Vostok Europe Special Editions NH34-224A793

Description

Radio Room. This special edition pays tribute to the 'Radio Room' clocks and watches (also known as 'RR' or 'RRO') used by ship's radio operators in the early 20th century, when keeping precise time was a matter of survival at sea. Their story begins after the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912, when nearby vessels received no distress signals because their radio operators were off duty or the airwaves were overloaded with routine traffic. In response, the United States passed the Radio Act of 1912 (an act to regulate radio communication), followed by similar international regulations that introduced a mandatory 24/7 radio watch and established periods of 'radio silence'. During these intervals all non-emergency communication had to cease so that operators could listen solely for distress calls on the international emergency frequency of 500 kHz, with 2182 kHz added as a second distress frequency from 1947. These strict time intervals became the defining visual signature of radio-room clocks and watches. This Radio Room special edition transforms that historic function into a modern marine instrument.