The Watch, Thoroughly Revised


Book Description

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.




The Watch


Book Description

The wristwatch is the only jewellery that most men will wear, although many would not want to call it that. A watch may be a practical device for the sole purpose of telling the time as accurately as possible, a complicated machine, a wearable design object, or a status symbol. Some watch wearers, like scuba divers or pilots, rely on their timepieces for safety and survival. Gene Stone's The Watch covers all these things and more. It ranges over the world of watches without prejudice, mixing the old with the new, and the expensive with the economical. It introduces the fifty major brands that any watch collector must be familiar with. Essential wisdom on buying, collecting, maintaining and wearing watches is provided. And an encyclopedic glossary offers a crash course in watch lore. Best of all are the more than 500 photographs of terrific watches, including remarkable details of dials and movements, and selected for their beauty and diversity from collections around the world.




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.




Watchmaking


Book Description

The first and most comprehensive step-by-step guide on the subject, Watchmaking has become a classic in its own right. This new edition is updated to include a new section which discusses and illustrates a variety of the author's own watches. The author's principal aim in writing this book has been to inspire and encourage the art of watchmaking, especially among a new generation of enthusiasts. The making of the precision timekeeper is described, step by step, and is illustrated at each stage with line drawings and brief explanatory captions. Great care has been taken to ensure the text is easy to follow and to avoid complicated technical descriptions.




Wristwatch Handbook The


Book Description

'The Wristwatch Handbook' provides the reader with a comprehensive anatomy of the mechanical wristwatch; every conceivable function and form. It is the foundational text for the novice and the reference book for the seasoned enthusiast. Where other books about watches focus on advising the collector, on a single brand, or on a timeline of key historical figures and events, 'The Wristwatch Handbook' takes a detailed look at mechanical wristwatch complications (functions) and leaves no stone unturned. The reader will gain the ability to identify a complicated watch from twenty paces and perform a top-to-bottom assessment of even the most exotic timepiece in a matter of seconds. Despite the functional obsolescence of the mechanical wristwatch (our phones, computers, even microwaves tell more accurate time), there are more varieties of mechanical watches available than ever before. Today, innovation is no longer exclusively preoccupied with accuracy; pioneer manufacturers are also exploring friction reduction, anti-magnetism, scratch resistance, dial decoration, exotic materials and so on.




Retro Watches


Book Description

A popular collector’s guide to discovering the world of unusual, rare, and dazzlingly retro watches. What you wear on your wrist can be more than merely functional. Eschewing the common categories of the “classics,” the ostentatiously high-priced, and the “blingy,” this book brings together individualist pieces that few have seen and even fewer own. Retro Watches is a collector’s guide for those who want to make a statement with the watch they wear, but who are looking for something a little different. It collects 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. Over one hundred watch models are featured, specially photographed for the book and accompanied by accessible, informative texts discussing the watch’s design, history, and intriguing features, as well as info panels detailing rarity, value, and other key attributes. Additional breakout spreads dive into the cultural and fashion history of watch design and the many innovations of the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. Beautifully presented, Retro Watches is the volume for the watch wearer who wants to stand out from the crowd.




Watches: A Guide by Hodinkee


Book Description

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.”




Magic of Watches


Book Description

* A complete, informative primer on how watches work. Accessible for the amateur and meaty enough for the aficionado. What is a beautiful watch? How do you make a good choice? The Magic of Watches explains how and why these little objects are so precious, fascinating and exciting. The book presents paradoxes: why a one-million-dollar watch might be less precise and more fragile than one that costs 15 dollars. It comes back to the origins of the measurement of time: how did we go from the water clock to the wristwatch? The Magic of Watches is unique: it focuses in detail on the basics in order to understand and love watches better. Contents: 1. Welcome; 1.1 Why a book, why this one; 1.2 Why watches are magic; 1.3 How to use this book; 1.4 The first mission: To tell the time; 1.5 The challenge of measuring time; 1.6 The quartz revolution; 1960s); 1.7 Fantastic plastic (1980s); 1.8 The wristwatch, from instrument to artifact; 1.9 "Smart," or connected, watches (2010s); 2. Buying; 2.1 Ten reasons why you should get a watch; 2.2 Choosing; 2.3 Key elements; 2.4 Secondhand; 2.5 Selling your watch; 2.6 Knowledge; 3.Care; 3.1 Setting; 3.2 Maintenance and care; 3.3 Service and after-sales; 3.4 Repairs; 3.4 Travel; 3.5 Insurance; 4. Anatomy; 4.1 Display; 4.2 Indications; 4.3 Functions and complications; 4.4 Movement (Caliber); 4.5 Case; 4.6 Bracelets and Straps; 4.7 Materials.




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.




Fifty Watches That Changed the World


Book Description

The watch has long been a favorite of the design world - both as an indication of the wearer's style and as a test of the designer's ethos and aesthetic. From the early efforts of Le Corbusier and Louis-Francois Cartier to the advent of the digital era and the arrival of the smartwatch, the Design Museum examines the 50 most important and eye-catching examples of all time.