- Softcover
- New
Seller: PBShop.store US, Wood Dale, IL, U.S.A.PBShop.store US
AbeBooks seller since April 7, 2005
Condition: New
£ 18.94
Quantity: Over 20 available
Add to basketItem description from seller
New Book. Shipped from UK. THIS BOOK IS PRINTED ON DEMAND. Established seller since 2000.
Seller Inventory # L0-9798218885946
- Title
- Disrupting Time
- Author
- Aaron Stark
- Publisher
- Cedar and Fifth Press
- Publication year
- 2025
- Condition
- New
- Binding
- PAP
- Language
- English
- ISBN 13
- 9798218885946
- Item weight
- 290 grams
In the fall of 1876, two Swiss spies came to America and conducted some of the most covert and consequential industrial espionage in history, changing the course of the global watch industry forever. Had the events of 1876 never happened, we would likely know little of Swiss watches today.
More than a story about watches, Disrupting Time is a true story of how technological leadership is built, how it can be quietly transferred, and how commanding advantages can erode faster than their creators expect. Spanning the years 1857 to 1900, it examines a period contemporaries called "the combat of industry," revealing how strategic choices, information asymmetry, and industrial espionage shaped global markets.
Drawing on newly surfaced archival documents, correspondence, and exhibition records, Disrupting Time tells the full story of this secret mission and its aftermath. The book explores how the Swiss did not simply copy American methods, but adapted them, transforming a cottage industry into a modern manufacturing powerhouse. Within a generation, Swiss firms had overtaken their American rivals, while Waltham entered a steep decline.
Set during the Centennial Exhibition in 1876, a great world's fair in Philadelphia, it details the story of Jacques David and Theo Gribi. Gribi and David were commissioned by the Society of Jura Industries, a Swiss trade association, to acquire the secrets of America's technology sector - the American watch industry. They captured their intelligence in a 130-page report that would remain mostly secret until 1992. Disrupting Time details the never-before-told story of David and Gribi's secrets and mission, showing how they used disguises, agent recruitments, and other classic espionage methods to steal the secrets of America's technology sector of the era.
Sinead O'Sullivan of The Currency News says "Aaron Stark says that it's a book about watches, but it's really a book about innovation, long-term thinking, and industrial policy. This is the book that you never knew you needed to read."
The former CIA officer behind Watches of Espionage calls Disrupting Time "a fantastic story of real-life 'watches of espionage.' It is a thrilling read, full of details that will change everything you thought you knew about the origin of Swiss watches - definitely not the narrative the watch industry has told you. If you are into watches, intelligence, history, or business, this book is a must read!"
Learn more at aaronstarkbooks .com
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About the Author
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PBShop.store US
Wood Dale, IL, U.S.A.
AbeBooks seller since April 7, 2005
Shipping rates within U.S.A.
| Item | 7 to 14 business days | 7 to 14 business days |
|---|---|---|
| First item | £ 0.00 | £ 0.00 |
Payment methods
Store description
We first started out as “The Paperback Exchange,” a chain of physical bookstores where we would part exchange your beloved books for new stories to transport you to faraway places. However, as shopping started to evolve to online shops and marketplaces, we bid our stores goodbye to become “PBShop.” This transition has only allowed us to blossom as we now ship thousands of titles to book lovers across the globe. We pride ourselves in being a community of local book lovers which allows our passion and devotion to shine in everything we do. In 2020 we not only celebrated our 20th birthday but our 1st birthday as being completely employee owned after becoming an E.O.T in September 2019. We are proud to be different and embrace standing apart on a book mountain by working from a virtual inventory which allows us to provide thousands of books that may be difficult to get for your bookshelf or your studies. Working with a number of different suppliers allows us to explore other avenues such as puzzles, sheet music and even stationery so we really do have something for everyone. Life is about being versatile in all realms of existence. If this is your first visit or you are a returning customer, we would like to welcome you to the PBShop family, for there is no friend as loyal as a book. We are a company who put our customers at the centre of everything we do as we understand the importance of reading because once you learn to read, you will forever be free. There are a whole lot of things in this world of ours that we are yet to explore, which is why we will forever inspire curious minds.…
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Hardbacks, PaperbacksSeller's business information
Pbshop.co.uk Ltd
Unit 22 Horcott Industrial Estate, Horcott Road
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