The Watch Book

Product Description The Watch Book I and II in one volume: Expansive knowledge from renowned watch expert and historian Gisbert L. Brunner alongside almost 1,000 high-quality color photographs brings together the latest innovations and most important names in top-end timekeeping under one roof.Few objects combine function, elegance, and status as well as a wristwatch. A blend of precise mechanics, craftsmanship, fine materials, and innovation distinguishes the truly superlative examples. With so-called smart watches playing a larger role, the world of watches is in transition. However, classic timepieces with mechanical movement will not disappear from people's wrists, because the ticking of a mechanical watch has been and will continue to be the heartbeat of human culture.After their individual success, the bestsellers The Watch Book I and The Watch Book II are finally available together in one comprehensive volume. Readers can feast their eyes and minds on a magnificently-illustrated and well-documented chronicle of the world's best timepieces. Portraits of more than 40 watch brands, from premium manufacturers Patek Philippe, Rolex, and Cartier to watches from the ""affordable luxury"" segment, right up to timepieces from the chronometric creme de la creme. We explore their unique features and quirks and learn about the remarkable breakthroughs and exclusive technical developments that have contributed to the history of the watch.This volume also includes a helpful glossary of important terms, making it an absolute must for both timepiece experts and collectors and those new to the world of watch artistry. About the Author Gisbert Brunner, born in 1947, has been working with wristwatches, pendulum clocks, and other precision timekeeping instruments since 1964. During the quartz watch crisis in the 1970s, he discovered a new love for mechanical timepieces as well. His talent and passion for collecting chronographs led him to publish his first articles on the subject in magazines including GQ, ZEIT Magazine and Chronos in the 1980s. He has since written more than 20 books about every aspect of the field.Munich—based journalist and author Christian Pfeiffer—Belli is Editor—in—Chief of the German antique watch magazine Klassik Uhren (Classic Watches). Established in 1978, Klassik Uhren appears every other month as the only German—Language magazine that deals exclusively with classic watches.