Any time is an appropriate time to gift a watch lover with a book containing well-written words and beautiful photos of watches.
At Quill & Pad we love reading books as much as we love writing them (on occasion). Here is a selection of books we have reviewed (and in one case written), suitable for gifting or reading at any time of year.
The Magic of Watches by Louis Nardin
If there was ever a book perfect for gifting to anyone with even a mild interest in watchmaking, The Magic of Watches is the one.
‘The Magic of Watches,’ available in English and French
The book explains the anatomy of watches from A to Z, how they are put together, and what their components do. There is history and opinion all in easy language.
For the full review, see Book Review: ‘The Magic of Watches’ by Louis Nardin.
For more information and to order, please visit www.themagicofwatches.com.
The Wristwatch Handbook by Ryan Schmidt
If you are a regular reader of Quill & Pad, you probably know that Ryan Schmidt is a contributor and that his posts are exquisitely unique.
‘The Wristwatch Handbook’ by Ryan Schmidt
The Wristwatch Handbook is not much different in style to those posts: easy language, conversationally written, and interesting topics are what dominate. It is obvious that Schmidt loves watches and this spark catches quickly.
For the full review, see Book Review: ‘The Wristwatch Handbook’ By Ryan Schmidt.
For more information and to order, please visit www.thewristwatchhandbook.com.
Bridging Art and Mechanics: The Unabridged Story of Corum’s Golden Bridge by Elizabeth Doerr
A labor of love, I wrote Bridging Art and Mechanics in tribute to one of the watch industry’s most enigmatic timepieces – one that was invented by an independent watchmaker in conjunction with one of the most creative watch manufacturers of the second half of the twenty-first century.
‘Bridging Art and Mechanics: The Unabridged Story of the Corum Golden Bridge’
Here I express my love for a watch that was nothing short of a miracle spanning the gap between mechanics and art at a time when quartz was threatening to make mechanical watchmaking extinct.
You can order a copy from www.amazon.com/Bridging-Art-Mechanics-Unabridged-Corums.
The Hashtags and Watches series by Kristian Haagen
If you are looking for amazing photos of really cool watches and clever subtitles, then Hashtags and Watches is the right place.
From Kristian Haagen’s ‘Hashtags and Watches’: a Rolex Sea-Dweller Rail Dial Reference 1665
Kristian Haagen is a Danish watch enthusiast who is also a collector, writer, author, lecturer, auction estimator, and daydreamer; he is also one of the more colorful personalities in the world of watches.
And he has compiled years’ worth of his best Instagram photos and captions to make this series of hardback books.
For the full review of the first one, see Book Review: ‘Hashtags and Watches’ by Kristian Haagen.
You can order your own copy by sending Kristian an email at [email protected].
Chronographs For Collectors by Sébastien Chaulmontet and Joël Pynson
If you love vintage chronographs, you have just landed in heaven: Chronographs For Collectors has the clearest structure of any compendium I have seen in recent years. Each of the historical chronographs described in this book is rated according to technology, rarity factor, and price.
‘Chronographs For Collectors’ by Sébastien Chaulmontet And Joël Pynson
The premise of this book is to list the historical chronographs that the authors find significant and to tell us why using four-fold chapter organization: a short-but-sweet summary of the chosen brand, original photos taken by Pynson of the chosen watch, an “expert opinion” section, and a related watches/calibers section called “family resemblances.”
For the full review of this book, see Book Review: ‘Chronographs For Collectors’ By Sébastien Chaulmontet And Joël Pynson.
For more information and to purchase this book, please visit www.time2tell.com.
You may also enjoy:
Book Review: ‘George Daniels, A Master Watchmaker & His Art’ By Michael Clerizo
Book Review: ‘The Watch, Thoroughly Revised’ By Gene Stone And Stephen Pulvirent
‘Chasing Time’ By Alistair Gibbons, A Compendium Of Vintage Watches
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I got Ryan Schmidt’s book last Christmas. It’s basically watch porn, but you’ll actually want to read the writing bits. Get it.