I find it amazing that one of the most important chronometers ever created is also one of the most beautiful. This piece helped sailors establish their longitude at sea. It didn't need to be this well decorated to do that, but the manufacturing philosophy of that day was always to make something to the best of one's ability and beyond. Here is John Harrison's H4. I love scrollwork anywhere, anytime. You can buy prints of some of these images at the Royal Museums Greenwich website here.
© National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Ministry of Defence Art Collection
There are some really good articles about John Harrison at the following links:
John Harrison: clockmaker and Copley Medalist. A public memorial at last
Should Harrison have won the Longitude Prize?
Icon: Harrison H4 Marine Timekeeper
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