Since the device is controlled by manually turning a knob, would it be possible to determine a more precise date when the device fell into the ocean from the last setting the user inputted?
There isn't a lot left of it. Iirc ~50% of the gears are gone along with the indicators and the case. There are only a few markings left.
May I ask some follow up questions? I've watched and read a lot on this mechanism over the past many years. It's all quite amazing. One piece of information that has left me a bit baffled, is where all the astronomical data came from to work into the gearing? Who compiled it? Where was it compiled? And how did the creator of the mechanism convert so much data?