This beautiful collection from Thomas Earnshaw watches has been named Longitude in recognition of the many years that famous scientists, engineers and watchmakers spent inventing devices to measure longitude in the eighteenth century. In the exciting times of exploring the world and sailing the seas, captains were under the terrible threat of losing their lives and the lives of their crews simply by not knowing how to measure the lines of longitude and so lose their way while navigating the oceans. As such Queen Anne passed the Longitude Act in 1714 to gather together eminent thinkers of the time to solve the problem. The Board of Longitude was set up with the express purpose of awarding a prize to the man who could find a way to measure longitude at sea. With the first prize reputedly set at GBP20 000 which would be worth millions today there were scores of entries and suggestions put forward. Before our design inspiration Thomas Earnshaw was even born, a man named John Harrison was acknowledged as the frontrunner in finding an accurate measuring device as he developed three large scale timekeepers known as H1, H2 and H3 in the 1730s; and in the 1760s, in the smaller form of a watch the H4. The H4 was sent on two trial voyages to Jamaica and Barbados and were deemed to have performed well. These chronometers formed the foundation of all subsequent chronometer developments. Eighteenth century watchmaker Thomas Earnshaw from whom our brand is named entered the fray when he modified the marine chronometer in the late 1790s to include a bimetallic compensation balance and the spring detent escapement. At the time there was a dispute between him and John Arnold who claimed to have patented the modification. The Board of Longitude brought both men before them, requesting volumes of evidence and reasoning, but was unable to settle the dispute and eventually awarded both men prize money for their efforts in 1805. However, Earnshaw was awarded higher prize money and is generally regarded as one of the pioneers of chronometer development. Today, the Longitude Collection pays a fitting tribute to these years of innovation and scientific thought in solving the problem of how to measure longitude with an exquisite self-winding automatic skeleton watch with an exposed balance wheel. Featuring beautifully crafted sun and moon dials laid over the exposed balance wheel, the watch presents a wonderful balance between modern mechanics and intricate detailing inspired by the legacy of the eighteenth century search for longitude. Available in a stainless steel case with either 18k yellow gold plating or rose gold plating, this dual time marvel is bound with a genuine leather strap featuring a mock croc pattern or a matching stainless steel bracelet with a dual deployment clasp and an elegantly engraved dome-shaped crown that adds a delightful finishing touch. The Longitude Collection offers today's man a watch crafted with comfort and suitability for modern day living, but resplendent with echoes of the eighteenth century prestige.