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Geoffrey, I've got a few more bits of data on prices of chronometers versus sextants.

First, there's Lecky c.1884:
"[one can get longitude...] first by the chronometer, and secondly by Lunars. 
These last, however, are rapidly dying out, and are mostly looked upon now as 
"fancy navigation." Excellent chronometers can be purchased brand new for 25 
to 30 [pounds]; when second-hand, and equally good, for much less; in fact, 
they are becoming a drug in the market. The better class of vessels seldom 
carry fewer than three."

I'm not sure what would qualify as "much less" than 25 to 30 pounds but I 
would guess half that at least, say 12-15 pounds (?). Meanwhile at nearly the 
same date, according to "The Sextant" by H. Wilberforce Clarke, a finer 
sextant sells for about 14 pounds. So that's approximate price parity and 
also an explicit statement of the existence of a thriving market for 
second-hand chronometers.

This is not proof of anything --just a little more data.

-FER




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