A rich history history of the Illinois Watch Company, and record of nearly every wristwatch design they ever created, and their variations, in beautiful full color photographs. Each is accompanied by complete information about the watch and its production.
“I’ve paged through stacks of books on the history of watches. . . . But I hadn’t come across a book that actually moved me until I picked up A Man and His Watch. The volume is filled with heartfelt stories.” —T: The New York Times Style Magazine "There are a bunch of beautifully illustrated watch books out there, but A Man & His Watch by Matt Hranek is more than that. It speaks to the nature of watches as deeply personal items." —Gear Patrol, Coffee Table Books Our Staff Can’t Live Without Paul Newman wore his Rolex Daytona every single day for 35 years until his death in 2008. The iconic timepiece, probably the single most sought-after watch in the world, is now in the possession of his daughter Clea, who wears it every day in his memory. Franklin Roosevelt wore an elegant gold Tiffany watch, gifted to him by a friend on his birthday, to the famous Yalta Conference where he shook the hands of Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill. JFK’s Omega worn to his presidential inauguration, Ralph Lauren’s watch purchased from Andy Warhol’s personal collection, Sir Edmund Hillary’s Rolex worn during the first-ever summit of Mt. Everest . . . these and many more compose the stories of the world’s most coveted watches captured in A Man and His Watch. Matthew Hranek, a watch collector and NYC men’s style fixture, has traveled the world conducting firsthand interviews and diving into exclusive collections to gather the never-before-told stories of 76 watches, completed with stunning original photography of every single piece. Through these intimate accounts and Hranek’s storytelling, the watches become more than just timepieces and status symbols; they represent historical moments, pioneering achievements, heirlooms, family mementos, gifts of affection, and lifelong friendships.
With 100% new content and more than 400 gorgeous color photos, Warman's Watches Field Guide is the essential portable guide to one of the hottest collecting categories. This book covers more than 100 years of watches from more than 50 watch manufactures, including famous Swiss (Patek Phillipe, Cyma, Rolex, Omega, Breitling) and American (Bulova, Illinoins, Eligin, Hamilton) companies. Each listing from these companies, and others, features a detailed description and accurate pricing information, along with photos of near-mint versus the average watch, all of which will be aiding you in identifying and valuing their own collections.