I am in the process of looking for a model 21 marine chronometer. i'm new at this. as i search the internet, i find a number of issues that i would like to understand.

1. i've seen several dial types. some have no serial number at all. are these ones made after wwII?

2. some have the locking mechanism and some dont. is one more desirable than the other?

3. in general from a functional standpoint, would an earlier model be less precise than later models or were they in general, if serviced accordingly, all functionally equal more or less.

4. value. are clocks that saw service in wwII more valuable than later models?

5. risks of buying from ebay.

6. if a one is purchased and the assumption is made it needs a lot of work. can such units be brought back to 'as good as new' and what is the general cost of doing so.

7. what to look out for when searching.

i think i have located a solid source for one but im also interested in learning all i can about these clocks.

thanks for any info.

Jim,

Let me try to address some of your questions:

1. Even the ones post WWII usually have the serial number on them. I note that there is one on eBay right now that does not, I'm not sure what to think about this one. It has a real high serial number (which I can't get the specific from the picture, but it is E129xx). I'm a bit anxious about this one in particular, especially given the high cost of it.

2. The ones with the balance wheel locking mechanism went through Navy overhaul where this was added to the units. It doesn't make one more desirable than another in my opinion (I have twelve marine chronometers, so I spend a lot of time on this subject)

3. If properly serviced, they are all functionally equivalent. My serial 41 runs at +2/day while 11269 runs at +3/day.

4. Value is more based on condition rather than WWII or not. Early serial numbers of course will be more valuable, but this is subjective. I put the pre-337 ones as being early, some might say <1000 are early. Others may have different opinions about this.

5. Good luck, you never know what you're going to get. Could have had service by a watchmaker rather than a specialist, or it could have never been overhauled in the last twenty years, or somebody could have spun it around on its gimbals for kicks (see Pawn Stars episode). You'll have to judge this risk yourself. Keep in mind, your normal "watchmaker" has never worked on or repaired a detached escapement and could easily goof it up.

6. It can be, but send it to a specialist, I use Dewey Clark for my M21 service.

7. Look out for serial number matching, condition, any type of service indications, history if available from seller and of course cost. Don't let them ship without corking or locking the balance (if fitted with the brake). Look for original boxes, there are a couple of variations.

It is easy to overpay for these chronometers, so be careful.

Michael

Michael has provided great answers. The only suggestion I would make is that military service is one of those things that different collectors value differently and neither is half of this part of the timepiece collecting world is wrong. Some collect timepieces for their value as exeptional examples of the watchmaker's art and some collect them for the ghosts in them - the stories you wish you could hear if they could talk of their being used for their purpose during a war such as WW II or WW I or the War Between the States, or whatever. I suppose the ideal would be blend of a timepiece in really good and all original condition with patina and proof of use for its purpose during a war. The decision is up to you and any collecting of military timepieces for whatever reason is wonderful.

Well said Jim, we all collect for different reasons, none of which is right or wrong, but all are joyful to the individual.

I think that the biggest mistake that we can make is to collect as an investment, unless that investment is an investment in our passion (or our borderline obsessive/compulsive disorders as some of our spouses might call this).

thanks for the replies. btw i emailed the seller of the item on ebay and i got a simply reply that the serial number was 2E12976.

it looks unlike any other that i've seen for sale both the dial and the back. i could see no serial number on the upper plate. seems like most i have seen have the serial number on the lower and upper plate.

there was another in its container with no key or box that sold for 1800+ a few days ago.

what im looking for is a presentable piece that has been recently serviced. i want it for my office and it will be used.

Your right, the top plate is unfinished as well as the upper bridge. Normally it is only the top bridge which is unfinished, as it was know that Hamilton had problems with the finishing machine for a time and some chronometers were shipped with an unfinished upper bridge. I've not ever seen this for the top plate however. On the other hand, it doesn't surprise me given the extremely high serial number of the piece.

My theory is that the chronometer is correct, even without the serial numbers on the dial and the upper plate and the lack of finishing. I believe it to be a later piece and probably was hastily put together out of the scraps at the end of the M21 run, accounting for the missing serial numbers. I suspect that this piece sat in a jewelers window or case for quite a long time as a master timepiece. There is very little wear on the boxes themselves. You can see a little wear on the underside of the bezel which tells me that she was probably run for quite a long time somewhere due to the wear marks on the patina.

If it is going in your office, I'd say go for it should the price be right. I started off with "one" for my office, I now have eleven others that I keep telling my wife I'm going to trade in to get the "right" one. I think she's picked up that none of them are going anywhere, they only may get more company.