Model 22 marine chronometer deck watch, 1940s
Record status
Individual type · research required
Period
1940s
The Model 22 marine chronometer dates from the 1940s. Resembling a large pocket watch, it featured a traditional mainspring and was produced both in a deck watch format and mounted in a traditional gimbaled double box.
The mechanism provided a two-day power reserve. While the Model 22 was also used by the U.S. Army—with some pieces marked "U.S. Army" on the back—all Model 22 movements were marked "U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships".
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 2
- 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.
Historical context
During the 1940s, military forces required precise timekeeping equipment for operational needs. The Model 22 marine chronometer was manufactured during this era, with its movements bearing the mark "U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships". Although issued primarily for naval service, these timepieces were also utilised by the U.S. Army.
Marine chronometers served as precision timepieces carried aboard ships to determine longitude by celestial navigation, calculating positions by comparing Greenwich Mean Time with local observations of celestial bodies. Produced either in a deck watch format resembling a large pocket watch or mounted within a traditional gimbaled double box, the Model 22 incorporated a traditional mainspring that provided a two-day power reserve. Reflecting its cross-service military deployment during the decade, certain examples bore the inscription "U.S. Army" on the back.
Physical characteristics
- Case
- Deck watch or marine chronometer resembling a large pocket watch; available in a traditional gimbaled double box or deck watch configuration
Technical characteristics
- Movement
- Equipped with a traditional mainspring and a two-day power reserve
Design
- Case type
- Deck watch, Marine chronometer
Identification
- Model
- 22
- Inscriptions or signatures
- Movement marked "U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships"; some backs marked "U.S. Army"
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
- Maker not stated on the source photograph page; requires a signed movement or case examination.
- Escapement type not documented; requires movement examination or a horological reference.
- Jewel count and calibre not documented.
- Serial-number dating, case dimensions and weight remain untranscribed.
- No catalogue reference number is asserted; standard horological catalogues have not been transcribed for this specimen.