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If you’re anything like me, there’s no such thing as too many books. They add interest to a coffee table, brighten up a shelf and they’re pretty fun to read too. Watch collecting and book collecting really go hand in hand. Every year, there are gorgeous and informative titles dropping from beloved brands and industry experts. Whether you enjoy casually perusing pages of stunning photos or actually want to dive deep into history, watch books deliver. Here are ten of the best to hit the shelves in 2023.
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Patek Philippe: Investing in Wristwatches
Image Credit: ACC Art Books To kick off our compilation we have a title for the true collector, one who views their watches as an investment like art or fine wine. Here, you get an in-depth look at the value of timepieces from one of the most prominent makers in the industry. It includes a curated selection of Patek models notable for their technical excellence, auction records, design and anecdotal history. For each, you get a beautiful photo, reference and sales values along with a comparative analysis of auction results, compiled through close collaboration with Sotheby’s.
Buy Now on Amazon: From $69.77
Buy Now on ACC Art Books: $95
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Rolex Philosophy
Image Credit: ACC Art Books This next title is for the ultimate Rolex devotee. From inception to present day, you can trace the evolution of the most influential brand in watchmaking. This book combines images, direct testimonials, unpublished interviews, contemporaneous ads, archive materials, technical details, auction results and more to paint a picture of what has made Rolex the powerhouse it is today.
Buy Now on Amazon: From $65
Buy Now on ACC Art Books: $65
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Bulgari: Beyond Time
If you want a showpiece for your coffee table or mantle, look no further than Bulgari’s latest title. This book is worth its weight in gold, quite literally, and will instantly serve as a conversation starter at your next gathering. Amid page after page of larger-than-life images, you’ll find insightful essays on each collection from folks like Christie’s famed jewelry auctioneer Rahul Kadakia and nine-time Olympic gold-medalist Carl Lewis.
Buy Now on Assouline: $250
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What Time is It?
Image Credit: Watch Print If you’ve ever questioned whether watches are a way to deeply connect with other humans, you need to pick up this book. For over a decade, Swiss photographer Karine Bauzin traveled to 20 countries and spoke to roughly 200 people asking one simple question: what time is it? The result is the captivating photo journal that perfectly illustrates the universality of timekeepers. As an added bonus, the book comes to life in a traveling exhibition that left Geneva last month and is currently on display in Shanghai.
Buy Now on Watch Print: CHF30 (About $30)
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Patek Philippe: The Impossible Collection
Image Credit: Assouline Here’s a second offering for the fans of Patek. You may be familiar with Assouline’s “The Impossible Collection” series which has included brands like Rolex, Cartier, and Chanel. Now, you get the same deep dive into the world of Patek over the brand’s rich, 184-year history. In this retrospective, you can explore Patek’s most iconic timepieces and record-setting innovations, including exclusive photographs from prominent collectors.
Buy Now on Assouline: $1200
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The Watch Book: Oris and the Watchmaking History of Switzerland
Image Credit: Amazon Next up, we have the latest installment in “The Watch Book” series, marking the first coffee table tome dedicated to the brand Oris. This volume explores the rich history of watchmaking in Switzerland through the lens of Oris, a brand that offers a unique perspective for its down-to-earth values, independence, and exclusive production of mechanical watches.
Buy Now on Amazon: $65
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Premier Story: Breitling Premier, Duograph and Datora
Image Credit: Watch Print For lovers of the chronograph, you can go on a journey through Breitling’s work with the complication alongside its foremost collector and brand historian. This title traces the history of Breitling’s chronographs through three generations of family leadership. Each page is filled with exquisite photography, rarely-seen archival pieces, and a comprehensive dating-and-authentication guide for collectors.
Buy Now on Watch Print: CHF59 (About $65)
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The Dial: The Face of the Wristwatch in the 20th Century
Image Credit: Watch Print True watch nerds will appreciate the depth of this intricate reference book exploring the focal point of every watch: the dial. Here, you get a comprehensive look at the art of dial making from simple silver decoration with printed hour markers to complex and unique cloisonné-champlevé enamel dials. The book is divided into three sections, first exploring the famous Geneva dial maker Stern and then closely looking at the processes required to produce a dial. The final portion culminates in a selection of dials from iconic watches.
Buy Now on Watch Print: CHF380 (About $425)
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The Cartier Tank Watch
Image Credit: Rizzoli The Cartier Tank is perhaps one of the most iconic watches ever created and has rightfully earned a cult following. For lovers of this unmistakable design, here’s an ode to the Tank. Throughout this title, you’ll find extensive archival documents along with previously unpublished photographs that highlight the most significant Tank watches and their technical characteristics as well as famous wearers of the emblematic model.
Buy Now on Amazon: From $61.71
Buy Now on Rizzoli: $85
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Royal Oak 39: The Book
Image Credit: Rizzoli There are loads of books devoted to the Royal Oak and for good reason. It’s a model that arguably defined the sport watch category when it first debuted in 1972. Here, you get a tribute to that rich history from the perspective of collectors and enthusiasts around the globe. This includes over 100 rare versions of the Royal Oak from prestigious collections fully photographed and detailed.
Buy Now on Amazon: From $118.40
Buy Now on Rizzoli: $195
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