Beschreibung:

THE 'CONCORDE CHRONOMETER' A TWO-DAY MARINE CHRONOMETER BY PARKINSON & FRODSHAM, LONDON, RETAILED BY PETER L. DE MORY GRAY, NEW YORK, CIRCA 1834 AND USED TO TIME THE INAUGURAL WEST-BOUND AND RETURN EAST-BOUND FLIGHTS OF CONCORDE, 24TH / 25TH MAY, 1976 the 3in. silvered dial signed as per title and numbered '1627', blued steel hands, counter signed movement with Earnshaw escapement and standard balance contained in sprung insulated cover within gimbal-mounted bowl within three-tier wooden box with inset handles, approximately - 6½in. (16.5cm) cubed; associated guard box with labels -- 9½ x 12 x 9½in. (24 x 30.5 x 24cm.); file of documentary provenance; flight label (A lot) Concorde flight G-BOA took off from Heathrow at 13.01 BST on 24th May and arrived at Dulles Airport, Washington at 11.53 local time (16.53 BST) having flown over 3000 miles in 3 hours 52 minutes. This instrument was selected to time these flights as it was supplied to Peter L. de Mory Gray, one of the earliest suppliers of navigational instruments in America. The accompanying notes state that it was carried on this first supersonic flight between England and America 'in recognition of the ties which, like the original 'Longitude Project' of the last century, continue to unite our two countries in this year that marks the Bi-Centenary of the American War of Independence'. The information contains lists on BA paper of all the Concorde cabin crews, the passenger list including political and media representatives; associated data concerning the transport of this instrument and a certificate for the flight from London to New York in 1977 when that route opened to Concorde. The instrument was chosen by Lt. Cmdr. David Harries, RN, a renowned chronometer specialist, for its UK-US connections, and entrusted to and carried by Gordon Davidson, Director of Concorde, in all of its inaugural supersonic flights. Provenance: Lt. Cmdr. David Harries, R.N. (Rtd.)