A Man And His Watch: Iconic Watches and Stories from the Men Who Wore Them Review
The stories behind the watches we all love is exactly what Life on the Wrist is about. It is why I started the website and Youtube channel, and what I want to bring to life with every video, podcast or Instagram post. Books are an excellent source for documenting those stories we all find so fascinating. They can document the provenance of a watch, and all the wonders it brings to the wearer.
A Man & His Watch written by Matt Hranek is about iconic watches and stories from the men who wore them. It was published in October 2017 and through pictures and short stories documents the memories attributed to each watch. Hodinkee describes the book as follows:
"Every watch tells a story" might sound like an old cliché, but in A Man and His Watch, author Matt Hranek proves that when it's true, the results are something special. Speaking with people from diverse careers and with different horological interests, the author introduces us to an artist who's been wearing the same digital watch for 20 years, a race car driver with a small collection of trophy watches from his storied career, and a chef whose prized timepiece was a special anniversary gift. What ties all of these men together is that the watch they put on their wrist each day carries immense personal significance and is a small totem of who they are, where they have been, and where they hope to go. Through the stories of the watches – and with photographer Stephen Lewis's big, beautiful images – we get small, insightful biographies of the characters who own them.
If you're someone who is as interested in the provenance of a watch as you are in the caliber number, this is a perfect book for you. To enjoy it, you don't need to know a balance wheel from a mainspring. It's an engaging reminder that at the end of the day it's the stories we imbue our watches with that give them meaning well beyond the gears and pinions that keep them ticking.
The book is an easy read. All you need is desire to hear stories about a wide range of watches written and lived by a wide range of people. There is no bias towards a specific type of watch. You will see vintage and modern pieces, quartz and mechanical, digital and analogue. Because every watch tells a story, and that is why every watch means something to someone. It is a perfect book to add to your collection and certainly embodies the goals of Life on the Wrist.
Enjoy!
