Christmas by the book!

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Christmas by the book! - Christmas Books
4 minutes read
Lockdown or no lockdown, the holidays are always a great time to catch up on some reading, and Christmas the ideal moment to add to our personal library. We share our selection of books for under the tree.

Time to Race: watches on speed
How many brands have claimed a connection, however distant, with motorsports? And how often do marketing messages mix in with (not to say overshadow) historical reality? What better, then, than a single book to tell the story of the world's greatest drivers and their relationship with their watch. From Mike Hawthorn, Stirling Moss and Carroll Shelby to Enzo Ferrari or Alfred Neubauer, Time to Race paints the portrait of almost 90 racing personalities, each of whom put their mark on their chrono. These watches – traced through painstaking research and with the help of some of the world's leading collectors – are photographed to show the specificities of the movement, case and dial in as much detail as possible. Time to Race is co-written by John Goldberger, already the author of important works on Rolex, Omega, Longines and Patek Philippe.
Buy a copy here.

Mon beau sapin, mes beaux livres

Daytona Perpetual: inside the legend
The Rolex Daytona needs no introduction. A star of the saleroom, passionately collected, finding one's way around its 5- or 6-digit reference system has become an art in itself. Unravelling these mysteries is key to finding the model that is right for you, as well as the best investment for the years to come as prices continue their seemingly endless upward trajectory. Filled with detailed technical and historical information, richly illustrated with more than 500 colour photos over almost 300 pages, Daytona Perpetual is on a par with its subject: a reference.
Buy a copy here.

Mon beau sapin, mes beaux livres

Nautilus & Aquanaut: a winning duo
It's something of a bugbear for Patek Philippe Chief Executive, Thierry Stern: the Aquanaut and, more so, the Nautilus are so successful they can occasionally eclipse other models that are no less deserving of attention. Still, the fact remains that both new and pre-owned, they are two of the most sought-after watches among collectors. This comprehensive tome, which doesn't hesitate – a rarity – to show the watches with their original box and papers, is written in English and Italian, as are many of the books published by Mondani. Relatively technical in tone, it features ample illustrations - sometimes to the detriment of text which could benefit from being less succinct. Nautilus & Aquanaut will, however, prove invaluable to collectors hunting down that rare piece... though at a typical "Mondani" price.
Buy a copy here.

Mon beau sapin, mes beaux livres

The go-to book on complications
Presented by Simonin, a specialist in watch publications, A Guide to Complicated Watches is the work of François Lecoultre, an authority in the field. Still the most comprehensive and detailed book on the technical aspects of complicated watches, this is a true "must-have" now in its fourth edition in English. All drawings have been moved to the end of the book on numbered fold-out plates, making it easier to consult the details and functions of the different complications referred to in the text. A number of improvements have been made to the text while the chapter on the equation of time has been fully revised. As a reference work, A Guide to Complicated Watches will delight watchmakers, students of watchmaking... and collectors with a solid grasp of horological mechanisms!
Buy a copy here.

Mon beau sapin, mes beaux livres


AHCI - The Independent Spirit: a golden jubilee
Some of the greatest names in contemporary watchmaking have passed through its ranks. Most of them are are still a part of it today. The Académie des Horlogers Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI) was founded by Vincent Calabrese 35 years ago, in 1985. This testimonial book, compiled by yours truly, takes an intimate look at immense figures such as Calabrese himself, Philippe Dufour, François-Paul Journe, Ludovic Ballouard, Vianney Halter, George Daniels, not forgetting the new generation, embodied by the candidates to the AHCI, such as Cyril Brivet-Naudot (nominated at GPHG 2020), or the most recent members, such as David Candaux. Each portrait reveals a very personal interview with each of these creators, and is punctuated by the secrets of previously unseen workshops.
Buy a copy here.

Mon beau sapin, mes beaux livres

 

The Millennium Watch Book
Featuring over 1,000 photos, 114 brands, and 20 themed chapters, this seriously fun compendium of 300 pages offers fascinating insights into the innermost workings of contemporary watchmaking. 30 watchmaking experts and their shared passion, brought together by the founder of GMT and the editorial team of WorldTempus.

This, the watch book for the third millennium, provides a wealth of detail and analysis covering everything lovers of fine timepieces need to know about watchmaking from the year 2000 onwards. From the first watchmakers’ corporation set up in Geneva in 1601 to the present day, the history of watchmaking spans over four centuries – but has never seen anything like this most recent and outstandingly creative era, during which innovation has resulted in sturdier watches and better performance, and creative geniuses have completely transformed the landscape of fine watchmaking. New brands have broken through; big names have capitalised on their historic legacy. Designers have created all kinds of new trend, while progress has put several complications within the reach of a wider range of buyers. Some players in watchmaking have had incredible career journeys, too, even as their environment has been changing at warp speed.
Buy a copy here.

Mon beau sapin, mes beaux livres

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