AN AMERICAN TWO-DAY ELGIN MODEL 600 MARINE CHRONOMETER

ELGIN, (N)469, CIRCA 1943

Details

AN AMERICAN TWO-DAY ELGIN MODEL 600 MARINE CHRONOMETER
Elgin, (N)469, circa 1943
The frosted silver dial signed and numbered ELGIN U.S.A. (N) 469 1943, Arabic hour numerals, subsidiary seconds and up-and-down dials, black hands, nickel plated movement inscribed ELGIN 600 U.S.A. 14 JEWELS U.S. NAVY BU. SHIPS (N) 469, 1943, Earnshaw escapement, cut bimetallic Guillaume integral balance with four circular heat compensation weights, bright metal helical spring, strip steel detent positioned by two steady pins and screw to side of banking block and with side-set locking jewel in brass setting and depth adjusting screw at outer end, escape wheel with divided teeth, brass bowl, gimballed in three-tier brass-bound mahogany box, external brass drop handles
104 mm. dial diam., 194 mm. sq. box

Lot Essay

In 1943 a contract was given by the U.S. Navy to Elgin's for the supply of marine chronometers which by this date in World War II were in very short supply; the date 1943 on the dial and movement refer to the date of this contract.

The performance of the Elgin 600 was not as good as the Hamilton Model 21, their contract was cancelled and subsequently very few Elgin Model 600 marine chronometers were manufactured; less than thirty were delivered to the U.S. Navy Bureau and they failed to meet the required accuracy.

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