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Independents

A very good read

 

Some time ago, I ordered this book - The Independent Spirits (Time makers since 1985) - newly published by the Academie Horlogere des Createurs Independents (AHCI), an association co-founded by Vincent Calabrese and Svend Andersen some 36 years ago. It features prominent independent watchmakers including the usual suspects such as (not in any particular order) Philip Dufour, Francois Paul Journe, Kari Voutilainen, Ludovic Ballouard, Konstanin Chaykin, Paul Gerber, Vianney Halter, Marco Lang, Raul Pages, Hajime Asaoka, Andreas Strehler and many, many more. Predictably, a few like Roger W Smith, Peter Speake Marin, Romain Gauthier are conspicuously missing because they are not members of the AHCI. Still, the biographies and important milestones of those members are very worthwhile literature. One can spend an entire afternoon reading them...


A few extracts.
 

















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Andreas StrehlerF.P. JourneHajime AsaokaKari VoutilainenKonstantin ChaykinLang and HeyneLudovic BallouardPaul GerberRomain GauthierSpeake-MarinSvend AndersenVianney HalterVincent CalabreseVincent Calabrese
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hi Thank you for such a great recommendation, samwan.

 
By: ArmisT : February 10th, 2021-23:22
As iā€™d noticed occasional posts about good ā€œcoffee tableā€ books and historical accounts, Iā€™ve been looking for good recommendations. And when AP sent me a large hardcover book just yesterday, I appreciated how valuable such books can be as educational and... 

You are welcome

 
By: samwan : February 10th, 2021-23:28
This book is particularly useful to me as approximately one-third of my collection are from independent watch makers...

I have this one.

 
By: Martltime : February 11th, 2021-00:43
Itā€™s a nice read, but many spelling mistakes in it. Doesnā€™t really matter šŸ˜… Cool book and a good overview of the AHCI watchmakers.

Great book

 
By: LiftAngle51 : February 11th, 2021-02:25
If i can buy it, i wil do. Despite other great watch makers be not in the book AHCI, it is full of the best like George Daniels. I like what Kari produce and Speake Marin, so enough to enjoy.