Everyone,

We are indeed privileged to be able to bring you these remarkable images of Lt. Dixon's watch.  With the help of Jim Bland, NAWCC Director of Marketing and the generosity of the Hunley Commission you are about to see for the first time anywhere clear digital images of the Hunley watch. These amazing pictures are provided by Jim as an Internet Horology Chapter 185 Exclusive.

The Hunley watch has arrived safely at the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors in Columbia, Pennsylvania. It will be on display as part of the exhibit opening on June 28,2003 entitled "Home Front to Battlefield: Keeping Time in the Civil War".  The original watch seen in these images, once worn by Lt. Dixon will be exhibited along with another similar Tobias movement for comparison.

Our apologies to those with "dial-up" service, but you'll probably agree it's worth the wait

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Hi to all, Just recieved latest "Bulletin". Article states, Able to identify the maker, Why the secrecy?, why not tell us straightaway,who?.I realise It's the case maker that's been identified in all probability,but I can't understand the logic of keeping secrets. GED.

You're right Ged! At the top of this thread we said "...another similar Tobias..." would be displayed but evidently some of the others want an "air of mystery to surround this old beast.

Among other fascinations it was a 137-year experiment in the protection provided by a case with hinged covers; making me wonder how a case with screwed-on covers (first described as far as I know in Fitch's 1879 patent) might have fared under similar circumstances.

Stu,

I can only surmise that with some types of Screw Back and Bezel style of case the threads may have siezed thereby making it impossible to open blob of metal. At least with a hinged case they were able to pry it open.

The fact this case was evidently gold would also be an important factor. After all, look what happened to the metals used in the movement.

What do others say?

Lindell

The thing to consider when a watch (or anything else) is submerged in water, is the pressure of the water itself.

Water pressure increases at a rate of about half a pound per square inch per foot, so that an object submerged in 30 feet of water, will be under about 15 psi of pressure.

According to "Boyle's Law," since volume and pressure are inversely proportional, as the pressure of a gas (such as air) is doubled, its volume will be halved. Ambient air pressure on the surface of the Earth is doubled with each additional increase in water depth of 33 feet, so that the space occupied by air inside an unsealed container will be reduced to 50% of its surface volume when submerged in 33 feet of water. In other words, if there's nothing to prevent the entry of water under a force of about 15 psi, a watch will become half filled with water at a depth of 33 feet, and that's assuming that none of the air originally inside escapes!

In my opinion, it wouldn't have made any difference what type of case the "Hunley" watch was in. Unless it was housed in a specially designed case that would have been FAR beyond the technology of the day, the result would have been essentially the same after 137 years at the bottom of the ocean.

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Steve Maddox
President, NAWCC Chapter #62
North Little Rock, Arkansas
IHC Charter Member 49

Thank you Lindell! It's a joy to see this historic watch up close. If you don't mind, I have a few questions:

1. Is the dial silver?

2. Is this historic watch a real Tobias or a Tobias fake?

Thanks,

Greg.