1000 Iconic Watches

This handbook is a must-have for collectors and anyone who has ever wished they could stop time.

The Illustrated Directory series provide enthusiasts with a fully illustrated comprehensive, hardcover reference book packed with timelines, historical facts and images designed to inform and excite. The book provides perhaps the most ambitious and lavishly illustrated history of watches for the collector and general reader. It shows in clear detailed pictures over 1,000 important landmark timepieces from all the classic watchmakers from the 1930s to the present day. Organized A-Z by manufacturer, each watch will be shown face on and in some cases some will include reverse and internal views. Each watch will be specially photographed in the studio for this book. The book will also include a comprehensive introduction on the history of wristwatches and a quick reference listing of every piece featured. We believe the book will be the most comprehensive illustrated reference work to this subject.

“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.

The Patek Philippe Nautilus which is a very famous watch was designed by Gerad Genta in just 5 minutes. Graff Diamonds made the most expensive watch in the world which costs $55 Million. The Rolex Submariner broke the record for being the first wristwatch that was waterproof at a depth of 100 metres. The Jaeger-Lecoultre Reverso was the result of a challenge by a polo player after he kept breaking his watch while playing Cartier Santos was released in the Year 1904 and has remained a highly sought after watch even after a century. In this book we look at 51 of the most Iconic watches that have changed the landscape of timekeeping in terms of innovation and design, These watches have not just impacted our lives but have also played a major role in the World's history as it was responsible for many decisions whether it was during wars or in times when accurate timekeeping was needed.

This 2nd book is a continuation of the 1st book. The index at the back of the book is brilliant. The contents list, at the front of the book, is in alphabetical order, and is a list of the horses names, gives paragraph numbers. Whereas the Index gives the Rider/Owner in alphanumeric order and gives paragraph numbers. So if you do not know the name of a persons horse you would look up the person in the Index and it would indicate the paragraph numbers to find the answer. For instance: Steptoe and Son would be under 'S' in the Index and this would lead you to 'Hercules', the strong man from Greek Mythology. Or Toy Story 2 would lead you to 'Bullseye' Books 3 and 4 are in the process of compiling, it’s a “Never Ending Story”.

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.

A Robb Report Best Coffee Table Book to Gift in 2020 A Sports Car News and InsideHook Best Coffee Table Book for Car Lovers Celebrate That Special Bond Between Men and Cars, and the Stories That Connect Them Discover actor and director Ed Burns talking about his 1969 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, a model he’d been dreaming about since his days pumping gas. NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, whose favorite cars are trucks—he loves the wow factor of an International CV Series 6.6. Or Jay Leno on his 1955 Buick Roadmaster, big enough for him to sleep in while trying to make it as a comic. Filled with stunning photographs of the whole cars and of the exquisite details that make car lovers’ hearts beat just a little faster, as well as more than 80 personal stories, it’s a joy for every reader who knows that a car is never just a car.

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.

In this stunning new addition to the Assouline series, British historian Nicholas Foulkes has selected the 100 breakthrough timepieces of the twentieth century. Featuring illustrious names such as Audemars Piguet, Blancpain, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Patek Philippe, Rolex, and Tag Heuer, this collection includes the 1915 Omega Lawrence of Arabia aviator chronograph, the 1962 Breitling Navitimer Cosmonaut, and the 1985 Ulysse Nardin Astrolabium. Beautiful timepieces invite us to join a story, and these examples unfold the narrative of one of the most dynamic periods in human history.

Two wealthy and powerful men engage in a decades-long contest to create and possess the most remarkable watch in history. James Ward Packard of Warren, Ohio, was an entrepreneur and a talented engineer of infinite curiosity, a self-made man who earned millions from his inventions, including the design and manufacture of America’s first luxury car—the elegant and storied Packard. Henry Graves, Jr., was the very essence of blue-blooded refinement in the early 1900s: son of a Wall Street financier, a central figure in New York high society, and a connoisseur of beautiful things—especially fine watches. Then, as now, expensive watches were the ultimate sign of luxury and wealth, but in the early twentieth century the limitless ambition, wealth, and creativity of these two men pushed the boundaries of mathematics, astronomy, craftsmanship, technology, and physics to create ever more ingenious timepieces. In any watch, features beyond the display of hours, minutes, and seconds are known as “complications.” Packard and Graves spurred acclaimed Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe to create the Mona Lisa of timepieces—a fabled watch that incorporated twenty-four complications and took nearly eight years to design and build. For the period, it was the most complicated watch ever created. For years it disappeared, but then it surfaced at a Sotheby’s auction in 1999, touching off a heated bidding war, shattering all known records when it fetched $11 million from an anonymous bidder. New York Times bestselling author Stacy Perman takes us from the clubby world of New York high society into the ateliers of the greatest Swiss watchmakers, and into the high-octane, often secretive subculture of modern-day watch collecting. With meticulous research, vivid historical details, and a wealth of dynamic personalities, A Grand Complication is the fascinating story of the thrilling duel between two of the most intriguing men of the early twentieth century. Above all, it is a sweeping chronicle of innovation, the desire for beauty, and the lengths people will go to possess it.