The Watch
0 BELLSStand
your watch.
A routine kept the way a ship keeps time: in order, on the bell, and finished.
Pick a watch and press Start. We call each step, keep the clock and ring you through, one bell more each time. Your hands stay busy; the bell keeps count. Eight bells and you're done.
I · The watch bill
Three watches. Pick yours.
Two a day and one a week. Each runs in order, a product to a step, with the clock and the bells kept for you.
II · Your kit
Fit out the Morning Watch.
Switch the optional steps on or off and choose between the alternates. Your kit is kept on this device for next time.
- Steps
- 6
- Minutes
- 4
- Long steps
- 0
01 · Face wash · 1 min
Shipshape
Nº 01 · Clarifying Face Wash · $36
Massage a little over damp skin. Rinse warm, pat dry. Before everything else.
Standing order02 · After the shave · 20 sec
Afterguard
Nº 31 · Aloe & Tea Tree Face Gel · $36
A generous dollop on freshly shaved skin. Clear of the eyes and any nick. Cool, calm, done.
03 · Face mist · 15 sec
Spindrift
Nº 02 · Prebiotic Face Mist · $34
Eyes closed. Mist from arm's length. Let it settle. No need to rub it in.
04 · Vitamin C serum · 45 sec
Morning Colors
Nº 03 · Vitamin C Serum · $58
Press two or three drops into clean skin. Sunscreen later today is a standing order.
Standing order05 · Eye cream · 30 sec
Weather Eye
Nº 12 · Peptide Eye Cream · $44
A rice grain, tapped along the orbital bone. Ring finger. It's the lightest hand you have.
Standing order06 · Moisturizer · 45 sec
Squared Away
Nº 07 · Oil-Free Zinc Face Gel · $48
Smooth a thin layer over clean skin. Let it sink in before beard oil or sunscreen.
Standing order07 · Beard oil · 30 sec
Fair Winds
Nº 16 · Fougère Beard Oil · $38
Warm three to five drops between your palms. Work it down to the skin, then comb it into shape.
Morning Watch
6 steps · 4 min
III · Keep the Watch
Days kept. Rank earned.
Every day you stand a watch goes in the record. The days add up to rank, and every rank carries a pin you can't buy.
Your rank
Not yet rated
Not yet rated1 day to Midshipman
- Days kept
- 0
- The run
- 0 days
- Longest run
- 0 days
- Recruits
- 0
A day counts when you finish the Morning or First Watch here, to eight bells. Each man you bring aboard through the Commission counts 10. Rank goes by the total, so a missed day costs the run, never the rank. Every rank carries a pin you can't buy: see the case.
Midshipman
1 day of service
Not yet
Not yet earned.Ensign
7 days of service
Not yet
Not yet earned.Lieutenant
30 days of service
Not yet
Not yet earned.Lieutenant Commander
60 days of service
Not yet
Not yet earned.Commander
90 days of service
Not yet
Not yet earned.Captain
180 days of service
Not yet
Not yet earned.Commodore
270 days of service
Not yet
Not yet earned.Admiral
365 days of service
Not yet
Not yet earned.
The 0800 reminder
Colors at eight.
At sea the colors go up at 0800. Set your calendar to call the Morning Watch at the same hour, and the First Watch at 2100 if you like.
This saves a calendar event. Open it and your calendar calls you at that hour every day, wherever you are, with an alert at the start. Nothing is sent to us; delete the event to stop it.
On your home screen
Keep the Watch aboard.
Install The Watch and it opens straight to the bill, full screen, and runs with no signal. Only this page is kept on the device; the rest of the site stays online.
On Android, Chrome's menu has Install app (or Add to Home screen). On a computer, look for the install icon in the address bar. On iPhone: Share, then Add to Home Screen.
IV · For reference
Why bells, and why eight.
Not for want of clocks. A bell is a time everyone aboard can hear, below decks and aloft, without looking up from the work.
Admiralty reference plate
Ship's Bells
and the watches of the day
Struck each half hour · eight to the watch
Fig. 1
The bells of a watch
A watch is four hours. One bell at the first half hour, two at the second, one more each time, until eight bells ends it. Then the count starts over.
| Bells | Called | AM | PM | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One bell | 0430 | 2030 | ||
| Two bells | 0500 | 2100 | ||
| Three bells | 0530 | 2130 | ||
| Four bells | 0600 | 2200 | ||
| Five bells | 0630 | 2230 | ||
| Six bells | 0700 | 2300 | ||
| Seven bells | 0730 | 2330 | ||
| Eight bells | 0800 | 2400 |
Struck in pairs: two quick strokes, a breath, two more. An odd bell rings alone at the end. Eight bells closes the watch and hands the deck to the next.
Fig. 2
The seven watches of a day
Five watches of four hours and two dog watches of two, from the Middle Watch at midnight round to the First Watch. Ours are in brass.
- IMiddle Watch0000–0400
- IIMorning Watch0400–0800
- IIIForenoon Watch0800–1200
- IVAfternoon Watch1200–1600
- VFirst Dog Watch1600–1800
- VILast Dog Watch1800–2000
- VIIFirst Watch2000–2400
The dog watches, hatched, make the count odd. The rota turns over each day, so no one stands the same hours two nights running.
Morning Watch0400–0800
The watch when decks were scrubbed and the colors made ready for eight o'clock. Our morning routine keeps the name.
First Watch2000–2400
The first watch of the night. Eight bells at midnight, and the Middle Watch takes the deck. Ours ends with lights out.
Sunday MusterWeekly
On Sundays at sea the crew was mustered and looked over: clean, shaved, kit squared away. Ours comes round once a week, too.