A Man & His Watch
Paul Newman wore his Daytona Rolex every single day for 35 years until his death in 2008. The iconic timepiece, probably the single most sought-after watch in the world, is now in the possession of his daughter Clea, who wears it every day in his memory. JFK’s Omega worn to his presidential inauguration, Ralph Lauren’s watch purchased from Andy Warhol’s personal collection, Sir Edmund Hillary’s Rolex worn during the first-ever summit of Mt. Everest…these and many more compose the stories of the world’s most coveted watches captured in A Man and His Watch. Matthew Hranek, a watch collector and NYC men’s style fixture, has travelled the world conducting firsthand interviews and diving into exclusive collections to gather the never-before- told stories of 76 watches, complete with stunning original photography of every single piece.
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The Watch Thoroughly Revised
The Watch is the most popular book on vintage and contemporary mechanical watches, appealing to both beginners and experts. In the decade since it was published, the international audience of watch lovers and watch collectors has grown exponentially. It’s time for The Watch, Thoroughly Revised. For this new edition, the original author, Gene Stone, is joined by Stephen Pulvirent of Hodinkee.com. Together, they have thoroughly revamped the book to reflect the current state of the watch world, with the addition of new brands, new models, and more focused and nuanced coverage of the traditional brand leaders, including Rolex, Patek Philippe, Omega, and TAG Heuer.
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All in Good Time: Reflections of a Watchmaker
All in Good Time is the remarkable story of George Daniels (1926-2011), the master craftsman, who was born into poverty but raised himself to become the greatest watchmaker of the twentieth century. Daniels stands alone in modern times as the inventor of the revolutionary co-axial escapement, the first substantial advance in portable mechanical timekeeping over the lever escapement, which has dominated ever since its invention in 1759. Daniels’s love of mechanics embraced not only the minute, however – he was also a passionate collector and driver of historic motorcars. This revised and expanded edition of his autobiography also contains a new section that illustrates and discusses over thirty of the pocket and wrist-watches Daniels himself made over the years. Witness here the triumph of intelligence, ingenuity, matchless skill and singularity of purpose over the most unpromising of beginnings.
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500 Years, 100 Watches
From two of the world’s leading experts on watch collecting, this supremely elegant and informative selection of one hundred watches traces the timepiece’s evolution as it highlights unusual, important, and beautifully crafted watches of the past half a millennium. For centuries people have been captivated by watches–whether for their technical precision, their unique design, or their historic importance. Each of the one hundred watches profiled in this elegant book stands out for one or more of these qualities. Organized chronologically and divided by century, the watches are presented in spacious, double-page spreads, featuring exquisite photography with engaging, incisive texts. […]
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The Cartiers - The Untold Story of the Family Behind the Jewelry Empire
The Cartiers is the revealing tale of a jewelry dynasty―four generations, from revolutionary France to the 1970s. At its heart are the three Cartier brothers whose motto was ‘Never copy, only create’ and who made their family firm internationally famous in the early days of the twentieth century, thanks to their unique and complementary talents: Louis, the visionary designer who created the first men’s wristwatch to help an aviator friend tell the time without taking his hands off the controls of his flying machine; Pierre, the master dealmaker who bought the New York headquarters on Fifth Avenue for a double-stranded natural pearl necklace; and Jacques, the globe-trotting gemstone expert whose travels to India gave Cartier access to the world’s best rubies, emeralds, and sapphires, inspiring the celebrated Tutti Frutti jewelry.
Francesca Cartier Brickell, whose great-grandfather was the youngest of the brothers, has traveled the world researching her family’s history, tracking down those connected with her ancestors and discovering long-lost pieces of the puzzle along the way. Now she reveals never-before-told dramas, romances, intrigues, betrayals, and more.
The Cartiers also offers a behind-the-scenes look at the firm’s most iconic jewelry―the notoriously cursed Hope Diamond, the Romanov emeralds, the classic panther pieces―and the long line of stars from the worlds of fashion, film, and royalty who wore them, from Indian maharajas and Russian grand duchesses to Wallis Simpson, Coco Chanel, and Elizabeth Taylor.
