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George Daniels

Watchmaking Hardcover – May 3, 2011

by George Daniels (Author)

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Twenty-eight years after its first publication, the best-selling Watchmaking continues to inspire and encourage the art of watchmaking, especially among new generations of enthusiasts. As a supreme master of his art, George Daniels' advice is constantly sought by both students and watch repairers, his understanding of the problems that can beset the would-be watchmaker, especially in an age of mass production, and his expert knowledge of the history of watchmaking being second to none.

Here, the making of the precision timekeeper is described step-by-step and illustrated at each stage with line drawings and brief explanatory captions. The text is easy to follow and care has been taken to avoid complicated technical descriptions. As Daniels is particularly interested in the development of the escapement - many are described in this book, several of his own design - the reader is encouraged to explore this aspect of watchmaking in even greater detail.

This classic handbook still remains indispensable to generations of watchmakers and repairers, and also provides a fascinating insight to the enthusiast and watch-collector who, until its publication, had rarely been able to admire the superb craftsmanship of a fine watch without understanding how it works.

Print length

462 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Philip Wilson Publishers
Publication date

May 3, 2011
Dimensions

7.74 x 1.29 x 10.43 inches
ISBN-10

0856677043
ISBN-13

978-0856677045
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"I truly believe that this book [...] will be held in high esteem both by its future collectors, as well as by the common watch enthusiast looking for a publication that summarizes their favorite hobby and presents its secrets in an easily understandable way." - A Blog to Watch

"Watchmaking by George Daniels is a very fascinating book, a must read for everybody interested in the watchmaking." - www.learnwatchmaking.com

About the Author

George Daniels, CBE, HON DSC, FSA, FCGI, FBHI, FAWI was a practising horologist with over fifty years' experience in both antiquarian and modern watchmaking and was a past master of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers. In addition, he was an expert on the history and development of the watch, with special emphasis on the precision period of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. He was unrivalled as a sympathetic restorer of important time pieces, especially those made by Breguet. Amongst his awards for his contribution to the art and science of watchmaking including the design of his own escapements were the Tompion Gold Medal, The British Horological Institute Gold Medal, The City and Guilds of London Gold Medal, The Arts Sciences and Learning Award of the City of London and the Victor Kullberg Medal of the Stockholm Watchmakers' Guild.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Philip Wilson Publishers; New edition (May 3, 2011)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 462 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0856677043
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0856677045
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.65 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.74 x 1.29 x 10.43 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #20,989 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #3 in Antique & Collectible Clocks & Watches (Books)
- #20 in Arts & Photography Study & Teaching
- #20 in Mechanical Engineering (Books)

Customer Reviews:
552 ratings

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4.8 out of 5

552 global ratings

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MG

Best book

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 31, 2022

Excellent book

If you could only have one book on watchmaking, this would be it.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 17, 2021

Verified Purchase

George Daniels wanted to write a book about hand made high quality watches and how to build them. This book covers every aspect of that process. If you could only have one book on the subject, this would be it. The mechanical drawings, some in color, plus the photographic plates of assembled and disassembled watches are excellent. Another aspect of this book deals with the watchmaker's workshop and what tools, machines and skills are needed to accomplish this difficult, to say the least, task.

Clearly Daniels was a master of this craft and he also had a world view of the watchmaking industry. You learn that the expensive high quality mechanical watches from Switzerland are still made in batches (series) where the parts are mass produced. Daniels' approach reverts to the one of a kind, hand made watch where every part is produced by hand. There is no mass production.

Concerning the various subsystems that make up a watch, Daniels goes through all of them, explaining how they work and their advantages and disadvantages. On the topic of movements (escapements) he starts with the primitive verge escapement and takes it from there through the standard lever designs to his modern invention known as the coaxial escapement. He provides much detail in how these movements actually work. Daniels clearly had a great knowledge of the past great watchmakers such a Breguet and Arnold to name a few. And it is also clear that Daniels was guided but not a copier of these classic mechanical watch designs. He completely understood their mechanisms and used that knowledge to innovate and make significant design improvements and breakthroughs such as his coaxial escapement.

