Books about watches general fall into two categories: hardcore manuals filled with esoteric lexicon and intricate specifications, and artistic collections of stunning visuals and watch porn.
If you’re a normal person with a general interest in vintage watches, ideally, you want something that falls in between the two.
You want an understandable guide that gives you an insight into the history and details of watches, but at the same time something that appreciates the beauty of watches and the whole art of measuring time.
There aren’t many such books around, but they do exist. We rounded them all up, reviewed them, and put together this short but sweet list of some of the best vintage watch books ever published.
The Watch Book, Gisbert Brunner
The Watch Book by Gisbert Brunner, watch collector and journalist, is exactly what you’d expect it to be — a book about watches. But it’s not just any book about watches; it’s one of the most comprehensive and beautiful explorations of time and watchmaking ever made.
From an initial discussion on the meaning of time and its measurement using gears and hands, to the biographies of over eighteen of the world’s leading watch manufacturers and a look at where the industry is at today, the watch book has it all. One of the best vintage watch books for enthusiasts and novices alike, and a great addition to any coffee table.
100 Years of Vintage Watches, Dean Judy
A prominent horologist and author, Dean Judy takes us through a century of vintage watches in over a thousand photos in his aptly named book, 100 Years of Vintage Watches.
A guide on watches made between 1870 and 1970 — the most popular century for vintage watch enthusiasts — Judy lays out all their details along with helpful tips on what to go for and what to avoid. It’s as stunning as it is practical, and as it covers examples from over fifty watchmakers, as well as before and after photos of vintage restorations, it is a must for anyone serious about vintage watches.
Vintage Rolex Sports Models, Martin Skeet
It’s rare that a specific subset of watches demands a book of its own, but to cover the range of vintage sport Rolexes — including models such as the Sea-Dweller, Explorer, Cosmography, and Submariner — a whole series wouldn’t be enough.
Discussing models from 1952 to 1990, Vintage Rolex Sports Models by Martin Skeet, a long-term collector of vintage sport Rolexes, and Nick Urul, an internationally revered watch dealer, provides an essential overview for anyone interested in vintage Rolexes and watches in general. Through a chronological exploration of watch models, the pair take you through clear and useful information on development to prices, and everything in between.
The Beauty of Time, Francios Chaille
Francios Chaille is the author of many leading watch books, and in The Beauty of Time, he lays out two hundred of the most beautiful he’s ever come across using incredible photography and elegant, in-depth descriptions.
Pendulum, pocket, mechanical, and wrist; Chaille’s horological exploration spans timepieces from the Middle Ages right up to 2018. Overall, the book reveals how much value we give to our most valuable gift — time — and is as fascinating for horological historians as it is for art aficionados. If you get one vintage watch book on this list, for its photography and universal appeal, make it The Beauty of Time.