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Patek Philippe
Founded in Geneva in 1839, and to this day a family-owned company, Patek Philippe makes what are widely regarded as the world’s finest mechanical watches. Among them, the most valuable watch ever made: the famous 1933 pocket watch known as the “Graves” supercomplication, which sold at auction in 2014 for US$23,934,00. A cult among collectors, Patek Philippe and its timepieces have been treasured by kings and princes, rock stars, and sportsmen. Notable customers of the storied Swiss watchmaker include Queen Victoria, and her great-great-granddaughter HM Queen Elizabeth II.
Drawing exclusively on interviews with the company’s owners and with staff and watchmakers past and present, as well as on hitherto unseen documents from the company’s archives, Patek Philippe: The Authorized Biography, celebrates the history of a unique company. Nicholas Foulkes traces the Patek Philippe history from founder Antoine Norbert de Patek’s early life in Poland as a young cavalry officer […]
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Hands of Time - A Watchmaker's History of Time
In Hands of Time watchmaker and historian Rebecca Struthers welcomes us into the hidden world of watchmaking, and to a history of time that spans centuries and continents.
The invention of timepieces was more significant for human culture than the printing press, or even the wheel. They have travelled the world with us, from the depths of the oceans to the summit of Everest, and even to the Moon. They regulate our daily lives and have sculpted the social and economic development of society in surprising and dramatic ways.
From her workshop bench, Rebecca explores the ways in which timekeeping has indelibly shaped our attitudes to work, leisure, trade, politics, exploration and mortality, and introduces us to some extraordinary devices, each with their own story to tell. Hands of Time is an intricate exploration of the history, science, philosophy, and craft of timekeeping.
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Watchmaking
Twenty-eight years after its first publication, the best-selling “Watchmaking” continues to inspire and encourage the art of watchmaking, especially among new generations of enthusiasts. As a supreme master of his art, George Daniels‘ advice is constantly sought by both students and watch repairers, his understanding of the problems that can beset the would-be watchmaker, especially in an age of mass production, and his expert knowledge of the history of watchmaking being second to none. Here, the making of the precision timekeeper is described step by step and illustrated at each stage with line drawings and brief explanatory captions. The text is easy to follow and care has been taken to avoid complicated technical descriptions. As Daniels is particularly interested in the development of the escapement – many are described in this book, several of his own design – the reader is encouraged to explore this aspect of watchmaking in even greater detail. This classic handbook still remains indispensable to generations of watchmakers and repairers, and also provides a fascinating insight to the enthusiast and watch-collector who, until its publication, had often been able only to admire the superb craftsmanship of a fine watch without understanding how it works.
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Watchmakers: The Masters of Art Horology
Watchmakers: The Masters of Art Horology gathers the work of the most celebrated independent watchmakers in the world. Thirteen artisans, each a legend in the realm of haute horlogerie, tell their stories, describing the traditional working methods and prized watches upon which their reputations have been built.
Photographs of the masters in their workshops bring their stories to life, along with detailed sketches and images of their watches in all their brilliant intricacy. Watchmakers also features insightful text from other leading figures of the independent watchmaking world, including Aurel Bacs of the Fondation Haute Horlogerie and Nicholas Foulkes, writer for Vanity Fair, The Telegraph and GQ, and author of the only authorised biography of Patek Philippe.
Watchmakers: Hajime Asaoka, Ludovic Ballouard, Christophe Claret, George Daniels, Denis Flageollet (De Bethune), Philippe Dufour, Laurent Ferrier, Romain Gauthier, Vianney Halter, Christian Klings, Jean Daniel Nicolas (Daniel Roth), Roger Smith, Kari Voutilainen
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Jaeger-LeCoultre: Reverso
This richly illustrated volume traces the story of one of the world’s most recognisable wristwatches through archive images and original photography, together with an evocative text by noted author, historian, journalist, and horological specialist Nicholas Foulkes. Born in 1931, at the height of the Art Deco period, the Reverso was created in response to the challenge of designing a wristwatch that could withstand the rigours of polo matches. It captured the essence of the time a period when the spirit of modernity changed everything, from social mores to architecture, music, sport and every field of design. Epitomising this spirit with its sleek form and unique reversible case, the Reverso has remained an eternal expression of modernity for 90 years, continually reinventing itself while never compromising its identity […]
Read my article on the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Nonantieme here
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Rare Watches
This breathtaking book explores more than 50 of the rarest watches in the world, including unique examples of which only a single model exists. From watches that have set new records in auction houses, to feats of modern technology and engineering, via iconic models worn by figures such as Elvis Presley and James Bond, this book appeals to professionals, collectors and amateurs alike.
