Nautical Style

Ship's Bells
The traditional role of a ship's bell is to signal the passing of four hours of time (the "watch") in intervals of half an hour, beginning with one strike at 0030, 0430, 0830, 1230, 1630 and 2030.

With the passing of each subsequent half hour, the bell gets an extra strike. So, on the hour, there is always an even number of strikes, and on the half hour, there's an odd number of strikes. The strikes on the hour are always made in pairs.

After four hours, the bell gets eight strikes ("Eight Bells") to signal the End of the Watch.

The ringing of Eight Bells is also used to pay respect to deceased mariners and signifies that a sailor's watch is over.

The sounding of a ship's bell can also serve as a warning signal to other vessels in poor visibility and fog, and maritime law, i.e. the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, requires all ships (greater than 20 metres in length) to carry an efficient certified bell.

We've had some really nice bells over the years and our current stock includes a fantastic bell from a 1980 Japanese freighter.