Although John Harrison was a cabinetmaker, he was awarded a monetary prize for building an accurate clock used to determine longitude.

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John Harrison built the first longitudinal time piece in 1728. It was called a chronometer and the new spring escapement mechanism facilitated its success aboard ships. He went on to build three more. He did not collect the balance of his prize money until he was able to show that the clock's technology was able to be replicated proving that it would be able to be produced in quantity. Information can be found in the section Voyaging Combined with Science to Advance Ocean Studies.

Although John Harrison Was a Cabinetmaker, He Was Awarded a Monetary