131 - A. Lange & Söhne - Kriegsmarine

A. Lange & Söhne - Kriegsmarine An exquisite marine chronometer of the German Kriegsmarine with a 56-hour power reserve indicator Movement No. 730, Dimensions 180 x 180 x 175 mm, circa 1940, Origin: Germany Case: Two-piece mahogany case with carrying handles, numbered “730”; brass gimbal case with a flat-glazed, knurled screw-in bezel, swastika, and naval serial number “M1144”; winding key numbered “730”. Dial: Silver-plated, Roman numerals, power reserve indicator, small seconds, gilt spade hands. Movement: Brass movement, gilt, chain/fusee, gilt screws, spring detent escapement, integral balance with 4 weights and 2 screws, blued cylindrical balance spring, endstone. A marine chronometer from A. Lange & Söhne ranks among the most significant and accurate timepieces in the history of German watchmaking. These marine chronometers were developed from the late 19th century onward to enable the determination of longitude and navigation on the high seas. Given the lack of domestically produced German marine chronometers in the German Empire, A. Lange & Söhne delivered the first two models to the German Naval Observatory in Hamburg for testing in 1886. To meet the navy’s extremely high quality and precision requirements, Emil Lange founded a specialized marine chronometer department in 1897. Case: very good, slightly worn. Dial: very good. Movement: very good, in working order, cleaning recommended.