5 comments about Practical Watch Repairing.

1. Mechnical watches are precision micro machines. It is unrealistic for anyone to think that it is possible to learn to repair mechanical watches by reading a book. There are drawn illustrations through out the book. However; the illustrations do not show step by step of the operations being discussed. On the other hand,in the age of the internet it is not difficult to overcome this problem. One of the many excellent internet resources would be the website [...] It has documents showing how a simple mechanical watch can be disassembled and reassembled. Together with other pictures and demonstrations you can find on the internet, you will then realize the gold that is hidden between the pages of this very affordable book. To Work on a mechnical watch you will need time, patience, steady hands and the right tools. The tiny screws can jump and even break when you are not careful. Screws used in one watch may not be of the same size. Many of the cheap tools are actually junk that can ruin your watch. For example, screw drivers with chiped tips. The purpose of this book review is to help the interested readers to set realistic expectations of any book on watch repairing. Should you buy this book? If you are interested in mechanical watch repair then you must.



2. While this book is widely touted on watch repair "training" websites it is not exactly the easiest read or mostly clearly detail how-to book I have ever used. It is a good reference, and I am not sorry I purchased it, but I wish I had some thing a little more clearly written. For example, the author frequently refers to parts and assemblies that he never shows.



3. This is an excellent instruction manual for the beginner who enjoys the hobby of horology,it is lavishly illustrated with many practical tips to enable even the absolute novice to gain a proficiency in watch repair.



4. This has been a very useful reference book for the various (and sadly often lost) tricks and secrets of the watchmaking trade. It's a bit dated, but then again so are the antique windup watches that a collector is likely to confront trying to make run again.
   
   I just wish the book came with its own live watchmaker from 1946 to actually demonstrate the various techniques described in the book. I learned a lot anyway.



5. Excellent transaction. Received timely and in advertised condition. I would do business with this seller again.

5 comments about Complete Price Guide to Watches No. 30.

1. I bought this to locate a Gruen watch but I couldn't find it in this book.
   Also it doesn't list any low price watches such as Timex, Seiko, etc.



2. There is nothing complete about it , it really is a beginners guide to watch origins.



3. The book was helpful in determining the rarity of certain old watches. Prices on ebay seem a bit higher than what this book indicates, so if someone is trying to find the actual value of a watch, they may be a little disappointed. This book is a good reference for watch collectors.



4. Book has all you need to know about watches. A huge help in buying and selling. Excellent every year.



5. This is the third edition I have purchased. A very thorough price guide and excellent reference.

5 comments about Wristwatch Annual 2010: The Catalog of Producers, Prices, Models, and Specifications.

1. Buy this catalog. It is better than the field. At least the movement source is listed. A better job should be done on which conglomerate currently owns which luxury watch brand.



2. Not being a connoisseur of luxury wristwatches I still appreciate their beauty and history. This catalog goes into great detail and provides me all the reading material I could want. In particular I liked the inclusion of prices and discovered the availability of a few "affordable" (sub $1K) lines which was a nice bonus. It's a thick volume with high-quality photographs presented in an informative structured, outline. If there's a competing catalog I'd love to see what more can be offered because this one seems to cover it all.



3. This book is a useful reference tool for pricing and a little history of most watch brands.



4. This magazine is a must for all watch collectors. A wise choice and selection to purchase that detail new changes for what is new in the market. A yearly update at your figure tips. An inexpensive purchase through Amazon reduced the news stand price by $12.00. You cannot go wrong. Capitalism lives.



5. An excellent survey of the major European watch manufactures and designers. The graphics are excellent. Very little discussion or writeups on the Asian manufacturers. As someone new to watch collecting I found it fascinating and well worth the modest cost. I loved looking at million dollar watches but I would also like to see writeups and comments on watches costing less than one thousand dollars. I will definitely buy next years edition. Amazon's service was excellent as we have come to expect.

5 comments about Clock Repairing as a Hobby: An Illustrated How-To Guide for the Beginner.

