I would like to show you my books about watches which were the main source for my collection. I present the main facts about particular book and my evaluation about usefullnes of the stated book, it's a kind of recomendation...Books are again listed on the same order as my collection is presented, so first Alarm, then Space watches followed by Russian watches. At the end some mixture of all other books are shown in alphabetical order.

Books about alarm watches

Title: ALARM AM ARM + PREISFUHRER

Author: Beitl Leonhart

Language: German

No. of pages: 675 + 55 (appendix price guide)

Year: 2009

ISBN: 978-3-200-01646-0 

Short description: Ultimate guide for all alarm wrist watch collectors. Book shows 526 watches sorted in alphabethical order of the watch producer, what is a bit unpractical when you want to group watches with the same movement type. At the end of the book basic informations of all movements are described. Very good and practical appendix with the price guide but you need to have in mind that more than ten years has passed since it was issued and that the prices on the market has changed now. Most important movements (AS; JLC; Vulcain) are described in details, copies of old articles about those movements and watches are also within the book).

General impression: Too many watches with the same movement and therefore maybe a bit confusing. But on the other hand it is a good reference point for checking the originality of the vintage wristwatches. BUT - even though there is really a lot of brands in the book it is still quite easy to find a brand which is not in the book. Unfortunate not all movements are pictured or photographed in needed detail (that is improved in web page..), that reduces the usability of the book as a single reference point. 

For the book to be widerly popular I believe it should have been translated into English language what this book by all means deserve. 

I should also have been updated. Some new models of the alarm watches are presented in the Price Guide appendix (obviously author got them after the book was finished), all new production after 2009 is of course missing.

All in all - if you are interested in alarm wrist watches and you understand German language, recomended.

Title: THE ALARM WRISTWATCH

Author: Horlbeck Michael Philip

Language: English

No. of pages: 232

Year: 2007

ISBN: 978-0-7643-2644-8

Short description: This book gives every watch collector a very systematic and transparent view on the history of the development of alarm wristwatches. All important movements are described in technical but easy understandable way. Every movement described is also photographed from both sides. The only flaw is that again due to the fact that alarm wristwatches in the last 20 years have become popular again and there is a lot of a new ideas and developments, the book is a bit outdated, so you have to be aware of that!

General impression: Perfect book for getting all the needed informations when one want's to start building alarm wristwatch collection. One will get to know all the main types of the movements and learn how they work. But if you need a reference point for some watch about the originality this is not the right book (except for the movement reference). In the gallery of the watches there is simply not enough watches for a reference. 

All in all - if you are interested in alarm wrist watches, highly recomended.

Books about space watches

Title: MOONWATCH ONLY - The Ultimate OMEGA Speedmaster Guide; 3rd edition

Author: Rossier Gregoire; Marquie Anthony

Language: English

No. of pages: 594

Year: 2019 

ISBN: 978-2-940506-30-9

Short description: In a very short - all you need to know about Omega Moonwatch is here! From the history, technical details, every single change of the watch through it's history is there. So, if you want to collect Moonwatches, you need to have this book.

General impression: Since the history of the Moonwatch is extensive and there is a lot of models, sometimes with just minor changes between them and book wants to cover everything in very exhaustive way, that is sometimes unproductive. Too much informations is sometimes just too much and book can be difficult to read. But for the collectors purposes it serves perfect. Since Omega is continuing to produce new models (the last new editions were issued in 2021), another edition can be expected since even though the 3rd edition is from 2019 it is already outdated.

All in all -  highly recomended for all Moonawatch collector and wider.

Books about USSR and Russian watches

Title: PODAROČNIE, NAGRADNIE I PRIZOVIE KARMANNIE ČASI ROSSIJSKOJ IMPERII (Knjiga 1) 

Author: Mazjarkin G., Jodkevič V.

Language: Russian

No. of pages: 108

Year: 2011

ISBN: 978-5-8493-0073-3

Short description: Book focus on pocket watches from the Tsar Russia with different royal family or State of Russia insignia. Through this overview one can also see who were the main watchmakers in those times.

