Sometimes, if you are very lucky, you stumble across something that speaks to you. I love super-high-res-chock-full of technical details stories as much as the next guy, but in all honestly watches represent something more emotional to me. I want to know about the people who made them, or who owned them. I want to have an understanding of what motivated them.
I imagine some of the independent watchmakers as "philosopher-artist-engineers". Yes, I realize that probably makes no sense at all, but when you take a moment and really consider everything that goes into some of these watches, you realize what an awesome task it must be to not merely create, but produce, market and ultimately sell them. A time piece's ability to tell the time is just the starting point. It has to captivate you on so many different levels. It should be technically advanced, crafted by hand, accurate - and pleasing to look at!
Elizabeth Doerr's book captures what many of us have only been able to try to imagine.
This is a 200 + page trip to a special place - inside the ateliers of 12 of the world's most talented and innovative watch makers.
I imagine some of the independent watchmakers as "philosopher-artist-engineers". Yes, I realize that probably makes no sense at all, but when you take a moment and really consider everything that goes into some of these watches, you realize what an awesome task it must be to not merely create, but produce, market and ultimately sell them. A time piece's ability to tell the time is just the starting point. It has to captivate you on so many different levels. It should be technically advanced, crafted by hand, accurate - and pleasing to look at!
Elizabeth Doerr's book captures what many of us have only been able to try to imagine.
Elizabeth's new book had a US debut at the new Ernst Benz boutique a few weeks back with a well-attended launch party and book signing by the author. I was unable to attend, but was fortunate enough to obtain a signed copy. 12 Faces of Time is a beautiful coffee-table book, full of compelling black and white images, and written with such care and attention to detail that it truly takes you not just to another place, but in many ways another time.
Keep up with Elizabeth via her Facebook page:
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