The photography in this book is published in collaboration with high-end auction houses and watch manufacturers, displaying some of the rarest, most expensive and sought-after watches in the world in incredible detail.
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The Collectibles
JAEGER-LeCOULTRE partnered with Courvoisier-Gassmann to produce this ‘The Collectibles’ hardcover book, celebrating its illustrious 190-year legacy. It immortalises key moments from the brand’s history and details the esoteric backstory of its most coveted timepieces. You’ll find an introductory note from current CEO Catherine Renier, as well as a foreword by the esteemed Franco Cologni. In the pages that follow, beautiful imagery narrates the story of its metamorphosis into a symbol of true innovation, precision and luxury.
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Audemars Piguet: Master Watchmaker Since 1875
The pursuit of excellence is reflected in Audemars Piguet’s prestigious models, painstakingly crafted by artisans for over 130 years. Founded in 1875 by Jules-Louis Audemars and Edward-Auguste Piguet, the manufacturing headquarters of Audemars Piguet are nestled in the Joux Valley in Switzerland. For more than a century, this prestigious company has held a unique position in the world of high quality watch making: its expertise, creativity, and state-of-the-art technology lie behind Audemars Piguet’s luxurious and innovative watches. At the turn of the twentieth century, the factory employed more than seventy craftsmen, whose mastery and excellent grasp of the changing times enabled the development of traditional pieces, and the production of revolutionary watches, both of the highest quality […]
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The Wristwatch Handbook
With over 470 high quality images from more than 90 brands, The Wristwatch Handbook is your map and compass to the world of the mechanical wristwatch; the reference book of choice for the seasoned collector and the new enthusiast alike. The book provides a top-to-bottom breakdown of the inner workings of the watch and an explanation of every conceivable function from the aneroid barometer to the perpetual calendar. Each subject is introduced in an accessible manner and beautifully illustrated by diagrams and images of movements, mechanisms and a staggering array of watches across the spectrum of styles, periods, and price points. Designed to be read both visually and cover-to-cover, The Wristwatch Handbook will start on your coffee table and end up at your bedside.
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Patek Philippe Highlights
A young rebel named Antoni Norbert Patek de Prawdzic fled war-torn Poland in 1832 and embarked upon a career path that led him to watchmaker Jean-Adrien Philippe, inventor of the revolutionary built-in crown winding mechanism. In the 160 years since the pair founded Patek Philippe, the line has remained, without a doubt, one of the most traditional and noble watch manufacturers in the world. This illustrated book couples the most exclusive and beautiful timepieces the Genevan brand has ever manufactured with informative history and alluring photographs. Featured inside are several of the most popular examples from three of the company’s outstanding watch families: the uncomplicated but cherished Calatrava collection, the groundbreaking sports line Nautilus, and the cross-generational Gondolo family. Each watch is accompanied by a complete list of technical specifications. This book is an essential acquisition for both casual fans and long-time connoisseurs of the brand.
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Vacheron Constantin: Artists of Time
Geneva-based Vacheron Constantin has maintained its reputation for producing exceptional timepieces, from its first watch circa 1760 to its extraordinary mechanical watches of today. Highly collectible, these prestigious timepieces are conceived as much to seduce by their elegance as to provide precision timekeeping. With specially commissioned photographs, the book traces the rich history of the manufacture and includes an informative catalog of timepieces and a guide to the watchmaker’s art. An unwavering commitment to excellence is the firm’s hallmark; the heritage of 260 years of unique artistic and technical expertise.
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Treasures of Vacheron Constantin: A Legacy of Watchmaking since 1755
This sumptuous book brings to life the rich past and the landmark creations of one of the world’s great watchmakers. Founded in the Swiss city of Geneva in 1755 by the gifted craftsman and businessman Jean-Marc Vacheron, Vacheron Constantin is the oldest watch manufacturer in the world with an uninterrupted history. Its phenomenal rise to an international reputation of the highest standing in turn throws light on the global success of the great Swiss watchmaking tradition. The book traces the principal milestones in the company’s history: its founding during the Age of Enlightenment; the successive generations of the Vacheron family; the association in 1819 with Francois Constantin, who opened up the North American market to the company; the transformational relationship with the inventor Georges-Auguste Leschot; and the company’s subsequent international recognition and expansion […]
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Panerai
The recent history of Officine Panerai is exceptional: from small craft workshop to manufacturer of fine sports watches, it has become now a leading player on the world’s markets, given the remarkable speed with which the brand has won the hearts of watch enthusiasts worldwide. A success that stems from the capacity to keep the authenticity of Panerai watches at the centre of everything, maintaining unaltered their unique and unmistakable design and equipping them with the most sophisticated technical features.
