Description
The Dial: The Face of the Wristwatch in the 20th Century – Dr. Helmut Crott ** SIGNED COPIES **
This beautiful, monolithic book was first published in a French language edition where it took the title Le Cadran. Such was the success of that book – it sold out of its original print run in 3 days – that it has now been re-issued in an English language edition. It is an extraordinary resource that provides a unique insight into the history of dial making and the wide variety of different techniques and processes employed in the dial’s manufacture.
Watch collectors are well aware that all of the elements of a watch make up the combined value and interest of the final piece, but it is arguably the dial, more than the movement and case, that is most highly prized by wristwatch collectors. It is also the dial that is often the watch’s most valuable asset. Never before has a publication so thoroughly and meticulously researched the watch dial, and this important work will continue to be of great significance and interest to collectors far into the future.
Dr. Helmut Crott is one of the world’s leading experts on watches; for over forty years he has provided expertise to the leading watch auction houses, he also founded his own eponymous watch auction business, he owned the watch brand Urban Jürgensen and co-developed a comprehensive database focused on the output of Patek Philippe.
His book on the watch dial is split into three distinct sections. The first section concentrates on the watch dial company Stern Frères. If you were under the impression that watch brands made all of the component parts of their watches in-house you would be mistaken; across the whole gamut of the industry from cheap quartz watches to ultra high end mechanical pieces, the watch brands will often commission other companies to make separate parts of the watch which the brands then assemble. Stern Frères manufactured watch dials for all of the most important Swiss watch companies; their expertise and the quality of their manufacture was second-to-none. Crott tells the story of the company’s development and the way that they became the dominant player in the watch dial market in Geneva.
The second part of the book details the various complex techniques and materials used in the construction of the watch dial. This includes enamelling, stone dials, the application of hour and minute markers to the dial, perling to the minute track, luminescent materials and lacquers to protect the dial and alter the finished look.
The third section of the book offers an in depth look at the dials of particular models of watch including the Royal Oak by Audemars Piguet, the ‘Paul Newman’ Chronograph by Rolex and the Patek Philippe Nautilus.
Throughout, the book is exceptionally well illustrated with close-up photographs of dials showing them in exquisite detail, there is also expertly sourced historical archive imagery. The book text is informative and engaging and the whole comes together to give a beautifully designed and explained look at the watch dial.
Forewords by Kari Voutilainen, Aurel Bacs.
Hardback with cloth covered spine and rear cover.
392 pages.
Measurements:
24.5cm x 32.5cm x 4.5cm