This antiquarian volume contains a short account of some of the curiosities of the mechanical details of watches, with supplementary information on their history, development, popularity, and much more besides. Written in clear, concise language and full of interesting facts and information about the intricate machinations of timepieces, this little text will be of much value to the watch enthusiast, and makes for a wonderful addition to any personal library. Many older works such as this are increasingly hard-to-come-by and expensive, and it is with this in mind that this work is being republished now in an affordable modern edition, complete with a new introduction on the history of clocks and watches.

This antiquarian volume contains a beginner's guide to watches, being an accessible and simplified description of the mechanics of wrist and pocket watches together with information on the history of their development. Written in clear, plain language and full of useful hints and clear explanations, this text is ideal for those with an interest in the workings of timepieces but who have little previous experience. The chapters of this book include: Mechanical Details of Watches — Divisions in the Watchmaking Trade — Watch Chain — Hair Spring — Ticks of a Watch — Watch Glasses — A Good Watchmaker — Swiss Watches — Watches Imported into England — Duties on Watches, etcetera. We are republishing this vintage book now in an affordable, modern edition complete with a new introduction on the history of clocks and watches.

'The Wristwatch Handbook' provides the reader with a comprehensive anatomy of the mechanical wristwatch; every conceivable function and form. It is the foundational text for the novice and the reference book for the seasoned enthusiast. Where other books about watches focus on advising the collector, on a single brand, or on a timeline of key historical figures and events, 'The Wristwatch Handbook' takes a detailed look at mechanical wristwatch complications (functions) and leaves no stone unturned. The reader will gain the ability to identify a complicated watch from twenty paces and perform a top-to-bottom assessment of even the most exotic timepiece in a matter of seconds. Despite the functional obsolescence of the mechanical wristwatch (our phones, computers, even microwaves tell more accurate time), there are more varieties of mechanical watches available than ever before. Today, innovation is no longer exclusively preoccupied with accuracy; pioneer manufacturers are also exploring friction reduction, anti-magnetism, scratch resistance, dial decoration, exotic materials and so on.

Two wealthy and powerful men engage in a decades-long contest to create and possess the most remarkable watch in history. James Ward Packard of Warren, Ohio, was an entrepreneur and a talented engineer of infinite curiosity, a self-made man who earned millions from his inventions, including the design and manufacture of America’s first luxury car—the elegant and storied Packard. Henry Graves, Jr., was the very essence of blue-blooded refinement in the early 1900s: son of a Wall Street financier, a central figure in New York high society, and a connoisseur of beautiful things—especially fine watches. Then, as now, expensive watches were the ultimate sign of luxury and wealth, but in the early twentieth century the limitless ambition, wealth, and creativity of these two men pushed the boundaries of mathematics, astronomy, craftsmanship, technology, and physics to create ever more ingenious timepieces. In any watch, features beyond the display of hours, minutes, and seconds are known as “complications.” Packard and Graves spurred acclaimed Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe to create the Mona Lisa of timepieces—a fabled watch that incorporated twenty-four complications and took nearly eight years to design and build. For the period, it was the most complicated watch ever created. For years it disappeared, but then it surfaced at a Sotheby’s auction in 1999, touching off a heated bidding war, shattering all known records when it fetched $11 million from an anonymous bidder. New York Times bestselling author Stacy Perman takes us from the clubby world of New York high society into the ateliers of the greatest Swiss watchmakers, and into the high-octane, often secretive subculture of modern-day watch collecting. With meticulous research, vivid historical details, and a wealth of dynamic personalities, A Grand Complication is the fascinating story of the thrilling duel between two of the most intriguing men of the early twentieth century. Above all, it is a sweeping chronicle of innovation, the desire for beauty, and the lengths people will go to possess it.