500 Years, 100 Watches

For centuries people have been captivated by watches--whether for their technical precision, their unique design, or their historic importance. Each of the one hundred watches profiled in this elegant book stands out for one or more of these qualities. Organized chronologically and divided by century, the watches are presented in spacious, double-page spreads, featuring exquisite photography with engaging, incisive texts.

Readers will discover examples of the earliest watch forms
an astonishing Elizabethan-era watch with astrolabic dial
an early 17th century watch encased in a single emerald
two of the earliest watches to incorporate the balance spring--a feature that revolutionized the portable timekeeper
and some of the first repeating and perpetual calendar watches. These are followed by the first lever watch, invented by Thomas Mudge
important precision watches
early 19th century enamel and automaton watches
highly complex watches by Breguet and Patek Philippe
Sir Winston Churchill's yellow gold World Time Victory watch
a Rolex wristwatch made to commemorate Indian Republic Day
an Omega Speedmaster that went into space
and a Roger Smith wristwatch completed in 2023.

Featuring exquisitely reproduced photographs that are appearing for the first time together in book form, this historic collection will appeal to sophisticated collectors, amateur watch enthusiasts, and anyone with an interest in the art and science of horology.