Iconic Watches & Their Incredible Stories by Colin Salter

From the humble digital watch to the finest examples of Swiss haute horlogerie, a watch’s unique combination of design, engineering, and has the power to captivate its wearer. Iconic Watches & Their Incredible Stories explores this fascination through more than 30 timepieces that would sit proudly in any serious watch enthusiast’s collection.

Written by Colin Salter, the book presents an intimate portrait of watches that have shaped history, culture, and innovation. From the watch that helped US soldiers navigate World War II to the first watch worn on the moon; from the most valuable “lost watch" of all time to the timepiece that nearly destroyed the Swiss watchmaking industry, each entry explains not only what makes the watch significant, but why it deserves its place in history.

The stories span the globe — and beyond — featuring Hollywood royalty, actual royalty, daring adventurers, war heroes, legendary designers, and visionary engineers. These narratives place each watch within its broader historical and cultural context, revealing how certain timepieces became symbols of achievement, resilience, and human ingenuity.

Beautifully illustrated throughout, Iconic Watches & Their Incredible Stories is both an accessible introduction and a rewarding deep dive for seasoned collectors. It is a window into the watch industry’s most remarkable moments, and a book readers will find themselves returning to time and again.
All books are final sale and cannot be returned.