Customer Reviews

Wristwatch Annual 2002

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a beautifully produced book and I learned a great deal from it. The watch collections from each manufacturer are representative, not comprehensive, but you can get a good sense of what each brand "means," in terms of history, business approach, and graphic style (traditional, trendy, genuinely original in a few instances.

If you are expert at wristwatches, or a seasoned collector, perhaps you will find this book easy to slight. It has received some rather condescending reviews... For my purposes, as a first time shopper trying to get a sense of what these little machines are all about, it was perfect.

I was looking for a chronograph, because I need the stopwatch function. It turns out that many, many chronographs, regardless of manufacturer, are based upon the same movement.

It is almost, but not quite, a situation in which, no matter which chronograph watch you buy, you are going to get the same watch. Knowing this, you can scan through this book, which notes the movements used in each watch, and compare prices.

A chronograph based on the Valjoux 7750 movement, for example, may be sold for as little as $940 and as much as $30,000, depending upon the style and ambition of the watch manufacturer.
This was, to me, very useful information -- the kind of information you really need to make an intelligent purchase.

The book is also very well written, in a conversational style. As an aside, it teaches a great deal about the recent history of the mechanical watch business -- an intriguing and surprising comeback story.

First rate.

If you never have it then it may become a good resource. The picture and the quality of the printing are great. The things that I don't like: Many of models missing (example: missing Rolex EXP II) and many written on the price as 'on request'. Look to me they were rushing to bring it out.

Nearly every section of every maker in this book (wristwatch annual 2002) contains several mistakes that will give false information to any one seeking information on watches...

Just two examples from the sections of the world leading watchmakers:

In Patek Philippe section page 274 under the picture of 5059 it says "Annual calender" (infact its a perpetual calender) and says that it has power reserve indicator (it hasn't).

In the same page he says that 5036/1 has a 24 hour indicator (it hasn't), and says that it has a leather strap (it comes only with metal bracelet).

Also in the same page he's saying that 5035 has 315 S QA movement (in fact it has S QA 24H, 315 S QA belongs to 5036/1 and 5056 models) .

In Rolex section it says that Submariner watches are water resistant to 100 meters (infact 300 meters).

Pictures are small and fair quality and it has a section for Seiko watches while no sections for many Swiss makers Ex. Universal Geneve.

Mean time it still have a nice history page of every maker, thats why the 1 star.

The book has lots of information if you want to get a general knowledge of which companies make the best watches, however, I have found several typos that range from silly to embarrassing. For starters, the date on the Da Vinci in the IWC section is set to Friday September 11, but as we all know, 9-11 was a Tuesday. Most of the reported diameter measurements for the Breitlings are far too large (compare to the Breitling catalogue), and several watch pictures and descriptions are switched so that the description does not match the watch (Mostly with Patek Philippe and IWC). If you are already confused by why these watches cost several thousand dollars and are less precise than a Timex that cost $25, you will be even more confused by the description of a perpetual calendar watch that is shown with a picture of a "no complication" hand winded piece.

For wives/girlfriends out there...If your man is a budding watch enthusiast, DO NOT buy him this catalogue! All those pretty pictures of $200K+ watches will begin to make him feel like a $4K watch is a bargain, or worse, may instill him to become a collector of several of similarly priced watches. If he has collecting tendencies, get him a Swatch catalogue and save yourself the burden of a second mortgage to feed his "Swiss Made" habit.