Watch books?

[harvey]

With time at home, could you please recommend any general watch books worth reading. I already have a dozen Rolex books but want to broaden my knowledge and understanding.

Thank you.

[Fred48]

"Marie Antoinette's Watch" is a great read - history, watch tech, and intrigue during the French revolution. Learn how Bruguet made his reputation.

"The Grand Complication" is also really good.

[White Collar Boy]

I have The Vintage Rolex Field Guide, by Morningtundra, which is excellent - good, clear writing, heaps of information and photos to help guide purchasing. I loved it. It has just been expanded - revised and updated - into a glossier, more substantial hardcover, now called The Vintage Rolex Field Manual. I don’t have this yet, but will get it, because it is reportedly quite different from the field guide. The smaller guide is meant to be carried around to shops for on-the-spot reference and scribbling down marginalia; and the bigger manual is a stay-at-home desk reference. The new one is under the author’s name now, Colin White, instead of the Morningtundra nom de plume.

Only yesterday, I ordered The Wristwatch Handbook: A Complete Guide to Mechanical Wristwatches, by Ryan Schmidt, so can’t speak to that yet, but anticipate excellent things.

I also have The Magic of Watches, by Louis Nardin. It’s a handsome little hardcover with very rudimentary but wide-ranging information about the less technical nomenclature of watches, a sort of quasi-dictionary for the layperson, especially pegged at newbies like me I guess. I think it was like $70AUD around December last year though. Pretty steep for what it is, but nice to have around.

Have several times considered The Best of Time, Vintage Rolex Sports Models, and A Man and His Watch, but hesitated only because I am scrimping for my next watch! Keen to see what anyone else has to say, as I am pretty new to the hobby but love watch books.

[harvey]

Thank you both for your recommendations. I already have several of them.

I’m waiting on The Vintage Rolex Field Guide to be restocked (hardback).

There a couple of good books by George Daniels, so will look to order those in the coming weeks.

My friend has bought me ‘Watches:A Guide by Hodinkee’ so will pick that up from her when the lockdown restrictions are lifted.

Once I have them all, will share my small library of watch related books.

Thank you again.

[harvey]

For anyone interested I have ordered...

The Book of Rolex by Jens Hoy.
The Magic of Watches by Louis Nardin.
Time Tamed by Nicholas Foulkes.
Timekeepers by Simon Garfield.

These are all fairly inexpensive.

I have made a list of another 15 or so titles of interest. However once out of print, they can run to three figures each.

So I will be looking to add a book or two a month with an aim to build a small library of books on Rolex; other watches; and on time etc.

[ejell]

I would recommend Longitude - the story of John Harrison and the chronometer.

[harvey]

Thank you, that’s on my list. The illustrated longitude (hardbook).

[harvey]

Five books in this week...




Also managed to find two out of print books which I’m super pleased to add...


George Daniels - A Master Watchmaker & His Art, by Michael Clerizo.

The Mastery of Time by Dominique Flechon, Franco Cologni.

Hopefully be here in a couple of weeks.

[schoolboy]

Nice thread!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[White Collar Boy]

Awesome. Happy reading! Look forward to more recommendations out of this.

“There’s more to life than books, you know/ But not much more.” - The Smiths, ‘Handsome Devil’.

[White Collar Boy]

Anyone buying watch books for Christmas? I just ordered ‘The Best of Time: Rolex Wristwatches’, and ‘Vintage Rolex Sports Models’ as presents to myself.

If anyone is interested in ‘The Vintage Rolex Field Manual (Chevalier edition)’ by Colin White, I strongly recommend it. Got mine a couple of months ago and, along with this forum, it has kept my passion going while I rebuild the watch fund. Great information to help make a savvy vintage purchase, with plenty of supporting colour photos, diagrams and charts.

Would anyone recommend George Daniels’s ‘Watchmaking’ to someone wanting to know the inner workings in more detail than say Ryan Schmidt’s ‘The Wristwatch Handbook’? Or is it too abstruse for mouthbreathing layfolk?

[Polarexplorerii]

I just bought "A man and his watch" on black friday, it was on sale for $20 on amazon.

[harvey]

Thank you for the updates.

I’ve probably added a dozen or so books and magazines to my small library over the last few months.

I will get these listed/photographed to share over the coming weeks.


There are 3 books being published next year which look good...

The Art of Breguet by George Daniels.
Air Time by Mark Bernado.
The Beauty of Time by Francois Chaille.

[harvey]

Any other recommendations please?

[stripper_clip]

Here are a few that I’ve found at used book stores, all have been very enjoyable and informative to read.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Springfield]

A Man and His Watch is a brief read, but a lot of fun. Wishing for a (watched related vs. car) sequel.

[Waitlisted Watches]

A man and his watch
The watch annual 2020
Any Phillips auction booklets- these are always good to look at
Watches: A Guide by Hodinkee

[harvey]

Originally Posted by harvey

Thank you for the updates.

I’ve probably added a dozen or so books and magazines to my small library over the last few months.

I will get these listed/photographed to share over the coming weeks.


There are 3 books being published next year which look good...

The Art of Breguet by George Daniels.
Air Time by Mark Bernado.
The Beauty of Time by Francois Chaille.

Forgot to update. I recommend all three!

[Bill2]

Time Tamed by Nicholas Foulkes, also A man and his watch awesome book. Recommend!

[harvey]

Have three new ones coming in…

Sea Time
Air Time
Drive Time Deluxe

[enjoythemusic]

AHCI Book
https://www.ahci.ch/ahci-book/

ahci-the-independent-spirit-time-makers-since-1985-1.jpg

[underpar31009]

Love this thread. Great books here. I just bought Watches: A Guide by Hodinkee.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Andy0331]

Discovering Time, which IIRC was written by a member here (or they contributed a story). The Amazon reviews aren't great, but I remember enjoying the read. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/15...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

For a high $$ coffee table book with excellent photography, consider "The Sybarite Watch Guide", by Halim Trujillo aka "Submarino" here. I don't know if he's doing another run, but it's well done. https://www.watchcollectinglifestyle...halim-trujillo

(Halim, if you see this, I miss the WCL magazines; very well done & I'd subscribe again if they started up again).

[harvey]

I really do need to update this thread. Collecting books on watches / horology etc is highly addictive!

I’m now adding books as recommended by watchmaking schools.

[JoeJoeBobo]

Didn’t see this on the list…kinda pricey.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....4,203,200_.jpg

[IgCarr]

Recently bought The Vintage Rolex Datejust buyer’s & collector’s guide - Thomas van Straaten. Delivery took a few weeks but it was worth it. Beautiful book with tons of information and pictures. Definitely a good buy for the vintage DJ enthusiast. I believe the only way to get it is from the author himself: datejustbook.com

[harvey]

…I didn’t know about the above book. I have a list of about 10 books on my list to get. Collecting books is getting expensive!