The compass is a marvelous implement that revolutionized navigation methods in its time. A must-have on any journey, a compass was the mainstay of travelers on foot and on sea. With an elegant, compact design, compasses nowadays are eclipsed by GPS, but still remain decorative and functional.
Nautical compasses can be used in a vast variety of ways. Calculating heading is an easy task for a nautical compass, alongside determining longitude and latitude with the help of a sextant. Functionality is melded seamlessly with the nautical compass' ability to last due to rust and salt resistant metal.
Ancient China around 240 B.C. claims the privilege of being the birthplace of the compass. A water base was the compass' original form, but slowly evolved to a dry compass, and later the modern day liquid magnetic compass. This technology was adapted for sea voyages, and was spread through the use of the Silk Road. The Olmec cultures of South America have been discovered to have once used magnetic lodestones, which would make the lodestones the very first compass. Nautical compasses, in comparison to their land based counterparts, are built to last and have startling longevity.
Though prone to rusting and being thrown off, nautical compasses were occasionally used by the Chinese on voyages as far west as the African continent. Using water as a base, Chinese compasses comprised of a single magnetic lodestone needle that pointed to exact magnetic north. The nautical compass was no different from other sea instruments in that it would only see a significant boost of popularity starting in the 1300's. Ship navigators would engrave their names or their family's name on the back or inside of the compass, and this is an indicator of a genuine antique compass.
Though today stainless steel is considered the standard for nautical compass material, bronze was the old world standard. But no matter what the compass is made out of, it ais always a tropical home decor favorite among collectors and interior decorators. A bronze or bronze-plate nautical compass, however, lends a certain antiquated charm that cannot be captured otherwise by steel. Before the perfection of the modern day liquid compass, the captain of any ship preferred to use a dry compass, an iconic tool encased in a delicate glass orb and suspended in mid-air by a gimbal. Liquid and water compasses, while useful, are not as graceful looking as a dry compass is, however. Dry compasses also offer the extra decorum of requiring a stand to set them on.
For ease and convenience, nautical compasses of today are placed close to if not right beside the helm. Nautical compasses are a definite must have in case the GPS system on a modern ship fails. Combined with the sextant, the nautical compass is a powerful navigation device, and should not be overlooked. Magnetic anomalies are the only things to throw a compass off, and since they are few and far between, the compass' accuracy is rarely, if ever, thrown into question. Reliability is a standard quality within nautical compasses.
Keeping a nautical compass in prime condition requires minimal effort on the owner's part, and generally they take care of themselves. Dusting, polishing, or buffing works wonders on drawing out the beauty of a nautical compass. Silver is a special exception to this clause, as silver or silver plated compasses require to be buffed annually.
