Russian Marine Officer's Chronometer
© Brooke Clarke 2007 - 2010Russian Marine Officer's Chronometer
Suunto Vector Wrist Computer
Lady's Wrist Watch Cuff Links
Russian Marine
Officer's Chronometer (Wiki)
Pocket Stop Watch or Chronograph (Wiki)
25 Jewels
Many adjustments (note: the balance wheel does not have a cut
rim, but is compensated none the less).
The single button means this is a Flyback Chronograph (Wiki).
Chronometer is a reference to the accuracy of the watch
independent of temperature or the physical orientation of the
watch.
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Background
Bought this watch on eBay for
considerably less than the current starting price. But
after
making this image that's big enough for my eyes it appears
that the
balance wheel is all brass and that it is a solid circle, not
cut and
not a bi metal type.
Notice in the photo above the watch is stopped. This way you can see that the balance wheel is one piece, not cut as would be the case with a bi-metal temperature compensated balance wheel. Also this one appears to be all brass.
The vertical light colored bars are not part of the watch, but are an artifact from the flat bed scanner.
3 July 2007 - the replies all say the watch is real. It may be that the mainspring is compensated. The Hamilton Watch Co. chronometers do not have a cut in the balance wheel rim which works with slight flexing of the rim. If the "2-53" marking is a date, then the W.W. II Hamilton technology would be well known all over the world.
7 July 2007 - More responses all say it's a real watch, not a fake.
Wiki has a discussion on temperature compensation (Wiki) of balance wheels and the section on better materials (Wiki) may apply to this watch.
The red items are rubies used a low friction bearings.
Notice in the photo above the watch is stopped. This way you can see that the balance wheel is one piece, not cut as would be the case with a bi-metal temperature compensated balance wheel. Also this one appears to be all brass.
The vertical light colored bars are not part of the watch, but are an artifact from the flat bed scanner.
3 July 2007 - the replies all say the watch is real. It may be that the mainspring is compensated. The Hamilton Watch Co. chronometers do not have a cut in the balance wheel rim which works with slight flexing of the rim. If the "2-53" marking is a date, then the W.W. II Hamilton technology would be well known all over the world.
7 July 2007 - More responses all say it's a real watch, not a fake.
Wiki has a discussion on temperature compensation (Wiki) of balance wheels and the section on better materials (Wiki) may apply to this watch.
The red items are rubies used a low friction bearings.
Suunto Vector Wrist Computer
First saw this watch in Japan
where it
was very expensive. Planned to buy it in Hong Kong, but
all the
knock off watches there have hands, i.e. there's no knock off
for this
watch. Ended up buying it from a sporting goods store in
San Jose
at a substantial discount from the price in Japan.
The four buttons are:
Each of the four modes (Time, Altitude, Barometer, Compass) has sub modes and setting modes.
For example when in Time mode pressing select brings you to Alarm 1 mode (there are 3 alarm modes).
Pressing and holding Select in any mode brings you to the setup screens for that mode.
Pressing and holding the Mode button turns on the backlight.
The four buttons are:
| (West) Select Set |
(North) Mode Light |
| (South) Bearing - |
(East) On Off + |
Each of the four modes (Time, Altitude, Barometer, Compass) has sub modes and setting modes.
For example when in Time mode pressing select brings you to Alarm 1 mode (there are 3 alarm modes).
Pressing and holding Select in any mode brings you to the setup screens for that mode.
Pressing and holding the Mode button turns on the backlight.
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without the CR2430
battery I have turned the bezel so that N points to true North when the compass display says 0 or 360 degrees. The bubble level is not centered when the watch is on its side. To move between Time ->Alt -> Baro -> Comp -> Time the upper right button is pressed. |
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Time & Date screen SAturday 9:46 Dec 25 (2010) Note the seconds tick mark at about 14 seconds. |
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Altitude increasing at 6 feet per minute (not really it's sitting on my desk, but the barometric pressure is decreasing) 1110 feet above Mean Sea Level at 9:59 am |
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Temperature &
Barometric
Pressure 68 deg F 28.75" Mercury at 9:47 am The graph in the upper left is a history of the barometric pressure. There is also a recording function that will keep a record of the baro pres for months. To see what happens when the watch is not level see: Experiment Relating to the Vertical Component of the Earth's Field For more on magnetic sensors see my sensors page |
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Magnetic (and True with
Bezel
set) Compass & Bubble Level South West 204 degrees at 9:47 am The Bezel is turned about 15 degrees to allow an estimation of True North. When the compass reads 0 or 360 the bezel "N" is where True North is located. Note: In order for the compass to read correctly the bubble level needs to be centered. Here the watch is out of position. |
Lady's Wrist Watch Cuff Links
These were a Gift Dec 2013.
Fig 1 A. LeCoultre Swiss, 15 Jewels (Wiki), 3 Adjustments
You can see 2 Ruby pawls of the lever escapement (Wiki) at the right as well as two different types of jewels.
Fig 2 H. & E. Rossel, Swiss, 17 Jewels, 4 Adjustments (Wiki)
You can see a temperature compensation cut in the rim of the balance wheel (Wiki) and one Ruby pawl below it and to the right.
Links
Back to Brooke's PRC68, Products for Sale, alphanumeric index of web pages, Time & Frequency, Military Info, web page- created on 2 July 2007