1. This book is a good introduction, and left me wanting to learn more about clock repair.



2. 
   Part of the way into Goodrich's "The Modern Clock," I realized I needed to start with a text that didn't assume the reader already works in a clock repair shop. There being several options, I decided to check a few out of the library before buying. Kelly's "Clock Repairing as a Hobby" was one of the ones that was available. It is definitely better suited to the beginner than Goodrich. It defines many of the parts and describes the workings, and also gives basic advice on how to proceed in clock repairs. I'd rate it as useful, but uneven and insufficient. Some clock parts are mentioned in the text or appear in a drawing (e.g., "cannon pinion") but are never defined. There are drawings of several escapements or striking mechanisms, but the reader is left to imagine how the parts move relative to each other based on the description in the text. For a beginner's book like this one, a drawing showing several states of the mechanism would be much more appropriate. Several basic concepts, like how the "lift" is distributed between the pallet faces and escape gear teeth, or what is meant by the "run of the lock" are never touched on at all! If I hadn't already seen an Internet-based animation of the deadbeat escapement, I wouldn't have a clue how it worked based on the description in Kelly! So I'm going to keep looking for a better book.



3. Book seems fine unless you are looking for a book to repair cuckoo clocks...which I was. I searched for "cuckoo clock repair" and this came up. Seems like a fine book, but is useless to me.



4. The work being reviewed here is the 1972 Edition. There have been two or three reprints of this work throughout the years but about all that has changed is the cover.
   
   There are a couple of considerations that need to be addressed in reviewing this work. First, this is a work, as stated on the cover and in the preface, "....for the beginner." It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that a complete course in clock repair and building can not be covered in 124 pages, and that is 124 pages of a rather small book. Secondly, this book was first published in 1972 which makes it 37 years old at the time of this review. This is okay though due to the fact that most of the clocks targeted in this book are well over 100 years old and the principles and techniques that worked in 1972 still work just as well today. Hey folks, we are not talking about a book here that teaches you to change batteries in ten dollar digital watches. Good grief, throw the bloody thing away and buy a new one (after you properly dispose of the battery of course, and not just send it to the landfill where it will add to the poison that will haunt your great, great, great grandchildren). Once again...this book is strictly for the beginner and concept and theory has not changed in well over 200 years, much less in thirty. The information here is not outdated. Now that being said:
   
   I love this old book. I have been fascinated with clocks since I was a wee one and was the bane of my father's existence as I would dismantle every clock in the house as fast as he could replace them. The problem came in when it was found that I was unable to put them back together. I love niggle little work, fine work, and he use to take me to his office that he shared with my grandfather. It was a dental office and they use to let me practice making dentures, partials, filling pulled teeth, and repairing such. Again, the problem came when I started taking apart their expensive dental equipment (I wanted to see how it worked), and again,I was not real good at putting in back together.
   
   Over the years I have collected old clocks; you know the kind, the wonderful old windups that you found on your grandmothers mantel. I have only one requirement when I purchase these clocks...they must NOT be in working condition! A working clock is a wonderful thing, it is like magic, but it is even more wonderful and wondrous if you know you are the one to make it so, i.e. work.
   
   This little volume covers basic clock movement, both theory and design, and practical clock repairing. I found that the section addressing the pendulum and the various variations of particular use. The author uses simple and for the most part nontechnical language to explain the complex workings of these machines, and explains them at the level that a beginner can easily understand. Wonderfully simple schematic drawings are provided. In the section devoted to the chimes and chiming mechanisms the author has even provided the sheet music for several popular (Whittington chime as an example) sounds. This, to be quite frank, is rather unique.
   
   I love the section devoted to practical repairing. The author has given us a complete rundown on all of the tools needed for your hobby. We also provided with a very nice explanation as to what each tool us used for and how to use it. The author has even gone into quite a bit of detail as to the work bench which (and trust me here) is quite important. The book does discuss the lathe and grinding wheels, but to be honest with you, if the repair requires machining special parts I am way over my head in this area and I simply take that part of the task to a professional.
   
   Now most of what I have learned has been completely self-taught. The author has stressed the importance of cleaning and maintenance. I learned long, long ago that many fine old clock that do not work and have not worked for years upon years can be purchased from the unwary for the price of a few cups of coffee, taken home and given a good cleaning, which takes very little time, and resold for enough to buy whole bunches of other old "broken" clocks! I know, I am a terrible person, but you know, business is business. If this book has one weak area for the beginner or hobbyist, it is the fact that is does not put enough emphasis on cleaning or cleaning techniques. There are other books out there that cover that and of course there is the thrill of simply learning it yourself.
   
   Is this the only book you will need to pursue this hobby? Heavens no! Will this work turn you into a master craftsman or woman overnight in the field of clock repair? Nope! Is this the best book out there for the beginner? I haven't a clue as I have not read all of them or used all of them. Did this book work for me? Yes. It has given me all the basic I needed and I have found that if I need more information I need to find "clock specific" literature on the particular piece I am working on and in many cases have to go directly to the manufacturer. Or I find that being a complete pest pays off big time. When I get in trouble I simply pester local professionals and wheedle information out of them a bit at a time.
   
