Thomas Russell & Son

A RARE TELEGRAPHY MORSE CODE WATCH, CIRCA 1915

A RARE TELEGRAPHY MORSE CODE WATCH, CIRCA 1915 the 1¾in. enamel dial signed T.R. Russell , bold ebonised Roman numerals I-XII with red capital lettering under each between A-M, A-B having 'RSWX' between, nickel plated case with gilt-brass fob-wound lever movement counter signed and numbered '364372' with slow/fast lever, dust cover scratch inscribed '1915 RSM', back cover counter numbered and stamped 'WD 3285' with broad arrow mark -- 2¼in. (6cm.) diam. Originally developed for the railway system, the dial effectively becomes a shorthand method of recording the time quickly by entering no more than three letters. The system was adopted by Signals Corps of the Royal Engineers and was in place over all the service branches by the First World War. The Marconi company also used the railway's time code system, but extended the system to indicate AM or PM.