Citizen Maritime Radio Dial Clock – Green/Red Polished

The polished finish variant of one of the most historically significant clocks in our salvage collection — this genuine Citizen maritime radio dial clock was designed for use in ship radio rooms and wheelhouses, where its distinctive green and red sectors served a critical communications function.

The story behind the green and red sectors

Every radio room and bridge on a ship was equipped with a clock like this, its coloured sectors acting as a vital visual reminder of mandatory radio silence periods — a system dating back to the earliest days of maritime Morse code.

The green sectors (h+00 to h+03 and h+30 to h+33) marked the three-minute silence periods on 2182 kHz — the international maritime distress frequency — during which all stations were required to stop transmitting and listen for distress calls.

The red sectors (h+15 to h+18 and h+45 to h+48) marked the corresponding silence periods on 500 kHz, the old Morse code distress frequency, observed simultaneously by radio operators worldwide.

This clock didn’t just tell the time — it helped save lives at sea.

About this clock

This example features a polished case finish — a cleaner, more refined look compared to the original paint version, while retaining all the authentic maritime character and history. Originally a slave clock wired to a master timepiece aboard ship, it has been converted to a reliable battery-powered quartz movement and is ready to hang straight on your wall.

Dimensions:

• Dial: 14cm
• Back: 22cm
• Depth: 7cm
• Weight: 1.5kg