   Am I good at this hobby? Hardly, there is so much to know and learn, but I do enjoy learning it and I do enjoy fiddling with the things. It is a good thing though that I do not have to make a living working on clocks...there would be great hunger and poverty in the family if I did. Anyway, this is a good book and I do recommend it.
   
   Don Blankenship
   The Ozarks



5. i am sure this book will helpful just haven't got to it yet but sure it will do the trick thank you john

No comments about Wristwatch Annual 2011: The Catalog of Producers, Prices, Models, and Specifications.

5 comments about The Watch.

1. This book is an excellent introduction to the world of fine watches. It will give you a brief history of the watch, and an overview of 50 distinguished producers of men's watches and their signature models. Reading it will enable you to recognize most high profile watch models and follow a conversation about men's watches.
   
   However, in order to contribute to such a conversation you will need to dig deeper. Luckily, this book gives you directions on how to proceed.



2. Please, spare us another walk down the same road. Lots of stock photographs of expensive watches, minimal copy, telling us nothing new or important, reminds me of the endless books that are cranked out about trains, cars, etc. Destined for the sale rack before they are even published. There must be at least twenty or thirty books about watches that could be lined up with this one and who would know the difference. Somebody, do something new and different about a very interesting subject!!!!!!!!!!!!!



3. Well written, nice photos, and lots of useful information (history, glossary, and collecting / buying tips). Fifty bands are covered and undoubtedly some interesting ones are missing but given the number of wristwatch brands available, I don't feel it's reasonable to expect much more in one volume. One reviewer states that this book is nothing more than advertisements. This is simply not true as evidenced by some comments that are clearly critical of a specific brand.
   This book will make an excellent addition to any wristwatch lover's library.
   
   If you're looking for a book to cover many more brands, especially the more obscure, and you don't mind what clearly IS advertising, then try "2010 Wristwatch Annual" It covers what seems to be an endless number of brands with very nice photos, brand history, technical information and list prices. It also has some educational information which is quite useful to collectors and watch buyers in general,



4. I really enjoyed this book. It is a great introduction to watches, covering the history of wristwatches, collecting and maintaining watches, and a profile of some collectors. The 50 brands give a fabulous overview of the industry and the state of the art, but as with any limited list there are some omissions which I was a bit disappointed about. It is a fabulous book that I thoroughly recommend.



5. Since I recently came to be without a timepiece again, and since my knowledge of watches brands is limited to Rolex, Omega, and Swatch, I ordered this book to read up on watches before buying a new one. This book was one of the most entertaining books I recently read, and I must admit I have become a watch fanatic ever since I read it.
   
   Although the introductory history of timekeeping (covering from ancient egypt up to the cell phones of today) is fairly interesting, the most interesting part of the introduction is his comparison of the watch scene with an old European court. This gives a good high-level overview of the most important players, described in the remainder of the book.
   
   The main part of the book consists of a description of 50 of the most notable and famous historical watch brands out there, including their history, relations to other brands, ... These stories (which don't go into too much detail such that they would become boring) are a very interesting read, and serve as an excellent crash course into the world of watches for newcomers like me. However, what really puts the cherry on the cake are undoubtedly the 500 gorgeous high-quality pictures of watches and their movements, depicted in extremely high detail. On any given day, I find it fascinating to pick up the book, flip through the pages, and enjoy just looking at these photos for a while.
   
   The last part of the book focuses on the actual owning, exploring, and collecting of watches. Besides a handful of tips from the author, this part comes with several testimonies from different watch collectors. On top of this, the author created a few top 10s of watches, including "models that everybody should know", "models that are fun to look at", etc., which yet again is very valuable information for the uninitated like me.
   
   You can feel that the author has a passion for watches, knows what he's talking about, and put a lot of love into this book to share his passion and knowledge with the rest of the world. All this makes The Watch both a fascinating and entertaining to read, or, if you don't feel like reading, a nice way to feast your eyes on pretty shiny pictures.
   
   If, like me, you're interested in reading even more about watches after finishing The Watch, I can recommend Cult Watches: The World's Enduring Classics. Instead of discussing the different watch models of a variety brands, Cult Watches picks out 30 specific "cult" watches, and tells the detailed story behind each watch and its manufacturer. Although most of the brands in that book are described in this book as well, some of them that are only mentioned briefly in The Watch are covered in more detail in Cult Watches.

