Books › Swiss timepiece makers, 1775-1975
Swiss timepiece makers, 1775-1975
First published 1997
A monumental, deeply satisfying deep-dive into the granular history of timekeeping craftsmanship.
What it feels like
To open this monumental two-volume set is to step into a quiet, meticulously organized archive dedicated to the mastery of time. The reading experience is inherently meandering; it is not a book you rush through, but rather a vast landscape of data you wander, dipping into the histories of obscure founders and legendary manufacturers alike. The mood is deeply studious and reverent, wrapped in the quiet thrill of discovery that only true collectors and researchers know. Its prose is crisp, factual, and encyclopedic, prioritizing exhaustive clarity over narrative flourish. For the dedicated horologist or vintage watch enthusiast, it feels less like reading a standard history and more like holding a definitive, tangible piece of horological heritage in your hands.
- Mood
- studious
- quiet
- archival
- precise
- Tone
- authoritative
- meticulous
- scholarly
- objective
- Pace
- meandering
- Themes
- horological history · meticulous craftsmanship · archival preservation · industrial evolution
- The writing
- Crisp, factual, and highly structured, delivering exhaustive historical data with encyclopedic clarity.
- The arc
- The reader moves from specific curiosity to a sweeping, reverent appreciation for centuries of dedicated craftsmanship.
- Who it's for
- Dedicated horologists, vintage watch collectors, and researchers who find joy in granular, definitive historical records.
About the book
Two-volume, slip-cased set, 6" x 9" hardcover, 1,776 pages, over 1,500 black and white illustrations, and over 8,500 entries. Kathleen Pritchard, one of the world's foremost horological researchers, compiled the first authoritative and complete encyclopedia of Swiss watch and clock manufacturers. The two volumes cover 200 years and entries are alphabetically listed. Entries include the following: names of makers, founders, spin-off companies from the same family, dates, types of timepieces made, important peripheral information, informational sources, geographic location of the company, variations in the company's name, brand and model names, U.S. import codes, trademarks, and a history of the company.
Description from Open Library.
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