The Watch: A Twentieth Century Style History

Now repackaged in an attractive and great value-for-money format, this overview of twentieth-century horology combines stunning pictures of the most covetable time-pieces with the unparalleled expertise of a world-renowned vintage watch dealer.

This impeccably researched and lavishly illustrated book traces the evolution of the watch across the twentieth century. It charts the early rise of the wristwatch, shows how the cataclysmic events of the 1929 Wall Street Crash unexpectedly led to a golden age of watch production, and demonstrates how the electronic watch, which almost destroyed the traditional industry, led to a mechanical watch renaissance in the last part of the century.

Each chapter focuses on a specific decade, opening with an introduction to the era’s stylistic and design highlights and then examines the development of specific genres of watches.

Hundreds of color photographs include full-page close ups that reveal intricate details of form, texture, and design. Alexander Barter’s vast knowledge informs his gripping texts, which discuss the major achievements in watch technology and design. This book also includes vintage advertisements and other promotional materials, helping to give a sense of the eras in which they were created.

The perfect gift for watch aficionados, this beautiful and informative volume presents the world’s finest watches with an elegance and depth befitting its subject.

ALEXANDER BARTER spent more than a decade at Sotheby’s watch division, becoming its Deputy Worldwide Head in 2005. In 2009 he founded his own company, Black Bough--a leading retailer of vintage watches. He is Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, the oldest surviving horological institution in the world.