5 comments about The Clock Repairer's Handbook.

1. The Clock Repairer's Handbook by Laurie Penman If you own a goo clock (especially a grandfather clock or other keepsake one) this book is a MUST for you, since clock-repairers are a rare breed in today's world. With the invention of cheap clocks and watches that are easier to throw away than to repair, few people became clock makers, formerly one of the most important crafts in the world. Now, if your heirloom clock ceases to work there is no one to repair it. With this excellent, illustrated, step-by-step guide book, even a novice or beginner can build or repair a clock using the most basic tools which you probably already have in your home. Penman has been repairing clocks for over thirty years and has authored three other books on the subject . The worod is very fortunate that he has shared his expertise in a form that every home can keep, just in case! EXCELLENT!



2. The book arrived quickly, and in good shape. The book has a lot of good information, with clear diagrams.



3. A very concise and detailed book, with many simple graphics but no photographs and certainly not of use to the novice who just wants to clean up and maintain a collection of old clocks.



4. Excellent book!! Very detailed. It will require study, but is easily understood. And it's ALL in there- ftom nubie to expert. I've purchased 5 books, and this is the last one. I'll never need another.



5. Very difficult book to comprehend. Just about useless as an aid to repairing clocks. I think a lot of it has to do with the language gap between American English and what the people in Britain speak. I am sorry I wasted my money on this book.

5 comments about Masters of Contemporary Watchmaking.

1. What drives the craftsmen who actually `make' a watch all by themselves
   
   Masters of Contemporary Watchmaking. By Michael Clerizo. Published 2009 by Thames & Hudson Inc., New York, NY. (USA). ISBN 978 0-500-51485-6. Hardcover, dustjacket, 292 pages, 30x30 cm. 672 illustrations, 493 in color.With a Glossary, Bibliography, Source List and Index. Available through www.amazon.com for $54 plus postage (list price $85.-) or borrow from the NAWCC library.
   
   
   Watchmaker and watchmaking must be two of the words in the English language that are used most frequently in a sense far removed from their original meaning. How many people who are alive today have actually ever `made a watch', all by themselves? A few such people exist; but even if we are generous and do not insist that the individual has also made the case and the dial him- or herself there are precious few.
   
   The book under review explores the achievements of a significant sample from among the few contemporary artisans who actually make watches all by themselves - but more importantly, it tries to answer the question: What drives them in their seemingly quixotic quest? Michael Clerizo has conducted lengthy visits and interviews with 29 independent watch creators, exploring their motivations, their biographies, their work styles, the philosophies behind their products, and he describes the resulting masterpieces. 220 pages of the book are devoted to 11 chapters describing on 20 pages each the 11 craftsmen he found most fascinating, as well as their work. All these chapters are structured identically: Starting with a portrait page, then 8 pages of narrative, followed by 11 pages of large color photographs illustrating the oeuvre. The artists covered here are: George Daniels, Svend Andersen, Vincent Calabrese, Philippe Dufour, Antoine Preziuso, Franck Muller, Aniceto Jimenez Pita, Alain Silberstein, Marco Lang, Vianney Halter and Roger Smith.
   
   The final section of the book contains shorter chapters (either 2 or 4 pages each) on 18 additional craftsmen, who are introduced only through pictures of themselves and their creations, but without a text section. The list here includes Felix Baumgartner, Aaron Becsei, Nicolas Delaloye, Romain Gauthier, Paul Gerber, Greubel Forsey, Richard Habring, Beat Haldimann, J & S McGonigle, Rainer Nienaber, Thomas Prescher, Daniel Roth, Stepan Sarpaneva, Peter Speake-Marin, Andreas Strehler, Christiaan van der Klaauw, Kari Voutilainen, Volker Vyskocil.
   
   The 29 creators covered in this book account only for a miniscule portion of the high-grade watches produced today in the world, but in many ways their stories condense the essence behind the resurgence of the high-grade mechanical watch. The individuals covered range from those who by choice remain single practicioners, who produce less than a handful of pieces a year, to some who have grown into small brands like Silberstein or Franck Muller. But no matter how small or relatively big their businesses are, these craftsmen are all incredibly passionate about their work and hold stong and interesting opinions about contemporary horology.
   
