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A Grand Complication : The Race to Build the World's Most Legenda
Free US Delivery | ISBN:1439190089
US $7.82
Condition:
“Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in clean, average condition ”... Read moreabout condition
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Located in: Mishawaka, Indiana, United States
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Estimated between Tue, Jun 18 and Fri, Jun 21 to 43230
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eBay item number:315355481412
Item specifics
- Seller Notes
- Special Attributes
- EX-LIBRARY
- Book Title
- A Grand Complication : The Race to Build the World's Most Legenda
- Publication Name
- Free Press
- Publication Year
- 2013
- Format
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9781439190081
- Language
- English
- Illustrator
- Yes
- Publisher
- Free Press
- Topic
- Rich & Famous, United States / 20th Century, Clocks & Watches, Time, History, Customs & Traditions, Business, Biography & Autobiography, Technology & Engineering, Antiques & Collectibles, Science, Social Science
About this product
Product Information
New York Times bestselling author Stacy Perman chronicles the thrilling pursuit between two ambitious men in the early 1900s to possess the most complicated timepiece in history. Two wealthy, powerful men engage in a decades-long contest to create and possess the most remarkable watch in history. James Ward Packard of Warren, Ohio, was an entrepreneur and a talented engineer of infinite curiosity, a self-made man who earned millions from his inventions, including the design and manufacture of America's first luxury car--the elegant and storied Packard. Henry Graves, Jr., was the very essence of blue-blooded refinement in the early 1900s: son of a Wall Street financier, a central figure in New York high society, and a connoisseur of beautiful things--especially fine watches. Then, as now, expensive watches were the ultimate sign of luxury and wealth, but in the early twentieth century the limitless ambition, wealth, and creativity of these two men pushed the boundaries of mathematics, astronomy, craftsmanship, technology, and physics to create ever more ingenious timepieces. In any watch, features beyond the display of hours, minutes, and seconds are known as "complications." Packard and Graves spurred acclaimed Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe to create the Mona Lisa of timepieces--a fabled watch that incorporated twenty-four complications and took nearly eight years to design and build. For the period, it was the most complicated watch ever created. For years it disappeared, but then it surfaced at a Sotheby's auction in 1999, touching off a heated bidding war, shattering all known records when it fetched $11 million from an anonymous bidder. New York Times bestselling author Stacy Perman takes us from the clubby world of New York high society into the ateliers of the greatest Swiss watchmakers, and into the high-octane, often secretive subculture of modern-day watch collecting. With meticulous research, vivid historical details, and a wealth of dynamic personalities, A Grand Complication is the fascinating story of the thrilling duel between two of the most intriguing men of the early twentieth century. Above all, it is a sweeping chronicle of innovation, the desire for beauty, and the lengths people will go to possess it.
Product Identifiers
Publisher
Free Press
ISBN-10
1439190089
ISBN-13
9781439190081
eBay Product ID (ePID)
117279389
Product Key Features
Language
English
Topic
Rich & Famous, United States / 20th Century, Clocks & Watches, Time, History, Customs & Traditions, Business, Biography & Autobiography, Technology & Engineering, Antiques & Collectibles, Science, Social Science
Illustrator
Yes
Dimensions
Item Length
9in
Item Height
1.3in
Item Width
6in
Item Weight
18.4 Oz
Additional Product Features
Book Title
Grand Complication : the Race to Build the World's Most Legendary Watch
Reviews
Perman packs in so much detail about the lavish lifestyles of the pre-Great Depression rich that her book can sometimes read like The Great Gatsby on steroids. But there's no obscuring the real stars here, the triumphs of Gilded-Age nanotechnology brought to life by the obsessions and money of Packard and Graves., eoeThat Perman has crafted a compelling tale that tells several stories at once and will appeal equally to readers inside and outside of the insular watch-collecting community is a testament to her considerable skillse. Perman's pacing makes the tale feel downright suspenseful.e, A lively account...provides a window into [watches'] role as status symbols during an age of conspicuous consumption., Jazz Age drama... Perman's attention to detail evokes Jack Finney as she carefully reconstructs daily life in fin de siècle America and the Roaring Twenties. Her obvious passion keeps the pages turning., Stacy Perman provides a captivating viewof high-flying, other-era wealth and privilege andthe enduring appeal of artifacts that tumble down through history with the fairy dust of titans still attached. This book makes a Rolex seem a piker's toy., Stacy Perman has pulled off a remarkable feat in this book. In telling the story of the most complex watch ever made, she writes about a device that not only tells time with exquisite percision but also, in her capable hands, opens up a revealing window onto an entire age., eoeStacy Permane(tm)s A Grand Complication is a masterfully layered tale of the lives of two incredibly wealthy men and their obsession to conceive and own the most fabulously constructed, incredibly complex, exquisitely made watches on the face of the earth. And like the e~complicationse(tm) she writes about, it all works.e, "The duel between two wealthy Americans to build and own the greatest timepiece ever constructed is meticulously narrated by journalist Perman. Spanning the Gilded Age to the Great Depression, the story ... will attract both watch enthusiasts and readers interested in the Gilded Age , as it examines the fascinating technological complexity of timepieces ... Sparkling historical details enliven the account considerably... P ays homage to the crowning achievements of a lost world of wealth, privilege, and culture ."