How to choose a ship's clock: the complete guide

A good ship's clock is a purchase for decades. These four questions will help you get it right first time.

1. Mechanical or quartz?

An 8-day mechanical movement — as in the Schatz 1881 Royal and Midi — is pure tradition: no batteries, and the weekly ritual of winding. A quartz movement is accurate, silent and undemanding: ideal if the clock lives in a second home or on board, where you are not always there to look after it.

2. With or without a strike?

Striking clocks sound the traditional watch bells every half hour. It is the soul of the classic ship's clock — but consider where it will hang: in a bedroom you will appreciate a silent model or one with a night shut-off.

3. The right size

Rule of thumb: the dial should read comfortably from where you usually stand. For a living room, a case diameter of 150–180 mm (Midi, Royal) is the classic choice; for small spaces or on board, the compact ranges around 140 mm (Fyrkat) look better proportioned. Always buy clock and barometer from the same series if you want a matching set.

4. The finish

Polished lacquered brass for classic interiors, stainless steel or chrome (VION's speciality) for modern settings and on deck. More in our guide to finishes.

Torn between two models? Write to us — we are happy to advise.

Looking for a Schatz 1881?

Choose by size: Royal ø180 mm for the saloon, Midi ø155 mm for the cabin or wheelhouse (also as an 8-day mechanical) and Fyrkat ø140 mm in chrome for small spaces. The whole Schatz 1881 range is stocked in Spain.

Mechanical or quartz

The 8-day mechanical clock is the purist's choice: weekly winding with a key, an audible tick, no battery. Quartz is accurate, silent and only asks for a battery every year or two; it is also the logical option if the clock will hang in a second home visited now and then. In the Schatz 1881 range the mechanical lives in the Midi series; the Royal and Fyrkat series are quartz. How to wind the mechanical is explained in this guide.

With or without bells

The ship's bell strike marks the half hours according to the watch code; it is the on-board sound par excellence and delights anyone who has sailed. In a bedroom or an office it can be intrusive: then choose a silent model or one with a strike switch. What each bell means is told in the ship's bell code.

The right diameter

• ø140 mm (Fyrkat): cabins, narrow bulkheads, boats up to 10-12 m, small rooms.
• ø155 mm (Midi): the "universal" size: saloon of a medium sailing yacht, living room, kitchen, study.
• ø180 mm (Royal): presence: large living rooms, fireplaces, saloons of big yachts, restaurants and yacht clubs.

Rule of thumb: seen from where you will usually be, the clock should be read without effort yet not dominate the wall. If it is to pair with a barometer, choose the same diameter (and read how to mount them).

Finish and dial

Polished brass for classic interiors and wooden boats; chrome-plated brass for contemporary settings and steel or aluminium boats; stainless steel (VION) for maximum resistance and a more technical look. On the dial, Roman numerals are the most traditional and Arabic the most legible; some models carry the radio-silence sectors, a chart-room detail that sailors love.

The three brands of the house

• Schatz 1881: the classic brass ship's clock, made today in Denmark, with the Royal, Midi and Fyrkat series and the most famous ship's bell strike.
• VION: stainless steel, contemporary Parisian design, radio-silence dial options.
• Altitude: French solid-brass instruments, sober and robust, with English or French dials.

Frequently asked questions

Is a mechanical clock less accurate?

Well regulated, a quality mechanical drifts a few minutes a week; quartz a few seconds a month. For ship's time both serve; the mechanical is more a choice of character.

Which clock do I give someone who already has a boat?

The mechanical Midi with bells is the "once in a lifetime" gift; for the house by the sea, a Royal ø180 with matching barometer. More ideas in the gift guide.

Are all models in stock?

We import directly from the maker; the page of each ship's clock shows availability and delivery time.