Collector's Encyclopedia of Pendant and Pocket Watches 1500-1950 (Collector's Encyclopedia) [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

C Jeanenne Bell (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1574323954 | ISBN-13: 978-1574323955 | Publication Date: May 15, 2004 | Edition: 1

Whether you simply find watches fascinating or you have an old watch that you are curious about, this book is the one for you. This exploration of the evolution of the pendant/pocket watch is divided into centuries. Each century explores what was happening in the world and how these events and fashions influenced watch making. It includes information on makers, their marks, and even the serial numbers for the American watch movements. Filled with clues, it will help you determine when a watch was made, how it was made, what it is made of, and what makes it tick. The amount of photographs of timepieces in this volume is impressive - hundreds of watches are featured in beautiful color photographs. Cases, dials, and movements are included in the photographs - this book encompasses the entire watch. 2009 values.

Editorial Reviews

Review

No matter how intense or casual your interest in watches may be, this book should open your mind and eyes to the miracle of these tiny machines. The dedication and labor of the men who strove to make these portable timepieces is explored. In each century the book details, readers will see what was happening that influenced timekeeping and the development of the watch.

About the Author

Known to collectors as 'the jewelry detective,' C Jeanenne Bell has written books on pendant & pocket watches, as well as jewelry of all types. She is an antique jewelry dealer with retail stores in Kansas City, Missouri, and has collected hairwork jewelry for over 30 years.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Collector Books; 1 edition (May 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1574323954
• ISBN-13: 978-1574323955
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #652,026 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #71 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Antiques & Collectibles > Clocks & Watches

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Nice photos with little substance, August 18, 2005

By 

Allan L. Menkin "watch lover and collector" (Las Vegas, NV USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Collector's Encyclopedia of Pendant and Pocket Watches 1500-1950 (Collector's Encyclopedia) (Hardcover)

Here's an example of a book that should never have been produced. The author is obviously misinformed and quite frankly, ignorant, regarding watches. The book is riddled with incorrect information regarding watch descriptions, including blatantly wrong jewel counts, movement descriptions, and the repititious "very fine and rare", "fine and lovely", "very fine and very rare", ad nauseum. The author constantly includes "micrometric regulator" in descriptions of pocket watches, that have NO micrometric regulators! The book is attractive, and has some excellent photographs, but, at best, this is a book that needed an author with some watch "smarts".

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very good overview of watches development, March 1, 2005

By 

flavio pimenta (Distrito Federal, Brasil) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Collector's Encyclopedia of Pendant and Pocket Watches 1500-1950 (Collector's Encyclopedia) (Hardcover)

The book is divided in 5 chapters, each one covering one century of watch development. Each chapter deals with case, movement and decorative procedures development. In the end of each chapter you will find a full range of color fotos of watches of that period. The pictures are very beautifull, but not unique: you will find them in The Sandberg's Watch Collection Book. I think that the book should earn just 3 stars, just because it does not have "unique" pictures. However, the pictures were unique for me, since i don't have sandberg's book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not worth the money, July 18, 2007

By 

W. Smolak (El Paso, Texas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Collector's Encyclopedia of Pendant and Pocket Watches 1500-1950 (Collector's Encyclopedia) (Hardcover)

I was disappointed with this book. There appears to be no organization and the information does not appear to be accurate. I expected much more and this book did not deliver.