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The Wizard of Swiss Watchmaking - Interviews with Jean-Claude Biver
Within the world of watchmaking, it is immeasurably difficult to turn any corner or explore any avenue without encountering the name of one man: Jean-Claude Biver. His achievements in the watch industry are truly phenomenal, and it seems everything he touches turns to gold. This book comprises a series of interviews with Biver conducted by Gérard Lelarge, ranging from how he found his passion with watchmaking, his philosophies on everything from family, friends and business, and even cheesemaking!
Read my interview with Jean-Claude Biver here
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The Practical Watch Escapement
One of George Daniels’ central contributions to horology is his co-axial escapement. Having observed that the dominant lever escapement begins to change its rate after a year or two – a disturbance caused by the sliding action of the impulse elements of the escapement – Daniels set about developing a mechanism that avoided this problem. The result of his efforts was the co-axial escapement, a mechanism in which he sought to combine the strengths and eliminate the deficiencies of existing watch escapements, the lever escapement foremost among them. First devised in 1977, today it remains largely the same as fitted in watches of Daniels’ own manufacture, as well as those of several wrist-watch manufacturers. This book explains the action of the escapement in terms accessible to both expert and layman, and is accompanied by a series of detailed line drawings.
Read my article on the co-axial escapement here
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The Rolex Story
The brand with the crown is recognised world-wide as an invaluable sports implement and luxury product. This book traces the manufacturer’s development from the 1920s, when it began its steady rise to unprecedented international appeal, to the present. Explore the ingenious innovations in technology and marketing behind the prestigious company’s swift success. Browse the images and devour the historical and technical details of some of Rolex’s most reliable models: the Submariner, on which divers depend to get them safely back to the surface; the Cosmograph and Yachtmaster that auto-racers and boat captains trust for their precision and durability. Get the latest reports and performance tests results on Rolex items: rugged or elegant; classic or contemporary. From the beginning, the sponsorship of statesmen, movie stars, and athletes has driven its success, but Rolex has since expanded to include more than just the rich and famous.
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The Book of Rolex
Horological trends flit by faster than ever in today’s fast-paced society. But Rolex does not rely on gimmicks; theirs is a more perennial allure, with a reputation built on traditions and hard-earned skill. A company that innovates while paying homage to their roots, every Rolex is the culmination of centuries of watchmaking expertise.
Within this book you will find explanations of the making process, descriptions of the materials involved and expert commentary on what makes each Rolex wristwatch unique. The Book of Rolex demonstrates how each model fits its social milieu, present and past. It also addresses the multitude of fakes on the market, including the so-called ‘Frankensteins’ – watches made from a mixture of real parts and forgeries, which are notoriously hard to spot – imparting all the skills needed to pick counterfeits out of a line-up. […]
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Vintage Rolex: The largest collection in the world
For more than a century, Rolex has stood apart as the most legendary brand of watch in the world. A Rolex conveys many things: a luxury timepiece, a tool of power for movers and shakers and the symbol of passage into adulthood. New labels pop up, styles come and go, but the brand at the top never changes. Ever the record setter―the Daytona that had belonged to Paul Newman was auctioned by Phillips in New York in October 2017 for $17.8 million― it comes as no surprise that Rolex is the most collected watch brand in the world.
