Cartier * the Gentleman's Files


Book Description

This large coffee table book, about Cartier watches, should be seen as an addition to the collection of excellent books about Cartier, already on the market. Most of these excellent books give an overview of the history of 'La Maison', combined with photographs of watches, jewels tiaras and the famous people that wore those items. 'The 'Gentleman's Files' narrows this down to just men's watches, highlighting the period between 1985 and 2018. It was then that Cartier, for the first time, concentrated on a large range of men's models, from simple time-only models to highly complicated timepieces, often with visually strong ties to their designs from very early years. The watches described in the 'Gentleman's files' are my personal choice and just a selection of what Cartier released in that period. While form and function were united in harmony by 'La Maison' in these creations, it is their unique style that set them apart from any other brand. To do justice to this, the setup of this book is not chronological or aimed to provide you with every single detail of the watches shown, but rather to highlight their style in a unique way. It will, therefore, serve as a visual memento to some of the most stylish and tantalizing watch designs ever created.




Retro Watches


Book Description

An accessible, design-savvy collector's guide to the world of unusual, rare and dazzlingly retro watches. 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.




Time for a Change


Book Description




Moonwatch Only


Book Description

-A new edition of this definitive book, marking the 60th anniversary of the Speedmaster -Includes new features and additional historical information "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. After years of research and observation, the authors present a complete panorama of the Moonwatch in a systematic work that is both technical and attractive, making it the unparalleled reference book for this legendary watch. This new edition, marking the 60th anniversary of the Speedmaster, has been enriched with numerous new features and additional historical information. Contents: Foreword by Raynald Aeschlimann, President and CEO of OMEGA; Foreword by Captain Eugene Cernan, Commander of Apollo 17; Why a Speedmaster Moonwatch guide?; Part 1 - Speedmaster History; 1, Major Dates; 2, Speedmaster and NASA 25; Part 2 - Main Components and Accessories; 1, An Original Approach; 2, The Caliber; 3, The Caseband; 4, The Dial; 5, The Bezel; 6, The Hands; 7, The Caseback; 8, The Crown; 9, The Pushers; 10, The Glass; 11, The Bracelet; 12, The Presentation Box; 13, The Documents; Part 3 - The Models; 1, Introduction; 2, Standard Production; 3, Special and Limited Series; 4, Personalized Models and Special Projects; 5, The Alaska Project; Part 4 - 60 Years of Innovation; Part 5 - How to Start Collecting Speedmasters; 1, Budget; 2, Choosing a Model; 3, Sales Channels; Part 6 - Appendices; 1, Model Codes; 2, Tables & Bibliography; 3, Contributions; 4, Identification Aid




Time Tamed


Book Description

'Downright fascinating...indispensable reading' Daily Telegraph 'Nicholas Foulkes' excellent...book is beautifully illustrated. Captivating' Daily Mail For more than 25,000 years, humanity has sought to understand and measure the passing of time, in the process creating some of the most remarkable and beautiful timepieces. Now, in Nicholas Foulkes' lavishly illustrated book, the battle to tame time is brought vividly to life. From the baboon bone dating back to the palaeolithic era that marked the lunar cycle and on to the 3500-year-old water clock at Karnak, from our earliest days mankind has sought to track the passing of time. More recently, the struggles to measure longitude and to create a workable train timetable across the vast, open expanse of the United States have inspired new developments. In Time Tamed, Nicholas Foulkes reveals how we have done this by focusing on some of the most significant developments in timekeeping across the ages. He also highlights the most stunning and lavish clocks and watches in history - from Big Ben to Rolex - for telling the time has never been purely about function, but also about design. The book is filled with remarkable tales, from the 14th century monk in St Albans who created one of the first mechanical clocks to the Holy Roman Emperor who built a clock into an automated ship that fired a cannon to summon guests to dinner. More recently, there was the Surrey woman who used a Napoleonic era watch to 'deliver' the accurate time to London shopkeepers in the wartime era of Churchill, or the Swiss denture maker who solved a tricky problem for the Indian Raj's polo players. Time Tamed is a book you'll want to spend many hours enjoying.