New book by a watchmaker

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DorsetOmega

·May 8, 2023

I posted this in the wrong thread initially so I’m sorry if you’ve already seen it…

I wondered if anyone had come across Hands of Time by Rebecca Struthers? It’s a history of timekeeping by a watchmaker who is based in Birmingham in the UK. If you’re in the UK, you can hear it serialised on Radio 4 and BBC Sounds. I heard the first part this morning. I was struck by how beautifully she described watchmaking, and also her statement that it’s on an “endangered” list of crafts, at least in Britain. We must honour and treasure our watchmakers!

 

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HamDoctor

·Jul 8, 2023

I just finished reading it after stumbling across it in a WatchGecko YouTube video. It is a very nice book, lots of history on the development of watches with a lot of info I hadn't seen before. It was also very well written, I particularly liked her more philosophical views on time and the measurement thereof.

She and her husband are among the few watchmakers in Britain that are able to make their own watches from scratch - and they are also restorers for genuinely antique watches. They do super interesting work, very traditional, very high-end.Their website can be found here:

https://www.strutherswatchmakers.co.uk/

It helps that this is a very good-looking book ;-)

 

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TimeODanaos

·Jul 8, 2023

I'm still hoping this one will show up in the book review section in @dsio 's "Stories" tab. I admit to keeping my head down, in case anyone said "so, why don't you write it then?" 😗

 

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Gav1967

·Jul 8, 2023

The book has been sitting in my Amazon basket for a couple of months now but haven't got around to pulling the trigger. Need to look up on BBC sounds too. Thanks for the reminder

 

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p4ul

·Jul 8, 2023

FYI

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0019457

Not the book, but an intro to the author.

 

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Mark020

·Jul 8, 2023·not the sharpest pencil in the ΩF drawer

Just read it. Absolutely worth it!

 

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YYTIN

·Jul 8, 2023

Thanks for letting us know.
Looks like an interesting book.

I just saw this book pictured in an IG post from @Risto
So a multi OF endorsed read so far : I'm definitely getting one. Thanks

 

D

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deepsealight

·Jul 9, 2023

Hmm, I think I need to get one.

Thanks for posting.

 

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dsio

·Jul 9, 2023·Ash @ ΩF

So it looks like the audiobook is also out on audible, I’ll try to listen to that at some point and might do a review

https://www.audible.com.au/pd/Hands-of-Time-Audiobook/B0BSVJTBXY

 

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itsjustausername

·Jul 9, 2023

Thanks for the tip, just picked up a copy!

 

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DrmexicoII

·Jul 9, 2023

It really is a fantastic read. It's almost like a love letter to horology, part poetic, part historical, part philosophical. And by someone actually qualified to talk about this subject for once (she has a PhD in horology).

 

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kkt

·Jul 9, 2023

DrmexicoII

It really is a fantastic read. It's almost like a love letter to horology, part poetic, part historical, part philosophical. And by someone actually qualified to talk about this subject for once (she has a PhD in horology).

Wow... I didn't know there were doctorate programs in horology!

Just picked up a copy.

 

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DrmexicoII

·Jul 10, 2023

kkt

Wow... I didn't know there were doctorate programs in horology!

Just picked up a copy.

Yup, she's the first British watchmaker to become a PhD in horology. Pretty awesome by any standards. I'm amazed by people's dedicated to pursuits like this. Had the pleasure of sitting next to the first woman in Australia to become a master winemaker at an informal dinner on Friday. 5 years of tasting, studying and writing about wine. Both incredible achievements and inspiring women.

 

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dougwhiz

·Jul 19, 2023

Reading it right now. Better than I was expecting, I'd recommend it. Thanks for posting!

 

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NT931

·Aug 8, 2023

A very enjoyable book indeed - well written, some lovely stories, and philosophical musings. Two thumbs up!

 

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kohster

·Sep 2, 2023

I just got this book from the library and got through it in a day. I found it to be a quick, very accessible, and extremely engaging read. It's not a dense technical tome but a high level overview of some important history bits as well as a lot of personal perspective that I thought was really well done.