When I received this book I said I will just read the first page and come back to it later.  I started reading and before I knew it, I had already read a good third of the book.   My initial reaction was this is such an easy read. 

This book really serves as a testimony to Marc’s passion and I would say is a great place to start learning about collecting as it covers many timepieces.

After giving you a quick introduction to his professional and collecting path, he dives into the subject.

Each watch is presented in a similar format.

He gives you a quick background of the company and the watch, placing it into historical context, this sometimes means a brief comparison with other timepieces, mentioning the designer and saleability of similar timepieces. He explains the virtues of the timepiece and why he sees it as a collectable timepiece but adds personal anecdotes that make it such an easy read.

There is one picture of the watch per section. If you are looking for a book that has many images per watch this is not the book for you.

He answers the following question “What makes a watch great?” Has a section on “The Figures” and offers “Collector’s tips”.

He also has a few other sections that vary from watch to watch and thus the book does not come across as monotonous or a series of files clipped together.  With this method, you get to read about a lot of watches picking it up and putting it down when you wish and not lose the thread.

Identifying the watches is only part of the book, the book also covers aspects of collecting that are of general interest eg Estimating the value of a watch, buying a watch at auction. (see table of content below)

Marc covers the brands you would expect Rolex, Omega, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, Cartier, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Tag Heuer however he also reveals what he considers future collection items that are still to take off. On top of that he offers an introduction to a few independents.

Conclusion

This is a casual read that feels like having a drink with a friend discussing how he invests in watches and what tips he would give.  Because of this, I found it a captivating easy read. It’s a paperback of a reasonable size and weight. easy to throw in a bag without a second thought, unlike many wonderful but outrageously heavy watch books.

Marc is a passionate collector who has taken the time to share his experience.

The book is available online, links available below.

Learn more about Marc Montagne