Military Chronograph Markers

[gray]

I know this has been asked elsewhere, but now we have the BMW up and running and some new visitors I thought it might generate a different response....

The Omega Dynamic Chronograph (90s), the design of which is based on military watches from the fifties, has highlight markers on the 30 minute sub register at 3, 6 and 9 minutes - why?

Many thanks for your help

[Crusader]

Hello Gray,

would you think that the marked 3-minute interval is inherently related to a military application? I am aware that some older chronos have it, but I had never thought of a military origin. I'll be very interested in the results of your query.

Crusader

[gray]

I am not sure if it has a military application, I am intrigued to find out tho'. One guess, not substantiated with any evidence, is that the 3 minute markers related to the timing of calls from public phone boxes in the fifites. That sounds very tenuous to me! ...and clearly, if true, not a military application.

[Crusader]

Hello Gray,

I thought the other explanations (one tenth/one twentieth of an hour and relevant for aviation and communication) more convincening, but I have no hard info either. Hopefully someone else can help.

Crusader

DELETED

[Foggy]

That sounds very tenuous to me!

Hi Gray

re the 3 minute markers and phone-calls. I don't know about military chrono's, but this is my understanding for civilian chrono's of the period. Phone-calls were charged in 3 minute blocks, and also relatively expensive hence the need for this scale on the watches. I do know for a fact that there were also clocks made specifically for the purpose of telephone call timing.

Cheers

Foggy

[Terry]

G'Day,

I've seen similar marks on a Lemania H.S. 9 out of Canada but the dial did not have the normal military markings, so it may have been a civilian dial in the H.S. 9.

Terry

[gray]

Thanks guys. The jury's out but telephone call timing on a civilian chrono looks favorite to my way of thinking.

Terry, do you know the date of the HS9, was it fifties?

Crusader, I can't find the original thread regarding this, do you have the link - or even better :? an explanation of how these divisions could be used?

Many thanks

[Jeroen]

telephone calls but also the fact that 3, 6 qne 9 minutes are easy to multiply intervals of an hour.....

thus if one wants to know how many repetitions of something go in the hour it's made easy.....

also for navigational purposes if you determine your position by triangulation and do that the next time 6 minutes later you'll have a pretty good guestimate what your true course and SOG (speed over ground) are...

so I guess 3 (6,9) minute markers are logical in a 60 minute system wheras the rest of our systems tend to be decimal...

just my two cents...


Jeroen

[Crusader]

Hello Gray,

don't know if this helps, but just browsed Anchor supplies, and three out of four of the Bristish issue pocket watches which they have on offer have a 1-10 scale (6 minute intervals) as the most prominent scale on the dial. Not that I know anything about pocketwatches. But the navigation angle sounds very plausible IMHO.

Have a look at:
http://www.anchorsupplies.com/pocket.htm

Crusader

[gray]

Great stuff, I also did a search on "Hydrographic Service" which was as enlightening as it was baffling!

So, the 3,6 and 9 markers would be very useful for timing phone calls in the fifties. However the markings could also be useful for a pilot/navigator crossing the sea using hydrographic navigation charts and this was their probable intended main application. Does that sound fair?

[Terry]

Gray,

The HS.9 was the classic 50's RN issue single-pusher Lemania. I'll try to get a scan of the original image and then get it posted here. I'm not real good with digital technology and will need to email someone the image for posting. Any volunteers?

Terry

[gray]

Hi Terry

Email it to me and I'll post for you, or send you the link for you to post.

Presumably the HS stands for Hydrographic Services or Survey?

[gray]

Thanks Terry, here's your pic



The back is inscribed with "H.S. /|\ 9 1055"

[chrisb]

Nice watch Terry 8) 8)

[chrisb]

Nice watch Terry 8) 8)

[abraxas]

Yes. Very nice and clean.

I still cannot believe that Eddie has 'not' made a single button chrono (even tho he based the PRS-5 on single button Lemania).

JD

[Terry]

The watch I posted is not mine, it was one I was thinking of buying but it does show the extended marks at 3, 6, and 9 on the 30 minute register that Gray was talking about.

I'll post a picture of my H.S. 9 on BMW in the next few days.

Terry

[rhaythorne]

This may be a bit of a long shot [EDIT]as this is not about British military watches[/EDIT], but, as Gray's original query seems to have been answered and there seem to be a few Russian watch afficianados about today, can I ask a similar question about Poljot Chronographs please.

Most Poljot Chronos have the minor and major markings at 1 minute and 5 minute intervals as you would expect, but at least two of the "Cosmonaut" related ones have divisions based on 1.25 or 2.5 minute intervals like these:



Does anyone know of any reason for this? Form over function? Or is there some historical significance for this?