fine white leather and extra-white crystals
- Escapement
- Spring detent escapement
- Model Name
- Brittanica
- Power Reserve
- 8 days
- Maker / attribution
- Thomas Mercer
- Designer Collaboration
- Jake Phipps
Design
- Visible features
- • Faceted octagonal main body and base composed of polished stainless steel and white leather panels • Central circular celestial map in blue depicting named constellations and star charts • Octagonal black chapter ring with prominent applied or printed silver-toned Roman numerals • Integrated subdial at 12 for small seconds and subdial at 6 for power reserve indication • Prominent glazed aperture at the top of the dial bezel revealing the balance and escapement mechanism
- Movement and Mechanism
- The timepiece is powered by the hand-wound Calibre TM0802. The movement comprises 17 jewels, a 2Hz (14,400 vph) frequency, and utilizes a mechanical spring drive with a fusee and steel chain system to provide an 8-day power reserve. The mechanism features a spring detent escapement and an ovalising balance oscillator with cylindrical weights. The finish includes rhodium-plated and ruthenium components with blued steel screws, and the movement incorporates a skeletonised back plate.
- Construction and Design
- The Thomas Mercer Brittanica is an octagonal table chronometer designed in collaboration with furniture designer Jake Phipps. The housing, base, and dial bezel are constructed from AISI 316 stainless steel, incorporating fine white leather and extra-white crystals. The dial displays a celestial map representing the night sky over Geneva as it appeared on November 7, 2015, at 5 PM. The face is set with a dark chapter ring featuring silver-tone Roman numerals, with a sub-seconds register at 12 and a power reserve indicator at 6.
- Documentation and Scope
- The source describes this specific unit as the first piece of the Brittanica model produced for the 2015 Only Watch charity auction. The lot is reported to include a presentation box and a certificate of authenticity. Visual observation is limited to the front-facing perspective shown in the source imagery. Features such as the skeletonised back plate, the presentation box, and the accompanying certificate are noted in the text but are not visible in the provided photograph.
Identification
- 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.
Research required
- Research required: Source reports movement components, skeletonised back plate, presentation box, and certificate, which are not depicted in the single front photograph