WATCHES IN 100 FACTS: How a Coiled Spring Learned to Tell Time — And Nearly Died Twice: 16 (The Definitive Watch Series: The Real Stories Behind Legendary Timepieces) - Softcover

Book 16 of 16: The Definitive Watch Series: The Real Stories Behind Legendary Timepieces

Van Houte, Cornelis

9798194959341: WATCHES IN 100 FACTS: How a Coiled Spring Learned to Tell Time — And Nearly Died Twice: 16 (The Definitive Watch Series: The Real Stories Behind Legendary Timepieces)

Softcover

ISBN 13: 9798194959341

Publisher: Independently published, 2026

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How did a coiled strip of steel reshape human civilization — and nearly disappear overnight?

From the ticking heart of the mainspring to the high-stakes longitude race that cost sailors their lives, "Watches in 100 Facts" takes you on an extraordinary journey through horological history. Written by Cornelis van Houte, this compelling book strips away marketing mythology to reveal the genuine engineering, triumphs, and near-extinction of mechanical timekeeping.

Discover the surprising truths behind the craft:

The Physics of Time: Uncover how the escapement, balance wheel, and gear train work together in precise, discrete steps to measure seconds.
Battles at Sea & War: Follow John Harrison’s grueling decades-long crusade to solve longitude, and see how World War I trenches, outer space exploration, and deep-sea diving forged legendary tool watches.
Myths Debunked: Learn why higher jewel counts don't automatically mean a better watch, why Everest's true summit watch wasn't a Rolex, and the sobering history of the Radium Girls.
The Quartz Crisis & Survival: Witness how a microscopic vibrating crystal and a cheap plastic watch nearly destroyed Switzerland’s centuries-old industry — and how mechanical watches transformed into the ultimate luxury artifacts.

Whether you are a seasoned watch collector, an amateur horologist, or simply fascinated by brilliant mechanical engineering, this book delivers 100 bite-sized, fact-checked windows into how we learned to master time.
Grab your copy today and explore the remarkable story of the spring inside millions of wrists!

Cornelis van Houte

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