Rare Watches


Book Description

Rare Watches features more than fifty of the most unusual watches in the world, including incredible one-off models and collector's editions. 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 and James Bond, this book appeals to professionals, collectors and amateurs alike. The photography in this book was organized in collaboration with Christie's auction house, displaying some of the rarest, most expensive and desirable watches ever. Complete with slipcase, this is a beautifully packaged look at some of the world's most sought-after timepieces.




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.




100 Years of Vintage Watches


Book Description

Telling time has never been so stylish. 100 Years of Vintage Watches brings an entire century of classic watch craftsmanship to life with over 1,000 full-color photos. Detailing watches made between 1870 and 1970—the most popular century for watch collectors and aficionados—Dean Judy’s remarkable guide provides information on what and how to collect as well as what to avoid. In addition to large, detailed photos, 100 Years of Vintage Watches offers accurate pricing information, and a description, history, and dating for each of the watches included. Watch collectors will find the before-and-after photos of vintage watch restorations particularly useful, especially when it comes valuing a piece. And who knows, maybe that old watch your grandfather left in his junk drawer is worth thousands. Featuring examples from over 50 watchmakers including renowned Swiss companies like Agassiz, Rolex, Breitling, Cyma, Tissot, and Zodiak as well as American companies like Bulova, Elgin, Hamilton, and Illinois, 100 Years of Vintage Watches is a comprehensive and practical guide to the greatest century of watchmaking in modern history.




Vintage Rolex


Book Description

'A gorgeously indulgent new coffee-table heavyweight.' - Esquire magazine 'An ode, a love letter, and a paean to family tradition while also being a celebration of the longevity of the Rolex brand, this tome is encyclopedic and monumental in its scope.' - New York Journal of Books For more than a century, Rolex has stood apart as the most legendary brand of watch in the world. Ever the record setter--the Daytona, belonging to actor 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 label in the world. Published to celebrate The Vintage Watch Company's 25th anniversary in 2020, the book contains a unique pictorial collection of vintage Rolex watches that have passed through the shop during the past 25 years. From early Rolex pocket watches to the world's first wristwatches, elegant in their simplicity yet revolutionary in their impact, to the very first Submariners, iconic Daytonas, and jewel-encrusted Crown collections, the mesmerizing archive of vintage timepieces charts the extraordinary rise of an extraordinary brand.







Patek Philippe Steel Watches


Book Description

With this magnificent volume, watch expert and authority John Goldberger, author of 100 Superlative Rolex Watches, presents the most beautiful and remarkable watches ever fitted with steel cases by the Geneva-based watch company Patek Philippe. With the collaboration of the world's leading collectors and connoisseurs, the collection presented in this exclusive publication is the result of painstaking research, supplemented by professional photographs that show the most minute details and characteristics of the movement, case and dial of each timekeeper. With 187 superb examples, as well as over 900 color illustrations and 800 descriptive texts, this volume offers the watch collector and enthusiast invaluable information about the finest rare masterpieces of Patek Philippe's production, including recent research on referencenumbers, dials, movements, related calibers and each watch's year of production. Organized in 12 chapters, this tome covers a century of the company's quintessential spirit and style.




A Man & His Watch


Book Description

“I’ve paged through stacks of books on the history of watches. . . . But I hadn’t come across a book that actually moved me until I picked up A Man and His Watch. The volume is filled with heartfelt stories.” —T: The New York Times Style Magazine "There are a bunch of beautifully illustrated watch books out there, but A Man & His Watch by Matt Hranek is more than that. It speaks to the nature of watches as deeply personal items." —Gear Patrol, Coffee Table Books Our Staff Can’t Live Without Paul Newman wore his Rolex Daytona 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. Franklin Roosevelt wore an elegant gold Tiffany watch, gifted to him by a friend on his birthday, to the famous Yalta Conference where he shook the hands of Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill. 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 traveled the world conducting firsthand interviews and diving into exclusive collections to gather the never-before-told stories of 76 watches, completed with stunning original photography of every single piece. Through these intimate accounts and Hranek’s storytelling, the watches become more than just timepieces and status symbols; they represent historical moments, pioneering achievements, heirlooms, family mementos, gifts of affection, and lifelong friendships.




Worlds Most Expensive Watches


Book Description

More than a fashion accessory or means to tell the time, the wristwatch has become a statement of identity; politician or celebrity, scientist or sportsman, what you choose to wear on your wrist speaks volumes about who you are. The World's Most Expensive Watches presents some of the most extravagant, intricate, collectible, decadent, or just plain interesting modern-day timepieces that sit at the top of the price spectrum. Starting at a threshold price of about $200,000, it is a trip through the last decade or so of watches whose values soar incredibly to prices of $5 million dollars or more. Additionally, there is a selection of notable watches that yielded extremely high prices at auction - many of which are historically relevant. A stunning collection that is both informative and entertaining; with detailed descriptions of individual watches and articles that usefully deconstruct the price tag with an explanation of the relevance of craftsmanship and complexity of design, as well as the importance of exclusivity, prestige and collectibility. Prepare to be impressed by a larger-than-life-look at some relatively small items that command not only huge prices but kudos and respect, in all areas of a global society fascinated with using accessorizing to create identity.




Limited Edition Watches


Book Description

Welcome to a celebration of alternatively designed wrist- and pocket watches, which honors innovative craftsmanship within the world of modern horology. The 150 different brands featured in this unique book each have a double-page spread dedicated to rare, specially selected timepieces. Featured manufacturers include Patek Philippe, Jaeger LeCoultre, Vacheron Constantin, Chopard, Tag Heuer, and Hublot. There is also a broad selection of avant-garde watchmakers like MB & F, Urwerk, and DeBethune. The design and technical information of each watch, ranging from simple to elaborate, is described in this lavish showcase of mostly high-end watch brands. A wristwatch made entirely of wooden parts, a timepiece designed after a Ferrari engine, and other one-of-a-kind movements, are just a few examples of the stunning variety of alternatively conceived men's and unisex watches. Many have not appeared in print before. This collection should appeal to both watch lovers and aficionados of good design.




Collecting (Vintage) Watches


Book Description

The authors of this book are neither watchmakers nor specific watch specialists, just dedicated watch collectors. A book for the friends of watches and a guide for the collector or the possible collector-to-be, giving some advice and guidelines, certainly also expressing very subjective opinions. Specific subjects of interest from the multi-facetted mosaic of time, watches and watchmaking as a whole: collecting watches, watches and time, the quartz crisis, the revival of mechanic watches, clocking of watches and the corresponding amplitudes from the pendulum to the atomic clock, adjustment and regulation of a watch, time as a standard unit, changing of the time itself, technical features, magnetism and watches, radium contamination, watch dials, hallmarks, the 'gold rush', things to watch out for when collecting watches and more. Mechanical watches hand wind, mechanical watches automatic, electric watches, electronic watches, quartz controlled electric watches, tuning fork watches, quartz controlled tuning fork watches, quartz watches, watches - radio controlled by an atomic clock. Also including antique- and vintage pocket watches. Over 300 pictures (black and white) of original watches, tools, equipment and others.