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The Science Museum in London has had an example of the Marine Chronometer on public display since
1974. Arrangements can be made with the curator of timekeeping to view the documentation that they have about the exhibit.
In addition to the exibit itself, their Omega folder contains:
A glossy brochure about the Megaquartz range of watches
An Omega Q.A. card for their watch - see reproduction.
A press release about the watch being on permanent display at the S.M.
Copies of a press release on the workings of the watch, this is reproduced here.
A couple of letters concerning the repair of a section of the exhibit (dated 1983)
An Omega press release concerning temperature effects on rate.
The following is taken from the glossy Omega Megaquartz brochure, that included the Marine
Chronometer.
The twenty or so page brochure was in A4 landscape format, with a plain white very glossy cover
embossed with the word 'Megagqartz'. (This Science Museum version was rather worse for wear, having got damp at some time - parts of the pages had become stuck together.)
It showed a range of perhaps four of five different versions of the Megaquartz 2400 series, some in Gold
or Steel with bracelets or leather straps. The Marine Chronometer was at the front of the brochure, and seemed to be very much the 'flagship' model.
The flowery 'blurb' was written on a smaller booklet which was interleaved within the big double page
images of the various watches. (One double page was an image of the enlarged I.C. substrate.)
I did not bother with all the platitudes, though did note the following:
' A milestone in watch making history, you will find that the Omega Megaquartz 2'400 is more than a
superb timepiece it is the most advanced electronic wrist watch in the World, in fact and in a word, it is unique. To confirm its outstanding accuracy and reliability, Omega sent two production line models of the Megaquartz 2'400 (one of which is illustrated here [3437165]) to the Nuchatel Observatory in Switzerland for 63 days testing. There they were submitted to the rigorous tests demanded for a marine chronometer. They passed them with ease in fact they were found to have an average variation of not more than plus or minus 0.002 and plus or minus 0.003 second a day respectively. An astonishing result considering that the standard demanded for a marine chronometer is plus or minus 0.17 second. So these Megaquartz 2'400 models became the first wrist watches ever to be officially certified as marine chronometers. A World premier and at the same time, and eloquent proof that every Megaquartz 2'400 has the potential to merit the marine chronometer certificate.
Behind this singular achievement are over 125 years of pace setting leadership. As the Megaquartz
2'400 clearly shows, Omega are staying in the forefront of watch making development in this electronic era.
... The circuit, comprising several hundred transistors on a surface of only 4 square millimeters may
be compared to the approximate size of a match head. ...
Another important component is the revolutionary electromagnetic motor, which receives one impulse
per second from the integrated circuit and in tern activates the hands of the watch.'
(My comments:)
The first watch called 'Omega Megaquartz' came to market in around 1974 and consisted of about half a
dozen different versions. They all worked at 2.4 MHz and were of similar rectangular form with similar movements. The most expensive non-precious metal version was labeled 'Marine Chronometer', and these all had a 14K Gold 'picture frame' surrounding a black painted sapphire glass. An engraved 14K serial number plate was let into the front lower facet of the stainless steel case. In 1976 the movement in the Marine Chronometer was changed from CAL1511 to CAL1516 (probably resulting from improvements to the IC and deletion of the analog dividing transformer first stage), though the case and bracellet remained the same.
Just two production samples of Marine Chronometer watch movements (probably 1511 caliber) were put
through the 'full' 'Marine Chronometer' trials at the Neuchatel Observatory. My impression is that these tests were rather more stringent than for older mechanical chronometers, though Landies remarks that by this time the Annual Chronometer Competitions had in fact been suspended (in 1968). So I am a little uncertian as to exactly what tests the Omegas were actually subjected to at Neuchatel, but they apparently passed.
The normal production movements type 1511 and later 1516 movements did not undergo chronometer
testing at Neuchatel, but were certificated as 'Marine Chronometers' by the Besancon Observatory in France. Thus Omega 'Marine Chronometer' watches only had the potential to be such instruments, but were not actually certified by the Neuchatel Observatory.
One assumes that Nuchatel would not be able to cope with the certification of hundreds or even
thousands of wrist watches (I recall that Kew in London had ceased chronometer testing by 1972). Though Besancon was of course already geared up to provide (and still does) 'chronometer' certificates on a mass scale. Indeed if there had been a continuing need for professional high grade chronometers, the various trials and competitions would not have gradualy died out. |