Watches

Authors: Cecil Clutton & George Daniels

320 pages, over 600 illustrations

A long-awaited reprint of an important illustrated reference work on the general history of the watch from 1500 to 1980.

When Watches was first published in 1965 it quickly gained for itself a reputation as the foremost general history of the subject and, following the expanded edition in 1979 which covered recent years past 1830, this has remained unchallenged.

In this long-awaited reprinted edition, collectors and horological students can again make use of the reference illustrations and history in this work as approached by the leading horology historians and clockmakers of the twentieth century. Clutton and Daniels write expertly on the vast history of watches, through the changing tastes and styles of collectors and makers, as well as imparting their own knowledge on various technical aspects within the watches.

The expansive historical section encompasses both decorative and mechanical aspects of mid-sixteenth to late twentieth century watches, including those by George Daniels himself, detailing the rich history behind more modern designs and fascinations. These later years include a variety of semi-experimental escapements, as well as covering the development of the precision watch and work leading to it by Ferdinand Berthoud and Pierre Le Roy, discussed alongside John Arnold in England, to satisfy the technical-minded collector.

Horology and collecting have grown with the changing technologies, and watches continue to be produced to an exceptional technological standard. Precision watches from the 1730-1930 period are covered in detail, as well as high standard Swiss and American watches of the last hundred years; these highly complicated watches benefit greatly from having both colour and black & white illustrations to clarify the details. For a truly comprehensive understanding of escapements, photographs of these have been included alongside a critical approach to this essential mechanism.

Since its first publication, Watches has provided an essential work of reference and history behind some of the most renowned minds and creations. Now reprinted for a new generation of collectors and students, and featuring over 600 illustrations, the technical and decorative elements of historical watches can be studied and enjoyed once more.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword by Jonathan Betts
Preface
Colour Plates
	HISTORICAL
	Mechanical 1500-1750
		The invention of watches
		Fusee and stackfreed
		The movement and its decoration up to 1675
		Mean time regulation before the balance spring
		General characteristics and national styles
		The balance spring 1675-1700
		The movement 1675-1700
		The movement 1700-1750
		Decoration of the movement 1675-1700
	The beginnings of the precision watch and the modern watch
		The formative years of the precision watch
		John Harrison
		Pierre Le Roy
		Ferdinand Berthoud
		John Arnold
		Thomas Mudge
		Josiah Emery
		Abraham-Louis Breguet
		Thomas Earnshaw
		The birth of the modern watch: Lepine and Breguet
	The development of the watch since 1800
	Decorative
		Types of decoration
		Enamel
		Style of watch cases and dials up to 1750
		Some unusual forms of dial
		Styles of watch cases and dials 1750-1830
	Performance of early watches
	TECHNICAL
	Introduction
	Shock-proofing
	Tourbillons
	Escapements
		Verge
		Cylinder
		Virgule
		Duplex
		Chronometer
		'Échappement naturel'
		Lever
		Robin
		Debaufre
		Fasoldt
		J. F. Cole rotary detent
	Repeaters
	Clock-watches
	Self-winding watches
	Stop-watches and chronographs
Monochrome plates
APPENDIX
Biographical notes
Glossary of technical terms
Bibliography
Acknowledgements
Index