The Vintage Watch Company is the only store of its kind in the world, with a devoted client base of devoted Rolex aficionados, from royalty to sporting legends to stars of the silver screen. Throughout, father and son, John and David Silver have been carefully cataloguing and amassing one of the largest pictorial records of vintage Rolex watches in the world. Published to celebrate the company’s 25th anniversary in late 2020, the book contains a unique pictorial collection of vintage Rolex watches that have passed through the shop during the past 25 years […]
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Fifty Fathoms: The Dive and Watch History 1953-2013
The histories of Blancpain’s iconic Fifty Fathoms, the world’s first modern diving watch, and diving itself have been intertwined ever since 1953. It is, thus, fitting that Blancpain has brought these two stories together in a richly illustrated collectable volume entitled Fifty Fathoms: The Dive and Watch History 1953-2013. Blancpain’s editors enlisted experts from both fields to chronicle the twin evolutions and milestones of underwater time keeping and exploration. The result is a comprehensive portrait of pioneers and inventors never before assembled in a single album. The book, with its unique compilation of materials, has been conceived to become an authoritative historical resource for both divers and diving watch aficionados.
This new volume for the first time comprehensively charts the milestones in the 60 year history of Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms. From its birth in 1953, the Fifty Fathoms provided a formula so well conceived that it has defined the entire genre ever since. Innovation did not stop with the first watch and Blancpain has honoured and enriched the legacy with numerous inventions and improvements that have continued to secure the pre-eminent position of the Fifty Fathoms in the world of diving watches […]
Numbered and limited to 2750 copies.
Read my article on the Fifty Fathoms here
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A Moon Watch Story: The Extraordinary Destiny of the Omega Speedmaster
One small step for a man, a giant leap for mankind and an extraordinary destiny for the watch that accompanied Man’s first steps on the Moon, thereby becoming the greatest icon in watchmaking history: the Omega Speedmaster “Moonwatch”.
Introduced to the public by Omega in 1957, the Speedmaster was designed for mainly sporting purposes, such as in motor racing. However, its fate took a completely different turn in the early 1960s. Astronauts going to space, some of whom wore a Speedmaster for private use, wanted to be officially equipped with a reliable, accurate and resistant watch. For this reason, NASA undertook a series of rigorous tests in extreme conditions in 1964 to select the best chronograph to accompany them on their space missions. The Omega Speedmaster won these tests and was officially certified (“Flight Qualified for All Manned Space Missions”) by NASA on March 1, 1965 for the Gemini project. It was in July 1969 that it truly made history, serving the astronauts of the Apollo 11 mission (Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins) for man’s first steps on the Moon.
This book retraces an extraordinary epic and the evolution of a unique and timeless watch which, from its beginnings in 1957 through to the current models, has remained endlessly fascinating. Updated and expanded to include watches from 2020.
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A. Lange & Söhne Highlights
This is a high-level overview of the legendary watch brand, A. Lange & Söhne. In 1845 Ferdinand Adolph Lange convinced the Saxon government to build a pocket watch factory in Glashütte, a quaint town in the East Ore Mountains now known as the birthplace of the German watch industry. For four generations the Langes produced some of the most exquisite, intricately designed wristwatches the horological world has ever known. Physically and financially ruined by World War II, the factory closed until the founder’s great-grandson Walter resuscitated the manufacturer in 1990. Featured within are technical specifications and clear visuals depicting complicated movements for the company’s most prominent watch families, including the relatively new Lange 1, Lange 31 with perpetual calendar, and the Langematik. These watches have climbed back into the international elite, thanks to their technologically sophisticated yet traditional design.
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Omega Highlights
This beautiful and exciting book presents the most stunning and important Omega watches. A range of over 100 marvelous photographs, informative text, and technical details document more than 60 years of fascinating wristwatch design of one of the world’s best known and most popular Swiss wristwatch manufacturers. Among the memorable wristwatches included here are the Speedmaster model that went to the moon and the James Bond edition that served on Her Majesty’s Secret Service. The rest of the models covered include, first, the historical models, and the Legend Collection, Seamaster, Chronographs, Olympic Collection, and Elegant Watches. Technical information provided for each watch includes the reference number, movement, functions, case, remarks, and the estimated value in the year the model was produced. This book will be a joy for all who appreciate fine craftsmanship.
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Watches: A Guide by Hodinkee
Over a short ten-year time-span, Hodinkee has positioned itself as the preeminent and most distinguished destination for modern and vintage wristwatch enthusiasts. Exiting a career in finance, Ben Clymer decided to fuse his horological and writing passions in order to start a blog discussing everything from new products to vintage wristwatch auctions. Titling his endeavor after the Czech word hodinky, which means ‘little watch’, Clymer sought to create a platform that was casual and accessible to all levels of enthusiasts–within a few years The New York Times dubbed him the “High Priest of Horology.” What started as a humble blog quickly transformed into a full-fledged magazine and e-comm hub for some of the world’s leading watch brands. Celebrating the decade milestone since Hodinkee’s founding, this book captures the storied expertise of the world’s leading experts on time. With chapters breaking down chronographs, dive watches, high design, and horological icons, this book is a connoisseur’s compendium for the timepiece veterans and novices alike.
