The helmsman rings the ship's bell every half hour of the four-hour ship's watch. A ship is a round-the-clock operation, and the ship's crews work four hours a day and four hours off. To change the routine, two two-hour dogwatches usually run between 4 and 8 p.m. A bell – a ringing (e.g. 12:30) ... Two bells – two ringing (e.g. 13:00) ... etc. to ... Eight bells – eight ringing (16:00). AM-Living bells are made of heavy solid brass, handmade and in sand casting. The chunky, hand-knotted lanyard offers years of use. We offer four sizes of bells, from small to large, for beach houses or boats. A real nautical heirloom with clear and solid sounds. All bells are made of solid brass with bronze finish. Colour: bronze, brown Material: brass & cotton Dimensions: LxWxH: 12.75 x 12.75 x 12 cm