The Mastery of Time: A History of Timekeeping, from the Sundial to the Wristwatch: Discoveries, Inventions, and Advances in Master Watchmaking

by Dominique Flechon, Franco Cologni (Foreword)

More than a simple chronology, this volume explores the technical resources used to measure time€”solar, hydraulic, mechanical, or electrical€”just as it explains the key factors behind the major breakthroughs in the science of horology.From ancient astronomical observatories to atomic clocks, instruments for telling time have always been closely linked to the cutting-edge sciences of the day, ranging from medicine and navigation to aeronautics. Inventions in timekeeping have been crucial to the organization of human society and to activities such as farming, industry, and trade. Each new development was based on the needs and accomplishments of its day yet spurred further discoveries. Writing a history of time means viewing human genius through the prism of the steady mastery of a crucial technology. The patient, long-term conquest of accuracy has been the result of successive advances from sundial to wristwatch up to the recent exploits of the heirs to this

Genres: Nonfiction

456 pages, Hardcover

First published January 10, 2012

Reviews

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, while beautifully presented, reads like a series of freshman term papers which rely on a thesaurus and a fair amount of topical jargon to hide the fact that the writer's enthusiasm has far outpaced his understanding. Einstein once said, "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough." If I hadn't already read a dozen books on horology and watchmaking, I'd be lost.

Still, it's a beautiful volume and deserves space on any watch lover's coffee table.