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Breguet: Art and Innovation in Watchmaking
This dazzling exploration of the work of renowned horologist Breguet is also a fascinating look at what makes watches and other time pieces tick.
Abraham-Louis Breguet invented many of the standard components of today s most prestigious watches, earning the title The Father of Modern Horology. The self-winding watch, the gong spring, the first shock-protection device and the enameled dial all were created by Breguet. In addition, he invented the first travel clock, sold to Napoleon Bonaparte in 1798 and the first wristwatch, delivered to Caroline Murat, queen of Naples in 1812. Perhaps Breguet s most famous timepiece is the Marie-Antoinette pocket watch, which took forty years to make and was the most complex watch of its time […]
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The Mastery of Time: A History of Timekeeping, from the Sundial to the Wristwatch
This book recounts the history of telling time from the dawn of civilization to the present. More than a simple chronology, it explores the technical resources used to measure time―whether solar, hydraulic, mechanical, or electrical―just as it explains the key factors behind the major breakthroughs in the science of horology. From ancient astronomical observatories to atomic clocks, instruments for telling time have always been closely linked to the cutting-edge sciences of the day, ranging from medicine and navigation to aeronautics. Inventions in timekeeping have been crucial to the organization of human society and to activities such as farming, industry, and trade. Each new development was based on the needs and accomplishments of its day yet spurred further discoveries. Writing a history of time means viewing human genius through the prism of the steady mastery of a crucial technology. The patient, long-term conquest of accuracy has been the result of successive advances from sundial to wristwatch up to the recent exploits of the heirs to this age-old quest, namely master horologists of the twenty-first century.
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Masters of Contemporary Watchmaking
Is a watch ever a work of art? Is a watchmaker ever an artist? To answer these questions and many more, Michael Clerizo spent months listening to eleven of the world’s most renowned watchmakers. From the Isle of Man to the Left Bank of the Seine, from Barcelona to Dresden, from the Jura Mountains to Lake Geneva, these extraordinary individuals told their stories.
We hear of lives heavily laced with setbacks but sustained by an all conquering passion and suffused with the sweet satisfaction of mastering the skills of mechanical watchmaking, and crowned with the invigorating success of finding others willing to buy and treasure their work. Few books have such a safe, captive and targeted audience as this one; and few are so revealing of the supreme heights of ingenuity and perfection that exist in a high-tech era.
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About Time: A History of Civilization in Twelve Clocks
Since the dawn of civilisation, we have kept time. But time has always been against us.
From the city sundials of ancient Rome to the era of the smartwatch, clocks have been used throughout history to wield power, make money, govern citizens and keep control. Sometimes, also with clocks, we have fought back.
In About Time, time expert David Rooney tells the story of timekeeping, and how it continues to shape our modern world. In twelve chapters, demarcated like the hours of time, we meet the greatest inventions in horological history, from medieval water clocks to monumental sundials, and from coastal time signals to satellites in earth’s orbit. We discover how clocks have helped us navigate the world, build empires and even taken us to the brink of destruction.
Over the course of this global journey Rooney demonstrates how each of these clocks has shone a spotlight onto human civilisation, and shows us the very real effects clocks continue to have on everything from capitalism, to politics, to our very identity.
This is the story of time. And the story of time is the story of us.
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Konstantin Chaykin: Haute Horlogerie, With Russian Soul
The most important book about the Russian watchmaker and inventor, and his famous brand
All the most interesting details in one book. In depth. Honest. First-hand.
You are about to discover the fascinating story of how a talented Russian watchmaker works, from where he draws his inspiration and how he embodies his original ideas. Find out how new ideas and projects were born and the meanings each new creation is imbued with. At the end of the book, you will find a detailed glossary of terms associated with watches and their assembly.
