From Publishers Weekly
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 stylings of modern designs. This book slides out of a full-color, die-cut slipcase—a package as eye-catching as the watches within. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Book Description
During the 1860s and 1870s, "Tiffany Timers," as they were called, became the preferred timepiece of an impressive list of clients that included well-known public figures, wealthy businessmen-Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Morgan, Whitney, and Astor, to name but a few-and many other luminaries, including President Ulysses S. Grant. This sumptuous volume surveys the design and development of the glorious timepieces Tiffany & Co. has created since its inception 150 years ago as the first and finest purveyor of Swiss-made watch and clock movements in America.

In this latest book in his beautiful Tiffany series, company design director John Loring celebrates the role Tiffany has played in making the watch a treasured possession, a vital component of every jewelry collection, and an indispensable fashion accessory for men and women. Lavish illustrations, featuring not only photographs of magnificent watches and clocks but also exquisite work studies by the designers, complement the colorful and informative text. This book is a must-have for all lovers of Tiffany and collectors of watches and clocks. AUTHOR BIO: John Loring, Tiffany's design director for the past 25 years, is the author of this season's Greetings from Andy: Christmas at Tiffany's and seven previous Abrams books, including Tiffany in Fashion, Tiffany Flora & Fauna, Louis Comfort Tiffany at Tiffany & Co. , and Tiffany's 20th Century. He lives in New York City.

About the Author
John Loring, Tiffany's design director for the past 25 years, is the author of this season's Greetings from Andy: Christmas at Tiffany's and seven previous Abrams books, including Tiffany in Fashion, Tiffany Flora & Fauna, Louis Comfort Tiffany at Tiffany & Co. , and Tiffany's 20th Century. He lives in New York City.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"With the introduction of fine timepieces more than 150 years ago at its 271 Broadway store, Tiffany & Co. first brought the art of Swiss watchmaking to the attention of a broad American public. During the 1860s and 1870s, Tiffany Timers, made at Tiffany's Geneva manufacturing shops - along with the superb watches it imported as the exclusive American representative of Patek Philippe - were the preferred timepieces of a dauntingly impressive roster of Tiffany clients." "To house the finest watch and clock movements, Tiffany's jewelry and silver shops in Manhattan created caseworks of world-class design and unprecedented opulence, winning numerous awards at the great international expositions in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Without exception, all of Tiffany's leading designers and design directors have contributed to Tiffany timepiece design, from Edward C. Moore, Paulding Farnham, Charles Osborne, and John T. Curran in the nineteenth century to Louis Comfort Tiffany, Van Day Truex, Jean Schlumberger, Elsa Peretti, Paloma Picasso, and John Loring in the twentieth." No other American jeweler has played such a central role in the history of timepieces in America, and no area of luxury goods developed by Tiffany's has a more fascinating history. Through its lavish illustrations and engaging, informative text by John Loring, Tiffany Timepieces conveys both Tiffany's and America's roles in making the fine Swiss timepiece the most treasured object in jewelry wardrobes throughout the world.

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