   Unlike other publications on extremely exclusive timepieces this book avoids the platitudes crafted by the image consultants of the brands and rehashed endlessly by their public relations advisers. It speaks in the voice of the creative geniuses behind these innovative watches, and the reader gets a good sense about the personalities involved. This reviewer found the book entertaining, inspirational and educational. It is a large and heavy book, not conducive for bedtime reading. It is also a pretty and nicely designed book, in some regards too much so: The bulk of the text is printed in `white on gold background', admittedly elegant, but rather hard to read in less than perfect lighting conditions. The choice which individuals to cover in this kind of book is a subjective one; this reviewer would have prefered to hear more from the ones doing all the work themselves, and less from makers like Alain Silbersstein and Franck Muller who really belong more to the corporate world than to the sphere of craftsmen. In spite of these shortcomings this title is probably the most engaging description published recently on the smallest, but also most interesting sector of the contemporary watchmaking industry.
   
   Fortunat Mueller-Maerki, Sussex NJ. (May 2010)



2. Very beautiful and heavy book. Loved the text about Daniels. Other parts I find weaker. Summary in the end of many companies are too light i feel. Would like more text.



3. Below is my review. I also did a follow-up interview with the Author (Clerizo), which can be accessed here:
   [...].
   
   Recently, I had the pleasure of reading a copy of Michael Clerizo's Masters of Contemporary Watchmaking. I think it is worth saying up front that I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in fine watches - it was a truly enjoyable and entertaining book. Masters of Contemporary Watchmaking is filled a series of "stand alone" stories about watchmakers and many pictures of their unique watches. Specifically, via a series of interviews with each of the featured individuals, Clerizo takes the reader behind-the-scenes and into the fascinating lives of 11 different watchmakers who represent the finest that the modern day watch industry has to offer.
   
   I enjoyed manner in which Clerizo brings out to the reader the individuality of each of the 11 famous watchmakers. The spectrum of personalities - also fully reflected in the watches they create - is quite evident as one advances through the book. From the staid and practical (George Daniels, Roger Smith, Philippe Dufour, Marco Lang), to the jovial, whimsical, and seemingly carefree (Franck Muller, Vincent Calabrese, Alain Silberstien) to the unconventional even eclectic (Svend Andersen, Vianney Halter, Antoine Preziuso, Aniceto Jiminez Pita), the diversity of talent and vision could not have been better put on display by Clerizo. Perhaps the only commonality amongst all these men is their ablity to create specactular timepieces!
   
   Several other master watchmakers are also profiled, though to a lesser extent, in the latter pages of the book. Even so, there were a few additional names that I think could have been included in the book - Christophe Claret, Maximilian Büsser (MB&F), Jean-François Ruchonnet (Cabestan) are those that come to mind.
   
   The book itself is substantial - 12 x 12 inches - with a beautiful cover featuring a picture of a watch movement made by George Daniels. It makes for a great "coffee table" book, sure to evoke a curious question or start a friendly conversation from even the most shy person or non-watch enthusiast who might be in your company. Most pages of the book are non-glossy white and a bronze-ish color, except at the end of each story there are several glossy pages of beautiful photos of the watches as made by each watchmaker. I think Clerizo would have been better off using glossy paper throughout the book, as the bronze/white text was sometimes difficult to read.
   All in all, Masters of Contemporary Watchmaking is a well written and worthy read for any watch owner, collector or enthusiast.



4. Let me start by simply stating that I love watches. I have an obsession. It's an obsession that cannot be overcome by just buying more watches either. And, books like this do not help...
   
   This book is truly spectacular. The sheer size and weight alone is impressive enough. The images depicted are something you just can't get by looking at or in a watch. Nor can you get such great information about some of the greatest living watchmakers of our time. The author did a terrific job of capturing each of the watchmakers stories. Including very candid information from such controversial masters such as Franck Muller.
   
   A good portion of this book provides a deep look into the minds of several great watchmakers. In addition, towards the end, several other watchmakers are introduced as are their time pieces. Speaking of the time pieces, the images provide very large and high resolution views of some amazing movements. One can quickly forget how small the parts are when viewing at such a large scale.
   
   If you have a passion for watches, then you cannot go wrong by buying this book. If you have a love of anything mechanical, then you will quickly learn to appreciate the fine art of watchmaking.



5. Great watches are usually the end of a story rather than the story itself. It is how the watch came into being; the thought process; the trials and tribulations of the man - and up until now it has usually been a man - behind the watch that provides the raison d'être of the watch itself. Giant leaps in technology have less impact without the human touch: sending a probe to Mars is impressive, but landing a man on the moon was breathtaking.
   