--, The duel between two wealthy Americans to build and own the greatest timepiece ever constructed is meticulously narrated by journalist Perman. Spanning the Gilded Age to the Great Depression, the story ... will attract both watch enthusiasts and readers interested in the Gilded Age, as it examines the fascinating technological complexity of timepieces... Sparkling historical details enliven the account considerably... Pays homage to the crowning achievements of a lost world of wealth, privilege, and culture., Jazz Age drama... Perman's attention to detail evokes Jack Finney as she carefully reconstructs daily life in fin de sicle America and the Roaring Twenties. Her obvious passion keeps the pages turning., eoeStacy Perman provides a captivating viewof high-flying, other-era wealth and privilege andthe enduring appeal of artifacts that tumble down through history with the fairy dust of titans still attached. This book makes a Rolex seem a pikere(tm)s toy.e, A unique competition between two scions of the Gilded Age is the driver for this fresh look at the mores of the rich and powerful. The aim of the competition was to acquire the world's most complicated timepieces. She effectively combines these different strands, providing a compelling social history...A masterful approach to composition combines with a fascinating plot and makes its subject entertaining as well as compelling., Stacy Perman's A Grand Complication is a masterfully layered tale of the lives of two incredibly wealthy men and their obsession to conceive and own the most fabulously constructed, incredibly complex, exquisitely made watches on the face of the earth. And like the 'complications' she writes about, it all works., That Perman has crafted a compelling tale that tells several stories at once and will appeal equally to readers inside and outside of the insular watch-collecting community is a testament to her considerable skills.... Perman's pacing makes the tale feel downright suspenseful., Stacy Perman provides a captivating view of high-flying, other-era wealth and privilege and the enduring appeal of artifacts that tumble down through history with the fairy dust of titans still attached. This book makes a Rolex seem a piker's toy., Perman packs in so much detail about the lavish lifestyles of the pre-Great Depression rich that her book can sometimes read like The Great Gatsby on steroids. But theree(tm)s no obscuring the real stars here, the triumphs of Gilded-Age nanotechnology brought to life by the obsessions and money of Packard and Graves., The story of American inventor James Ward Packard and financier Henry Graves, Jr.'s legendary fascination with complicated timepieces and their ensuing 'duel' has now been captured by journalist Stacy Perman in a riveting new book entitled A Grand Complication ... This book goes beyond the story of two men to graphically describe the growth of America and the burgeoning watch collector scene in the United States in a way that will certainly appeal to far more than the horologically minded., "The duel between two wealthy Americans to build and own the greatest timepiece ever constructed is meticulously narrated by journalist Perman. Spanning the Gilded Age to the Great Depression, the story ... will attract both watch enthusiasts and readers interested in the Gilded Age , as it examines the fascinating technological complexity of timepieces ... Sparkling historical details enliven the account considerablye P ays homage to the crowning achievements of a lost world of wealth, privilege, and culture ."--, eoeJazz Age dramae Permane(tm)s attention to detail evokes Jack Finney as she carefully reconstructs daily life in fin de siècle America and the Roaring Twenties. Her obvious passion keeps the pages turning.", Stacy Perman's A Grand Complication is a masterfully layered tale of the lives of two incredibly wealthy men and their obsession to conceive and own the most fabulously constructed, incredibly complex, exquisitely made watches on the face of the earth. And like the 'complications' she writes about, it all works., eoeA lively accounteprovides a window into [watches'] role as status symbols during an age of conspicuous consumption.e, Stacy Perman provides a captivating view of high-flying, other-era wealth and privilege and the enduring appeal of artifacts that tumble down through history with the fairy dust of titans still attached. This book makes a Rolex seem a piker's toy.
Format
Hardcover
Target Audience
Trade
Publication Year
2013
Number of Pages
352 Pages
Item description from the seller
Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing.
eBay item number:315355481412
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Item location:
Mishawaka, Indiana, United States
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AAA+++; Excellent Service; Great Pricing; Fast Delivery-Faster Than Expected -1 Week to Hawaii!; 5 Hardcover Books in Great Condition--As Described ; TLC Packaging; Excellent Seller Communication, Sends updates . Highly Recommended!, Thank you very much!
Product ratings and reviews
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Great book for a great price. Love it
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A summit in the history of watchmaking.
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