Ebony boxed ship's 56 Hour Chronometer signed and numbered on the silvered dial “William Weichert Maker to the Admiralty 118 Bute Docks Cardiff 2451.” The dial is engraved in red “By SPECIAL APPOINTMENT TO H.M THE EMPOEROT OF AUSTRIA.” Made in Wales circa circa 1874. There are 2 exhibition notices engraved on the dial as well as mention of an Award of Merit from 1873. The dial has a 56 hour Up-Down indicator and a subsidiary second’s dial. The dial has roman numerals that are engraved and waxed filled. The movement is set into a brass bowl an has a Brass threaded bezel. The chronometer is set into its brass gimbal with lock. The original racket key sete in a hole to the right of the case. The ebony box is original and beautifully decorated with rounded brass corners and criss-crossed brass string inlay around the boarder of the front of the box. The mother of pearl makers label is mounted to the front of the three-part box and is engraved “Wm WEICHERT Maker to the Admiralty #2451. The box has flip out brass bail carrying handles. (CL0571)
Condition: The chronometer is in excellent running order. The dial is in excellent condition and is complete. The box has a bit of crazing to the top and seems to have its original surface.
Dimensions of Case: Height 8 1/2, Width 7 3/8, Depth 7 3/8, Inches
Dial Diameter: 4 Inches
Reference: Chronometer Makers of the world by Tony Mercer 1991 Page 252. William Wwichert was located at 118 Bute Docks in Cardiff South Wales between 1871 – 1885.
Note: Little is known about the life of William Weichert , and few and far between are the chronometers from his workshop. He was born around 1830 in Austria and went to Wales around 1859, where he worked at 112 Bute Docks, Rothsay Terrace in Cardiff; later his address was 119 Bute Docks. Weichert and his wife Elizabeth had seven children. In 1866 he obtained patent no. 2446 for the "Construction and arrangement of chronometers, barometers and thermometers". Weichert also produced pocket chronometers, deck watches and nautical instruments. Weichert took part in the exhibitions in Paris and Havre in 1867 and 1868, as well as in the chronometer tests of 1873 in Greenwich. The dial of this chronometer is engraved with "Golden Cross and Crown from His Majesty the Emperor of Austria"; this indicates that he also may have been supplier to the Austrian navy - one of the largest fleets in the world until the First World War. Its home port was Trieste.