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Horology: An Illustrated Primer on the History, Philosophy, and Science of Time, with an Overview of the Wristwatch and the Watch Industry
This beautifully illustrated volume provides an in-depth look at horology, the scientific study of time and timekeeping.
Brimming with more than 150 detailed and full-color images, illustrations, charts, and technical drawings, this book is a must-have for anyone interested in the art of watchmaking and watch design. It includes the requisite exploration and presentation of the rarest, most coveted, and classic watch designs and styles, including these and many others:
Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos
Romaine Jerome Steampunk Titanic
Patek Phillipe1463
Laurent Ferrier Tourbillon Grand Sport
Cartier Tank
Rolex 6542 GMT-Master
Swatch Flumotions
Breitling Navitimer
But it's also much more. If you've ever wondered how watches work, or thought about how time influences our lives, then this book is also for you. A multifaceted study, Horology discusses the philosophy and measurement of time, the possibility of time travel, and the emergent smartwatch industry. What once seemed complicated will be demystified through a comprehensive overview of watch movements, complications, and parts.
Explorations of fascinating topics include
- early calendars
- modern timekeeping
- the smallest unit of time
- the twin paradox
- the golden ratio
- evolving design, using the Vacheron Constantin 222 as a case study
- decorative watchmaking techniques, including brushing, chamfering, circular graining, chiseling, and more
For the novice or curious reader wanting still more, the basics of starting and caring for a watch collection are covered too. A behind-the-scenes peek into the watch industry, plus pricing and market data, rounds out the contents.
A watch is our most intimate connection with time, and a way to keep in touch with our artisanal past. Indeed, modern mechanical watchmaking is perhaps the last vestige of humanity's prowess in fashioning fine, micromechanical machines. Readers will leave these pages with a newfound, renewed, or enhanced love of watchmaking, as well as an increased appreciation for the value and passing of time.
Brimming with more than 150 detailed and full-color images, illustrations, charts, and technical drawings, this book is a must-have for anyone interested in the art of watchmaking and watch design. It includes the requisite exploration and presentation of the rarest, most coveted, and classic watch designs and styles, including these and many others:
Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos
Romaine Jerome Steampunk Titanic
Patek Phillipe1463
Laurent Ferrier Tourbillon Grand Sport
Cartier Tank
Rolex 6542 GMT-Master
Swatch Flumotions
Breitling Navitimer
But it's also much more. If you've ever wondered how watches work, or thought about how time influences our lives, then this book is also for you. A multifaceted study, Horology discusses the philosophy and measurement of time, the possibility of time travel, and the emergent smartwatch industry. What once seemed complicated will be demystified through a comprehensive overview of watch movements, complications, and parts.
Explorations of fascinating topics include
- early calendars
- modern timekeeping
- the smallest unit of time
- the twin paradox
- the golden ratio
- evolving design, using the Vacheron Constantin 222 as a case study
- decorative watchmaking techniques, including brushing, chamfering, circular graining, chiseling, and more
For the novice or curious reader wanting still more, the basics of starting and caring for a watch collection are covered too. A behind-the-scenes peek into the watch industry, plus pricing and market data, rounds out the contents.
A watch is our most intimate connection with time, and a way to keep in touch with our artisanal past. Indeed, modern mechanical watchmaking is perhaps the last vestige of humanity's prowess in fashioning fine, micromechanical machines. Readers will leave these pages with a newfound, renewed, or enhanced love of watchmaking, as well as an increased appreciation for the value and passing of time.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published October 25, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 15, 2023
Watchmaking interests me, and so do the philosophical musings to do with time. Horology includes both, and this book promised to be an expansive primer on all things horological.
Well, there should be an emphasis on “primer”, because while this looks and feels like a textbook, it's actually quite a quick read, and when finished, I didn't feel like I learned much (I haven't watched that many Youtube videos on watchmaking, I swear!).
There were also some strange printing issues: letters were missing from a few words on a page, the same description was present on two different pictures, and most alarmingly, the entire image on my Library’s hardcover is in a poor resolution.
So while it was mildly fun to flip through, read, and Iook at some fancy watches, it's overall not something I'd personally recommend, which is a shame—there are a lot of nice photos inside and it is clear that a lot of work was put into this book. Maybe if you are quite new to Horology? But then if you were, a textbook-looking book would probably seem quite daunting, especially when Google and Youtube are so easily accessible...
Well, there should be an emphasis on “primer”, because while this looks and feels like a textbook, it's actually quite a quick read, and when finished, I didn't feel like I learned much (I haven't watched that many Youtube videos on watchmaking, I swear!).
There were also some strange printing issues: letters were missing from a few words on a page, the same description was present on two different pictures, and most alarmingly, the entire image on my Library’s hardcover is in a poor resolution.
So while it was mildly fun to flip through, read, and Iook at some fancy watches, it's overall not something I'd personally recommend, which is a shame—there are a lot of nice photos inside and it is clear that a lot of work was put into this book. Maybe if you are quite new to Horology? But then if you were, a textbook-looking book would probably seem quite daunting, especially when Google and Youtube are so easily accessible...
February 28, 2023
Quite spell-bounding for a book about time, watches and the watch industry. Incredible value for money. I would have purchased it at four times the price. The author clearly has a comprehensive and deep understanding of the subject matter at hand as he weaves through horological history to Einstein’s “Theory of Relativity” to the financial stability and make-up of the Watch-industry players themselves.
This book makes for an excellent gift. Note to buyers and gift-givers: the transparent outer cover comes with a thin plastic film to protect during shipping. It is intended to be taken off. At first I thought the cover was peeling and was about to return it.
Lastly, the photography is next-level. The images are magnificent. I hope the author releases a larger photographic series one day. I for one would love to hang a 13x19 inch or larger image of that jaw-dropping Patek Philippe 2499 over my mantle.
This book makes for an excellent gift. Note to buyers and gift-givers: the transparent outer cover comes with a thin plastic film to protect during shipping. It is intended to be taken off. At first I thought the cover was peeling and was about to return it.
Lastly, the photography is next-level. The images are magnificent. I hope the author releases a larger photographic series one day. I for one would love to hang a 13x19 inch or larger image of that jaw-dropping Patek Philippe 2499 over my mantle.
January 24, 2023
An eclectic gathering of information about time, and its physical manifestation in the form of watches. Every page is rich with information that few will have seen before. Couldn’t recommend more highly. I have gifted out three times to watch aficionados, and they have all loved it!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews