Original working peace of history.

Thomas Mercer Ltd began manufacturing chronometers in St. Albans in 1874 and assigned serial numbers sequentially starting in 1914. Records indicate that serial numbers in this range were produced during the mid-1940s:No. 16316 is dated 1943, having been sold to the Royal Navy during WWII.No. 17180 is dated to roughly 1945.Given these references, your instrument (No. 17655) follows shortly after the end of World War II.Key FeaturesMaker: Thomas Mercer Ltd., based in St. Albans, England.Type: A "two-day" marine chronometer, indicated by the 56-hour power reserve dial at the top (XII position).Housing: These instruments were typically gimbal-mounted in a mahogany deck box to remain level regardless of a ship's motion