IWC Schaffhausen

The main reason why sextants are still in such demand is the rules that govern international navigation. These prescribe that every ship sailing the seas should be able to find its way without reference to a satellite. A magnetic compass and sextant are therefore essential equipment on board. For yachting enthusiasts worth their salt, a sextant from the house of Cassens & Plaths probably the instrument of choice. With them in mind, Cassens & Plath used to exhibit at all the main yachting fairs, though most sales nowadays take place over the Internet. The manufacturer has clear evidence that the instruments are in frequent personal use: sextants bearing the marks of wind and salt water regularly come in for repair.

Obtaining accurate bearings with a sextant is largely an acquired knack, the fruit of practice, but all this would be in vain if the instrument itself were not absolutely precise. This can only be achieved through fine mechanical craftsmanship. At Cassens & Plath, metallic whirring, squeaking and banging noises emerge from the work- shop all day long. For security reasons, the factory is sealed off from the outside world, almost like hallowed ground. Even the inspectors from Germanische Lloyd and other certifying bodies are only permitted to see the finished instruments. The body of a Cassens & Plath sextant consists of a brass casting. The apertures in its structure are emblematic of the company’s work and instantly identify it to specialists as a quality product from Bremerhaven. But a sextant’s quality does not depend on optics alone. Material has its part to play, too. Aluminium would be cheaper, but less durable, because it has to be coated and is therefore more prone to wear. Thus it would not meet the high standard, which the traditional company has set itself.

The blank casting first needs to rest. It is then deburred, polished and hollowed out. Cassens & Plath assemble an average of two sextants daily. Once the impressive instrument, with such a distinguished history, is finally housed snugly in its veneered mahogany box, complete with its certificate, the future owner can rest assured that everything has been completed to the greatest possible perfection. Cassens & Plath prides itself on holding all the certifications for its instruments worldwide, and the international licensing bodies regularly check standards. If the tiniest detail of a sextant or a manufacturing process is modified, a fresh application for the quality seals must be submitted.

But that is not the only reason why traditionalist Cassens & Plath has not changed its product for decades. Long experience is the sextant maker’s trump card. This instrument, dating back to an earlier century, cannot easily be imitated or copied.

Today’s skippers can still benefit from a few handy innovations. Polarization filters or shaded glass, for example, regulate brightness and protect the eye. In the past, when no such protection was possible, many sea captains became blind in one eye.