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Retro Watches: The Modern Collector's Guide
Retro Watches is a popular, accessible collector’s guide for anyone who wants to make a statement with the watch they wear, but who wants to choose a timepiece that is very different from the ‘classic’ and very mainstream watches by the major Swiss brands. It brings together the most intriguing, visually striking and ‘out-there’ watch designs from little-known but influential watch brands, along with overlooked but brilliant pieces from the major players. One hundred watch models are featured, specially photographed for the book and accompanied by accessible, informative texts discussing the watch’s design, its intriguing features, and its rarity and value. The book also dives into the cultural and fashion history of watch design and the many innovations from the 60s, 70s and 80s.
• Features over 100 easily affordable curiosities and brilliantly designed but forgotten classics
• Spans the late 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, the golden age of avant-garde watchmaking and experimentation
• Includes features on the history of watch design and aesthetics
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The Legendary Watches from Patek Philippe's Private Museum
The catalog of the exhibition showcasing “The Legendary Watches from Patek Philippe’s Private Watch Museum” contains a vast selection of timepieces presented to the public for the first time in 1989 on the occasion of Patek Philippe’s 150th anniversary. The collection was shown at the Musée de l’Horlogerie et de l’Emaillerie (Museum of Watchmaking and Enameling) in Geneva. The catalog follows the structure of the 1989 exhibition; it is an important source of information and a popular reference work on pocket watches and wristwatches. Numerous photographs, many of them close-ups, show richly decorated dials, elaborate enamel miniatures and intricate engravings as characteristic details of the horological master pieces that were chosen and acquired for the Patek Philippe private collection.
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Star Caliber 2000
The Star Caliber 2000 is a proud milestone in the history of watchmaking and merits a publication of appropriate importance. Patek Philippe, in cooperation with Editions Scriptar (Switzerland), published a book devoted exclusively to this extraordinary pocket watch. The richly illustrated and painstakingly detailed work is divided into three chapters: the first sheds light on the development of the watch, the second is dedicated to the poetic aspects of the Star Caliber 2000; the third chapter presents explanations supported by diagrams and photographs which help the reader to understand the technological aspects and innovations which make the Star Caliber 2000 so unusual.
The epic biography of this watch gives an opportunity to discover the enchanting world of the Star Caliber 2000. It offers newcomers to the world of complicated watches and specialists alike, insights into the philosophy of Patek Philippe: to safeguard and preserve the most eminent watchmaking traditions and, at the same time, to develop technical innovations that will delight future generations.
A DVD featuring films of the “Star Caliber 2000” and “10 Days” is included in the book, “A trip into the heart of a watch”.
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Patek Philippe Pocket Watches
Patek Philippe’s first lavishly illustrated volume on pocket watches is the definitive reference work on the company’s production, from the first Patek & Czapek watches of 1839. Some 280 watches are illustrated and described, including pocket watches of elegance and beauty, made for popes, princesses, Balkan kings and, of course, Queen Victoria. The complicated watches made for American magnates, including the legendary Graves watch, are described in detailed captions and color illustrations. There is a charming chapter on the adventures of the firm’s founder, Antoine Norbert de Patek, on a business trip to America in the 1850’s.
On the technical side, chapters cover such themes as Jean Adrien Philippe’s stem-winding system, tourbillons, carousels, chronometrical competitions and complications. Written by the authority on Patek Philippe, Alan Banbery, with Patek Philippe’s leading enthusiast, Martin Huber, it yields fresh information and renewed enjoyment at every perusal.
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Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime
The book produced by Patek Philippe is dedicated entirely to the centerpiece of the manufacture’s 175th anniversary: the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime, uniting fine watchmaking and the rare handcrafts. The anniversary’s masterwork, the Grandmaster Chime grand-complication wristwatch reinvents the music of time with a Grande Sonnerie, a Petite Sonnerie, a minute repeater and two unprecedented functions: an alarm that strikes the alarm time, and an acoustic date indication.
This unique repertoire, enriched by an instantaneous perpetual calendar, is housed in a magnificent double-face case lavishly hand-engraved with a decoration of laurel leaves and fitted with a revolutionary reversing mechanism. The book follows the timepiece from its conception to its assembly in the manufacture’s workshops and also provides a wealth of technical detail. It is intended to enable both specialists and newcomers to the world of the complicated watch to immerse themselves in the GrandMaster Chime’s features.
Published as a limited edition, this work offers a splendid insight into Patek Philippe’s philosophy: that of preserving the finest horological and craft traditions while developing the technical innovations that will be enjoyed by future generations.
