A Reference · 1950 — 1999
Watch.
An historic overview of the evolution of the modern wristwatch — from the first electric balance-wheel movements to the quartz era. Five parts, one hundred and forty entries, six hundred and fifty plates.
An historic overview of the evolution of the modern wristwatch — from the first electric balance-wheel movements to the quartz era. Five parts, one hundred and forty entries, six hundred and fifty plates.
WATCH is an important book which covers the technical and historical development of the modern wrist watch. In its 256 pages, WATCH includes 650 full-colour illustrations photographed by the famous Dutch photographer Erik Hesmerg. WATCH is the first published and internationally released work of reference on this topic.
The book is divided into two sections. Firstly, an historic overview of the evolution of the modern wristwatch between the years 1950 and 1994 — the artists who designed watches many years before the introduction of the highly successful Swatch watch. Secondly, the development of the electric and electronic wrist watch in historical perspective. From the first battery-powered watch with a balance wheel and mechanical contacts, through the development of the tuning fork watch, the transistorised watches with balance, and finally the quartz watches.
Since collectables need collectors and collectors need reference works, Pieter Doensen has taken up the challenge to provide them with the first comprehensive study of the collectable modern wrist watch.— Foreword
The author spent fifteen years accumulating the information included in this book. He visited not only the centres of the watch industry to study their archives but also factories, museums, watch collectors, artists and designers; original data was obtained from many of the latter.
Important institutions — including the Goud Zilver en Klokken Museum of Schoonhoven (the Netherlands), the Horological Museum of La Chaux-de-Fonds (Switzerland), and the Museum of the Japanese Seiko Corporation — have enthusiastically contributed by offering original material for publication.