   Watchmaking is no different. To understand sublime timepieces you have to understand something of great watchmakers; however, that isn't always easy. Master watchmakers tend to either work for large brands, where their roles are hidden under layers of marketing fluff, or as independents, where they likely to have little or marketing presence at all. And in both cases, when we do manage to learn a little in an article or press release, it is often too shallow and product orientated to reveal much of the watchmaker himself.
   
   Masters of Contemporary Watchmaking provides an in-depth insight into 12 great watchmakers - George Daniels, Svend Andersen, Vincent Calabrese, Philippe Dufour, Antoine Preziuse, Franck Muller, Aniceto Pita, Alain Silberstein, Marco Lang, Vianney Halter and Roger Smith- through revealing interviews and lots of photographs, many of which are published for the first time in this book, that would by itself make the book a must have for any watch aficionado, but there's more . . .
   
   It also provides an window into the wider world of independent watchmaking, with pages devoted to Felix Baumgartner, Aaron Beçsei, Nicolas Delaloye, Romain Gauthier, Paul Gerber, Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey, Richard Habring, Beat Haldimann, John and Stephen McGonigle, Rainer Neinaber, Thomas Prescher, Daniel Roth, Stepan Sarpaneva, Peter Speake-Marin, Andreas Strehler, Christian van der Klaauw, Kari Voutilainen and Volker Vyskocil.
   
   If you appreciate fine watchmaking, this is a book that you will read over and over and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

2 comments about The History of Watches.

1. If for any reason you like watches this is a must have book. Very well illustrated.



2. In "The History Of Watches", author David Thompson (Curator of the Horological collections in the Department of Prehistory & Europe at the British Museum) collaborates with Saul Peckham (a photographer for the British Museum for twenty years) to produce a visually stunning, highly informative, authoritative overview of timepieces ranging over the past five hundred years. Every variety of watch is represented from 16th century early stackfeed watchers, to the precision chronometers of the 18th and 19th centuries, to the mass-produced watchers of the 20th century. More than 80 watches are discussed in detail with a text that is wonderfully enhanced with more than 250 finely detailed photographs featuring all aspects of watches from their outer casings to their inner workings. "The History Of Watches" is a welcome addition to any personal, academic, or community library reference collection. Also highly recommended from Abbeville Press for watch collectors, dealers, and enthusiasts are to previously published works: Stefan Muser and Michael Horlbeck's "Classic Wristwatches 2008-2009: The Price Guide for Vintage Watch Collectors" (9780789209351, $35.00), and Peter Braun's "Wristwatch Annual 2008: The Catalog of Producers, Prices, Models and Specifications" (9780789209313, $35.00).

5 comments about Vintage Wristwatches.

1. For the money, I guess this book is okay. However be warned that it is filled with more errors than the proverbial early Mets game (pace the late Bill Macy). Of the brands that I know rather well (Hamilton, Rolex, Omega) I spotted so many errors per page that I was actually beginning to become nauseous. I am referring to inaccurate (sometimes laughably so) companies' histories, listed dates of production, model names (if even given), and estimated value. Now, regarding the values listed for each watch, these appear to be at least 80% of the time rather off the mark, sometimes way off; I suspect that the author herself knows little about these from a collector's standpoint, and was misled either by dealers who clearly wanted to inflate the values of certain watches they often feature on their websites, or misled by inaccurate guides which tend to only list wholesale (not collectors') values (like the Shugart). Thus we get incongruities like an original Hamilton Piping Rock valued at only $1000 (a realistic collectors' value for one in excellent condition is more like $1500; dealers often charge 2000-3000); and a Rolex Skyrocket valued at $2250, about twice what it's realistically worth. Then there are the few outright fakes (like the "Rolex Tudor" with inaccurate and inappropriate "California" dial which is the bane of eBay) and poorly refinished dials included. Why, for goodness sake?
   
   Still, for all my complaints, it is a nice coffee table book, with excellent photos and paper quality.



2. Reyne Haines did it again! The is a wonderful book for the collector or dealer, well illustrated and comprehensive.



3. I've been collecting watches for about 20 years, ever since I received my grandfather's Hamilton when he passed away. When I ordered this title from Amazon I was immediately pleased. Beautiful watches and lovely design make this hardcover book the favorite of my library. Simply put, the pages are as attractive as the watches, which I appreciate. If you enjoy the beauty of watches you'll enjoy this book.



4. Reyne Haines' book is full of up-to-date information for all watch collectors. Great color photos/high quality images throughout.



5. Reyne Haines has delivered a great book on vintage wristwatches.
   
   Highest class production values, 1200 excellent photos with prices, both ladies and men's watches and a description about each manufacturer.