Synopsis by Patek Philippe
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Minute Repeaters - The Book
“In the realm of haute horlogerie, any mention of minute repeaters is automatically and spontaneously associated with the name Patek Philippe. It is no coincidence that collectors, aficionados, and connoisseurs of complicated watches establish a link between the brand and this extraordinary mechanism. Many good reasons justify it.” The book entitled ‘Minute Repeaters’ traces the history of Patek Philippe striking timepieces from the 19th century to the present. The fantastic journey starts with the origins of chiming watches, describes the challenges involved in crafting them, and immerses us in the hearts of these unique timekeeping instruments. The second part of the book presents in detail a number of legendary Patek Philippe chiming watches, among them the commemorative Calibre 89 and Star Caliber 2000 masterpieces.
Synopsis by Patek Philippe
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Patek Philippe Watches - Catalogue of the Patek Philippe Museum
This catalog documents with 1005 examples the design, the development and the production of the pocket and wristwatches at Patek Philippe since its beginnings in 1839 until the 1980’s. This catalog was published in 2013 by the Patek Philippe Museum.
Synopsis by Patek Philippe
Previews of Volumes 1 & 2 are available at the link below
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Breitling Highlights
Breitling is especially known for their characteristically masculine wristwatches. It goes without saying that quality, reliability and high precision are the main reasons for the great popularity of this individual brand. The author comprises a clear company history and provides a widespread view on the brand’s performance in the past and in the present time. One hundred of the most remarkable models are presented: historical models, the legendary “Navitimer”, the masculine “Avenger”, chronographs for nearly every purpose, the “Superocean” for the depth of the sea, the clear structured “Cockpit” and the special edition “Breitling for Bentley”. All these high quality wristwatches established the fame of the Swiss watch manufacturer.
Read my guest article looking at the Breitling Cosmonaute and Navitimer here
Synopsis by Amazon, affiliate link
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A Lange & Sohne - Great timepieces from Saxony vol 1 & 2
‘Future needs heritage’ – these were the words with which German philosopher Odo Marquard summarised his insight that the new world cannot exist without the legacy of the old one. The same words aptly describe the quintessence of Reinhard Meis’ work devoted to A. Lange & Sohne, probably Germany’s most famous watch brand. With his profoundly detailed knowledge, the author builds a bridge from the grand heritage of the brand in the 19th century to its current eminence at the pinnacle of international precision watchmaking. Reinhard Meis invested eight years to thoroughly revise his standard work dedicated to the horological legend from Dresden […]
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The Watch Book Rolex
No doubt about it, Rolex is a chronometric legend. The company was founded in 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf, a Bavarian marketing genius who focused on innovation. Watch enthusiasts have Wilsdorf to thank for many outstanding models and technical advances, including the first officially-certified wristwatches, the waterproof Oyster housing, the Datejust, and sports watches like the Submariner diver’s watch, which dates back more than fifty years. Although this book gives the company’s incredible tradition its due, it also devotes ample space to the present. Crafted in-house to exacting specifications, Rolex’s breadth of timepieces combine the utmost in sophisticated luxury with advanced precision. All this and much more is yours to enjoy in the third volume of the successful The Watch Book series.
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The Watch Book
Few objects combine function, elegance, and status as well as a wristwatch. One’s choice of chronograph reveals a great deal because it shows the value we place on the most precious resource of all-time. A blend of precise mechanics, craftsmanship, fine materials, and innovation distinguishes the truly superlative examples. In The Watch Book, readers can feast their eyes and minds on a magnificently-illustrated and well-documented chronicle of the world’s best timepieces.
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Moonwatch Only: 60 Years of Omega Speedmaster
“The OMEGA Speedmaster Professional – the Moonwatch – has done things that no other timepiece has done and it has been worn in places that only a few human beings have been.” – Captain Eugene Cernan, last man on the moon “It is an indescribable reference work and a true must-have for every Speedmaster collector.” – Forbes
There are very few timepieces in the world that deserve a definitive and comprehensive book. The OMEGA Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch is one of them. Initially designed for automobile racing teams and engineers, the Omega Speedmaster embarked on a very different trajectory when NASA chose it to accompany astronauts heading for the Moon in 1965. Its involvement in the space adventure has propelled the Moonwatch to the top of the list of celebrated timepieces […]
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