An excellent 1920's Tiffany & Co bronze ships wheel clock 'The Mariner', made by The Chelsea Clock Company; it chimes the 'ships bells' to signify the change of Naval Watches.
The watches in the Royal Navy are named as follows:
First Watch 8pm to midnight {2000 to 0000}
Middle Watch Midnight to 4am {0000 to 0400}
Morning Watch 4am to 8am {0400 to 0800}
Forenoon Watch 8am to noon {0800 to 1200}
Afternoon Watch Noon to 4pm {1200 to 1600}
First Dog Watch 4pm to 6pm {1600 to 1800}
Last Dog Watch 6pm to 8pm {1800 to 2000}
The "Relieve Decks" is worked by the Officer(s) of the Watch only from 0730 to 0800.
Each watch is of four hours, except the "dog watches" which are two hours.
A bell is rung every half hour, and the total number of bells in a watch (except the "dog watch") is therefore eight. Eight bells announces the end of a watch. One bell announces that half an hour has passed, and so on to its end. Members of a watch can then tell, from the number of bells sounded, just how much of their watch has passed.
Dimensions: Height 39 cm / 15½ inches, diameter of clock face 14 cm / 5½ inches.