Daniels understands the interplay between the watch consumer and the watchmaker/watchmaking industry. The fact that we still have a thriving industry in mechanical watches in a world were an electronic quartz watch can be more accurate and cost much less, shows that there is still a viable market for those who value a high quality, high priced, mechanical timepieces.

Daniels' timepieces required thousands of hours to complete and because of their quality and function, he was able to keep this art form alive appealing to connoisseurs who are willing to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to own one of these unique timepieces.

I think that Daniels wrote this book because he wanted to leave a legacy to future generations about his work and unique accomplishments that might otherwise be forgotten as the world continues to move from a real representation of things to a digitally contrived artificial representation. Hopefully, the fascination and appreciation of fine mechanical timepieces will continue and this book will continue to be a source for building or at least deciphering them.

24 people found this helpful

Helpful

catusflower

Book on making a watch from metal! It's not light reading. That said, every Horologist should have this book in their library.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 22, 2015

Verified Purchase

George Daniels was a genius! I wish I got into horology sooner. That said, unless you are already a Machinist and have access to the tools,
and want to make a watch out of metal from scratch--this book is not for you. I'm having a hard time saying anything negative about the
book because I have not finished it, and I have the utmost resect for the man--on a personal level and as a craftsman. If you are a
struggling watchmaker, I'll share some things in the book that jumped out at me. 1. You can buy screws, and jewels for your creations. It looks
like everything else is made by hand and tool. 2. It takes a long time to make a watch. 3. I would love to have his shop. It is spectacular.
4. I wish the man was still around, he just seems like a genuinely good person. He seemed to value perfection, and ingenuity over Money.
Which is rare these days. 5. The book is a must have if you are going to build a timepiece. 6. There is something about man filing metal
into intricate parts--putting these pieces together--and have a working watch. I can't convey the experience one gets from wearing a mechanical watch. If you can take your watch apart when it needs servicing(service it when it stops, or the time is off--not yearly), clean it,
oil it, and put it back together; it's even a better feeling. (in-depth tips on servicing a watch was my only gripe, but servicing a watch by George was
like changing the oil in a car to a mechanic.) I hope further editions of this book expand on some of the simpler procedures in watch repair, and
incorporate more, much more pictures. I guess nothing much can be done without George's prior approval? To anyone out there thinking
about writing a book--this subject still has an audience.

14 people found this helpful

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A. B.

Truly one of the great texts on watchmaking

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 8, 2016

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Truly one of the great texts on watchmaking. As an amateur, I don't deign myself proficient enough to truly take advantage of the majority of the knowledge here. However, Daniels was nothing if not a great teacher, if this book is any indication. Being smart or extremely proficient in a subject does not at all have any bearing on your ability to pass that knowledge to another. Often, I'd argue, those that operate on the highest levels become incapable of explaining things to those on their way up. Any of you who have taken more advanced specialized physics/math/science classes will know exactly what I mean - that professor who was a genius but clearly was not capable of phrasing things in a way you were able to comprehend. Daniels clearly has no such problems and almost seems to remove the veil of complexity that surrounds many of the advanced watchmaking topics. His ability to teach is immediately apparent from the get-go.

Daniels makes things beyond simple, despite their apparent complexity. While I am far from putting, as I said, the majority of the book into practice, I understand conceptually how every single thing in this book works on a mechanical level after about 3 complete reads. I have put a lot of what I've learned into use in my own watchmaking, and it shows. Daniels truly is one of the most important figures ever to touch the art of horology. Even just as a casual coffee table book, this one is a gem. The diagrams and explanations are beyond compare. If you are an engineer or mechanically inclined person of any field, you will delight in reading this. One of the best books I have ever had the privilege of reading.

