In this beautifully illustrated volume, the design director of the iconic jewelry house Tiffany & Co. catalogues a handsome display of watches and clocks dating from the mid-19th century, when Tiffany surfaced as the "premier purveyor" of high-end timepieces. Prefacing the series of full-page photographs with a rather sedate history of the watch, Loring explains how advances in industrial science after the Civil War enabled Tiffany, with the help of Swiss-based Patek Philippe, to produce watches of both technological and social cachet. Even as factories churned out "dollar" watches with utilitarian character, Tiffany kept up its reputation of extravagance, distinguishing itself with ornate creations like the pink enamel and gold chatelaine timepiece that resembled a wild rose and the cherrywood hall clock with leaded glass panels. One clock, bought by California hotel impresario Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin in 1876, cost the equivalent of several hundred thousand dollars and was a landmark in the Baldwin Hotel. Other prized pieces adorned the wrists, pockets and necks of affluent clients such as William Vanderbilt and J.P. Morgan. Close-up photographs reveal the fine craftsmanship of the Tiffany creations, from vintage gold filigree and jewel-encrusted pieces to the bold geometric styling of modern designs. This book slides out of a full-color, die-cut slipcase-a package as eye-catching as the watches within.
