A celebration of the Omega Seamaster watch’s seventieth anniversary with exclusive photographs that truly bring the legendary timepiece to life. When the Swiss watchmaker Omega debuted its Seamaster diving watch in 1948, the house proved that functionality and style could coexist. This luxurious volume marks seventy years of Seamaster, exploring the model’s excellent craftsmanship, evolving design, and enduring charm. Inspired by the waterproof wristwatches of World War II, the Seamaster appealed to active individuals desiring a watch for “town, sea, and country”—a heritage that shines through today. A precious collectible object, this tome features never-before-seen photographs of vintage and contemporary Seamasters, as well as different shades of paper. For those who appreciate fine timepieces and extraordinary pieces of bookmaking, this new edition is bound to delight.
John Goldberger has been collecting and studying vintage watches for over 25 years, which means he's spent many happy hours at jewelers' shops, flea markets, conventions and auctions around the world. His comprehensive and detailed illustrated book on the Omega family of Swiss timepieces is an indispensable asset to others who share his obsession, and to those who would love to--to armchair collectors. Omega Watches covers the history of more than 240 vintage models, with emphasis on their outer aspects--including the shape and outline of each case and its dial and movements, which are governing features for the collector, as well as clues to exceptional internal design. Goldberg has created a beautiful visual guide to Omega timepieces from the classic pocketwatch to the modern chronograph. Starting with the first models of the past century, Omega Watches displays the beauty, complexity and the collectibility of classic watches such as the Speedmaster, first produced in 1957, and the Seamaster, both of which are still produced today. All examples depicted are from private collections.
Omega was entrusted with timekeeping at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1932 and has since been the official timekeeper at 22 Olympics. That association has led to more than half a century of pioneering developments in timers and watches, from the first water-resistant photoelectric cell to the first photo-finish camera (an innovation that resolved the problem of group finishes in track events), and contact pads inside the pool at swimming competitions. They have continued to innovate, most recently with real time results online, available as soon as a swimmer hits the pool wall at the end of a lap. Yet it is the most tangible, touchable, wearable results of all this that brings Omega watches from the workplaces of athletes (including Michelle Wie and Michael Phelps) into the homes of design aficionados. John Goldberger, the editor of Omega Watches and Longines Watches here presents more than 50 years of rare and beautiful sport designs from the Omega line.
"Initially designed for automobile racing teams and engineers, the OMEGA Speedmaster embarked on a very different trajectory when NASA chose it to accompany astronauts heading for the Moon in 1965. Its involvement in the space adventure has propelled the Moonwatch to the top of the list of celebrated timepieces. After years of research and observation, the authors present a complete panorama of the Moonwatch in a systematic work that is both technical and attractive, making it the inescapable reference book for this legendary watch. This third edition has been enriched with 17 new models, revised information and a new chapter featuring pictures of astronauts and their Speedmasters."--Back cover.
Omega has become the watchmaker with the highest name recognition in timekeeping for personal and sports events worldwide. If the father owned an Omega, so does the son. This important, color illustrated, new book presents, an illustrated description of all the watch movements manufactured by the Omega Watch Co. since the registration of its trademark in 1894. Over 400 watches are shown in 80 color and 334 black and white photographs. Started as a small watchmaker shop in Biel, Switzerland in 1848, the company expanded to Geneva and has made precision pocket and wristwatches including the world famous chronometer wristwatch Constellation, the diver's watch Seamaster, and the chronograph wristwatch Speedmaster Professional.
This beautiful and exciting book presents the most stunning and important Omega watches. A range of over 100 marvelous photographs, informative text, and technical details document more than 60 years of fascinating wristwatch design of one of the world's best known and most popular Swiss wristwatch manufacturers. Among the memorable wristwatches included here are the Speedmaster model that went to the moon and the James Bond edition that served on Her Majesty's Secret Service. The rest of the models covered include, first, the historical models, and the Legend Collection, Seamaster, Chronographs, Olympic Collection, and Elegant Watches. Technical information provided for each watch includes the reference number, movement, functions, case, remarks, and the estimated value in the year the model was produced. This book will be a joy for all who appreciate fine craftsmanship.
2022 Hardcover Reprint of 1961 Second Edition. Full facsimile of the original edition. Not reproduced with Optical Recognition software. As The New York Times wrote after his death, Henry B. Fried was "widely acknowledged as the dean of American watchmakers." In the revised, 1961 edition of his classic book The Watch Repairer's Manual, reprinted here, Fried addresses topics important to contemporary watch repairers, such as self-winding watches, waterproofing, calendar watches, alarm wristwatches, and chronographs. The Watch Repairer's Manual also includes a fine visual dictionary of exploded views in isometric, which are very helpful for ordering watch parts. One of the few modern books available on the techniques of watch repair and certainly the most esteemed, The Watch Repairer's Manual is outstanding for its sequence of presentation and its many useful illustrations, including enlarged details of alarm and self-winding watches. The consummate craftsman and master of details, Fried himself created the illustrations. From teaching others, Fried has learned that if you have a good understanding of how and why the mechanisms work, you will become better at fixing any problems you face-often without needing to consult a book. The Watch Repairer's Manual provides: - Helpful background material, such as full descriptions of the main divisions of the modern watch mechanisms, including the purpose and function of each unit. - Complete directions for cleaning and overhauling a watch movement for casing. - A section devoted to general repairs and troubleshooting. For anyone interested in watch repair, this volume will serve as a working manual, a reference manual, and even a course of study. Assuming little previous knowledge on the part of the reader, Fried provides complete and clear detail on each operation. The Watch Repairer's Manual should be of great value to the student, hobbyist, watch collector, and instrument maker. Henry B. Fried wrote and illustrated 14 books, many pamphlets, and hundreds of articles on horology, the science of timepieces. The first American to receive the Silver Medal of the British Horological Institute, he served as president of the New York City Horological Society and the New York State Watchmakers Association and vice president of the old Horological Institute of America. He taught and lectured on horology and served as an industry consultant. He also was a consultant for the Random House Dictionary and the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
- In this work, the authors have applied the rigorous, innovative methodology that contributed to the success of their previous publication, Moonwatch Only, ISBN 9782940506170, and which now represents the signature of the 'ONLY' books The highly evocative Flightmaster name was first mentioned by OMEGA in 1956-57, but it was not until the late 1960s that it was used to designate an incomparable watch, initially intended for aircraft pilots. At the time, it was regarded as the watch industry equivalent of the Swiss army knife, meaning the ultimate professional instrument. The aesthetically and technically remarkable OMEGA Flightmaster symbolizes a period rich in technological and design breakthroughs. Produced over a short period and relatively little known until now, it nonetheless enjoyed exceptional development and an outstanding destiny, notably on the wrist of Soviet cosmonauts in the 1970s. Revealing the entirely unknown and remarkably rich story for the first time, and based on their own methodology, the authors of the successful Moonwatch Only book dedicated to the OMEGA Speedmaster, provide a comprehensive account of the many variations and evolutions of the different Flightmaster models. The result is an essential reference work for all passionate brand enthusiasts and collectors. Contents: Foreword Section 1: Introduction; Flightmaster - what's in a name?; Some key points; Operation; Ten misconceptions to reconsider Section 2: A Legend's Genesis and History; A world of change; Creating a legend; Famous aviators and the ultimate destiny of a tool-watch: Russian space adventures Section 3: Main Components; An original approach; Caliber; Case; Dial; Bezel; Hands; Crowns and pushers; Glass; Bracelet; Accessories Section 4: Models; Introduction; Overview; Timeline; Tables.
“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.
