It’s a wintery Sunday morning, the coffee is freshly brewed and you’re ready to kick back and put your feet up. All you need now is the perfect reading material. The Sunday paper? Car magazine? Holiday brochure? Or how about one of the best watch books every enthusiast should read.
A good book is often described as a page turner but the watches and imagery in our selection of best watch books tend to have the opposite effect. Readers beware you may find yourself staring for hours at images of vintage Daytonas and hand finished guilloché dials.
A Man and His Watch by Matt Hranek, £25.69
Think of this book as a selection of short stories. Each story tells of the connection between a man and his most important watch. The stories range from the well documented, including Paul Newman and his infamous Daytona, to the prized possessions of sports stars, musicians and watch industry heavyweights.
Where this book impresses is in showing the stories that accompany the watches as much as the watches themselves. It explains why each individual holds a specific watch in such sentimental proportions. And it’s never about value. There are stories about iconic Rolex and Patek Philippe watches of course, but also Casio, Tag Heuer and Timex. Reading through A Man and His Watch you’ll learn that what makes a watch special is your own personal experience.
Available at Amazon.
The Wristwatch Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Mechanical Wristwatches by Ryan Schmidt, £50
As the name suggests, if you want to know the ins and outs of how a mechanical watch works then this is the book for you. It’s a hefty hardback that will look right at home on the coffee table and is best read in small doses. Comprehensive is the optimal word in the title. The book covers everything from the basics of a mechanical movement to the witchcraft behind flying tourbillons. What is most impressive is the imagery that accompanies almost every page and helps guide us novices through the intricate details of mechanical watches.
The superpower of The Wristwatch Handbook is that it doesn’t read like a textbook. It’s written for the watch lover who simply wants to educate themselves and learn more about their passion. What you’ll learn from this book will depend on how deep down the rabbit hole you want to go. On the one hand if you want to be able to explain in detail the operation of a fusee and chain transmission The Wristwatch Handbook can give you that. On the other hand, if you simply want to be able to look at a movement and impress friends by naming different components then it’s great for that too.
Available at Black Bough.
Rare Watches: Explore the World’s Most Exquisite Timepieces by Paul Miquel, £38.15
A glimpse into the watches you’re likely never going to see and many you probably didn’t even know existed. The Rare Watches book covers over 50 of the world’s most desirable watches. Each watch covered in the book has its own story to tell about how it came into existence or what makes it so unique. From technological firsts to auction house record setters, Paul Miquel deep dives into them all with some incredible photography to match.
If you want any further justification for the credentials of this best watch book, Rare Watches has forewords from Jean Claude Biver (ex. Tag Heuer and Hublot CEO) and Aurel Bacs (Christie’s and Phillips auctioneer). So don’t just take our word for it. A skim through the pages and you’ll have learned about some of the most important watches in history, why they are so coveted and why you’ll likely never be able to see them.
Available at Amazon.
A Grand Complication: The Race to Build The World’s Most Complicated Watch by Stacey Perman, £14.26
The only book on our list of best watch books that can be classed as a novel. It tells the true story of two wealthy watch collectors who battled to create the most complicated watch of its time. Taking 8 years to make and containing 24 complications, this book covers the chaos of the Patek Philippe SuperComplication, one of the most important watches in history.
Even once the watch was finished the story didn’t end, it briefly disappeared for several years only to reappear at auction in 1999 where it sold for a then record fee of $11million. The most captivating aspect of this book is the level of historical detail and accuracy required in order to tell the true story and not a version of fiction. We all love a good watch story and this might be the best of them all.
Available at Amazon.
Watchmaking by George Daniels, £49.65
One of the most definitive watchmaking books from a true watchmaking legend. George Daniels first published his Watchmaking exploits in 1981 and today it is still regarded as a classic for any budding watch maker or enthusiast who wants to tinker. Where this book differs from The Wristwatch Handbook above is that it goes beyond how a watch works and covers some of the more practical topics including machines, tools and finishing techniques.
Overall, Watchmaking by George Daniels is the bible for anyone who wants to learn about watchmaking. It’s filled with photos of Daniels own workshop and his own equipment, a real window into what it takes to create your own watch. What you can learn from this book is endless, such is the detail that it covers. Its chapters range from case making, to movement design, hand tools and jewelling so whatever aspect of watchmaking interests you, most chances are you’ll find it in here.
Available at Amazon.
Oyster Perpetual Submariner. The Watch That Unlocked The Deep by Nicholas Foulkes, £71.68
Rolex is perhaps the most written about watch brand in the world with many books boasting their name. However, none of these has ever been officially endorsed by Rolex. Therefore, our final best watch book has to be the first ever official Rolex book. Oyster Perpetual Submariner marks the first in what is likely to be a series of books dedicated to Rolex’s most prestigious models.
This book dives deep into the iconic model covering the history of the first divers watch certified to a depth of 100m. You’ll learn everything about the manufacture of the Submariner as well as the evolution of the model’s design, all accompanied with some incredible archive photography. And as it was only released in September 2024 it would make an ideal Christmas gift for the Rolex lover in your life.
Available at Amazon.
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