33 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Beautiful, informative book

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 5, 2022

Verified Purchase

Beautiful presentation, well-balanced use of photos and illustrations throughout. A captivating book; highly-recommended for all watch lovers.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Peter Coffee

Not merely how they work, but how they are made

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 15, 2022

Verified Purchase

Beautiful piece of bookmaking, great illustrations and engagingly written. Believe the title: that's what it's about, beginning with things to consider when setting up a workshop and diving into the details from there.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Pete Foster

Fantastic details that will help make a more beautiful work of art

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 5, 2022

Verified Purchase

I liked even the smallest of the details noted throughout the book. “If you are going to to it do it right.”

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Eric Bouza

Everything you ever wanted to know about watchmaking

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 18, 2022

Verified Purchase

Still the standard of watchmaking. Somewhat dry but very informative.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

customer

Not for the layman!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on September 22, 2020

Verified Purchase

This is THE bible on watchmaking. There is simply no other book on the planet that covers the traditional techniques and craft of watchmaking to this level of breath and detail written by none other than the master himself.

So why not 5 stars? A few reasons, the aspiring watchmaker who is seriously considering entering the watchmaking profession and knows anything about the industry will not be reading reviews on Amazon for this George Daniels book, it's simply a must, no two ways and will have already bought it.

My review is geared more towards the watch/horology enthusiast who has no intention of becoming a full time watchmaker but is curious on the history of movements, high level traditional watchmaking techniques and pros and cons of the technicals of various movements, maybe likes to tinker with watch movements etc.

It's apt to mention that I have a masters in mechanical engineering and a keen watch enthusiast. I am no stranger to reading technical journals and consider myself a nerd. However, for me, this book was unreadable. It assumes already a high level of knowledge of watchmaking and dives straight into amplitude calculations, frictional coefficients etc pages and pages of dry technical language that is borderline incomprehensible unless you're literally following along with making the part/drafting the technical drawing. For example, I was at least expecting some sort of diagram of a conventional mechanical watch, a diagram for tourbillon etc labelling each component, what it does etc, but this is assumed knowledge. It's not something that can be read at leisure, it's more like a reference manual.

So to conclude it's the best of it's kind, but it's a book that get blindly recommended simply because of the George Daniels name by people who I suspect haven't properly read the book. It's not a book for everyone, or even most. If you're reading this review, chances are it's not for you.

If you're interested in the development of movements through time, diagrams, uses in watches, history etc I highly recommend The Wristwatch Handbook

54 people found this helpful

Shantanu Sen

Watchmaking by George Daniels

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on November 29, 2022

Verified Purchase

Excellent book by the legendary George Daniels, inventor of the low-friction co-axial escapement, now used by Omega in almost all of their watches. This is an excellent and detailed book, and it mainly deals with actual watch manufacturing, as opposed to assembly and disassembly. There are voluminous chapters on machining, turning, milling, drilling, calculation of vector forces, eyc. A true engineer's book but not recommended for the non-professional enthusiast unless he/she wants to specialise in the technical, design and manufacturing intricacies of the various components that make up mechanical watches.

2 people found this helpful

Norbzilla

Must have for watchmakers

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on September 23, 2017

Verified Purchase

This book is for you if:
You are at the verge of making your own watch
Want to know how a watch is made
You're a watch nerd and everything that has the word 'watch ' in it, needs to be bought.

On the serious note, this book is fantastically detailed and a good source of knowledge when it comes to watch making and the tools you'll need to do so. So, if this is what you want to know. The work and knowledge behind watch making, then this book is a must have.

But, if your looking for a book talking about the history of the movements and how a mechanical watch and its different complications work in detail. Then this book is not for you.

15 people found this helpful

Rita Nandi

Ideal book for watch enthusiasts

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on June 12, 2022

Verified Purchase

I bought this book for my fiancé’s brother for his birthday and he loves it. There are plenty of picture illustrations throughout the book and it’s suitable for beginners.

One person found this helpful

Alex D

A masterpiece!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on January 7, 2014

Verified Purchase

This is a really good book, documenting the process by which each part of a hand made automatic watch is produced.

In an age of mass production, CNC, Spark erosion, drum polishing etc, this book captures a fading art: the true craftsman making a top quality watch from metal bar. Model makers and those involved in small machines can learn so much from this book.

11 people found this helpful

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