General impression: Book is very colorful with a lot of pictures, but pictures focus more on the outer look of the watch, for a lot of watches picture of the movement is missing. It tells a story about watches which were in close connections with the royal family, one can not find out what was the general situation about the watches in the Tsar Russia. It is very domestic oriented book focused primarely on the russian readers.

As I know the same authors wrote also the book about the soviet watch productions, but I was not able to get that book.

Recomended but only for a very narrow group of readers.

Title: FASZINATION RUSSISCHE UHREN

Author: Ceyp Michael

Language: German

No. of pages: 182

Year: 1995

ISBN: 3-929902-82-6

Short description: Book gives an introductionary level of knowledge about soviet watch production where focus is on watches from 1980's. Book has also a Price suggestions which is today not of any use, it is totally outdated.

General impression: Book gives a first impression what one can expect from soviet/russian watch production. It was written in the time when all ex. Soviet Union watch companies were still active and it is more an overview what was available at that time. No special collectior's items are described. For real USSR watch collectors not of a pariticular use, but general population might read it with interest.

Good but not recomended for collectors.

Title: FASZINATION SOWJETISCHE UHREN

Author: Ceyp Michael; Pachnicke Klaus

Language: German

No. of pages: 83

Year: 1997

ISBN: 3-931785-35-1

Short description: Book tries to fill what was missing in the "FASZINATION RUSSICHE UHREN" so it focus on some of the most important watches and phases of the soviet watch production from 1945-1970. Since it also shows pictures of some movements which are interested to the collectors it can be used as a reference point for the collectors.

General impression: Since soviet watch production was vast, it is quite obvious, that book with only 83 pages can not describe or show all important collectors watches nor can explain historical story of the soviet production. So it is a good start for the beginner but it stops where the real questions for the enthusiast collector starts.

Recomended  as the starting point in forming the soviet watch collection.

Title: RUSSIAN WRISTWATCHES

Author: Levenberg Juri

Language: English

No. of pages: 96

Year: 1995

ISBN: 0-88740-873-7

Short description: A mixture of collectors catalogue and shop offer. It includes also price guide, of course from today's point of view unuseful and outdated. 

General impression: It's not quite clear what did the author want to do with this book. It shows us a lot of pictures of the relatively simmilar watches, it gives just a hint of some brand history. So for me reading the book gives more of a looking at the shop catalouge feeling. Since the book was written on the early 1990's when Levenberg started with importing the russian watches to Germany and selling them all over the world through Ebay, my impression is that this book was written only to attract new customers.

From today's point of view not recomended.

Title: UHREN AUS RUSSLAND - Sammlerkatalog Nr. 5,6,7,8

Author: Levenberg Juri

Language: Geman (Nr. 8 partially in German and English)

No. of pages: 62, 80, 128, 124

Year: 1994-1997

ISBN: none

Short description: A mixture of collectors catalouge and shop offer. All includes also price guide, of course from today's point of view unuseful and outdated. 

General impression: Everything that was said about Levenberg's book is true for this catalogues as well. They are not "true" collectors catalogue since watches listed are far from being collections for true collector, they are more a sellers prospect what is on offer. Very few interesting watches and facts about russian watches can be found.. Catalogue Nr.5 is not even a book, it's more a black/white photocopies joint together in a plasctic folder.

From today's point of view not recomended.

Title: URI IM TUCHER  - KATALOG ZUR UHRENAUSSTELLUNG RUSSLAND INTERNATIONAL

Author: Altmeppen Johannes

Language: Geman

No. of pages: 75 text + 125 photos

Year: unknown

ISBN: none

Short description: A catalogue of the real watch collector. First part is dedicated to description of some of historicaly important watches from ex. USSR, It is clearly seen what part of the entire scope of ex. USSR production interests the author. Second part of the book consist of pictures of all named watches in the first part. 

General impression: Author focus only to a few watch companies and from those companies to some specific watches but for this watches description is quite exhausive. It would be great if this collection and catalogue could be extended to more watches.

Even though it covers just a minor part of USSR watches and it's history, recomended.