Books on Watches and Clocks

This is the book Donald wrote to cover automatic and day/date calendar watch repair. Since, today just about every mechanical watch is an automatic watch and has a calendar function this is a book you should have.

BK-21
$46.30
 

This book of 329 pages is filled with the facts, knowledge and information that an expert needs to refer to at times. There are over 3,000 alphabetical entries providing antiquarian as well as technical and professional information. Over one-third of the entries are illustrated with over 100 of them being hand styles and their names. Donald De Carle has done it once again, this is a classic and it deserves to be in your library.

BK-1001
$54.50, Now Just 49.00!
 

Written for craftsmen by a craftman, 1 volume, 166 pages, 295 plates and drawings. Size 21 x 27 cm.

BK2826-F
$129.00
 

Written for craftsmen by a craftman, 1 volume, 166 pages, 295 plates and drawings. Size 21 x 27 cm.

BK2826-G
$144.00
 

This book contains 400 illustrations, this is a must have item for the expert and beginner.

162.225
$50.95
 

The guide book on "How to Select" Suspension units and springs for most makes of 400 day clocks. Contains hundreds of illustrations of back plates used to select springs in alphabetical order. Every clock repair person who orders these springs and units by mail/phone order must have one of these books. There is no other way to order the correct spring other then matching the back plate you have to the drawings of back plates shown in this book. This is the most current edition, which I believe is the 11th.

162.219
$38.10
 

By H.Jendritzki & J.R. Matthey.

BK-6
$139.00
 

Basic knowledge for watchmaker. 368 pages of useful information with drawings and pictures. Size: 210 x 300 mm. Strong cardboard bound.

BK6891-D
$211.00
 

Modern pratical methods of watch repairing. 135 pages of helpful informations. In German.

BK-2825-D
$193.00
 

Modern pratical methods of watch repairing. 135 pages of helpful informations. In Spanish.

BK-2825-S
$127.00
 

This 8 1/2" x 11" perfect bound book contains 192 pages divided into 16 chapters. Over 170 pictures, and over 70 line drawings will show you everything you need to know to design and make several types of horological gears, and the cutters to make them. Step-by-step examples, quick reference charts, and gear and cutter design sheets are provided to make the process of designing and making watch and clock gears as much fun as possible. There is a lot of useful information in this book-Chapter 10, for example, will show you how to design and make a simple weight driven clock movement from "scratch". All the gears for this clock can be made on an American style watchmakers' lathe, using the 60 hole index on the back of the lathe pulley to index the wheels and pinions.

BK-7
$34.95
 

This new 60 page book has over 90 pictures and several line drawings that present traditional and modern methods to accurately replace worn, broken, or missing pivots in both watch and clock wheels and pinions. The making of micro drills is covered in detail.

BK-8
$14.20
 

This 24 page book has over 30 pictures and several line drawings to present a simple to make pivot polisher; a micro drilling attachment useful to the watch and clock maker. The making of laps and micro drills is also well illustrated.

BK-9
$12.95
 

This 16 page booklet illustrates a simple and accurate method to make small drills useful to the watch/clock maker and jeweler. Useful charts of miniature metric and Unified series screw thread tap drill sizes are included.

BK-10
$9.95
 

8.5" x 11", 44 page guide that will show you step-by-step how to check and adjust the Brocot-type pin-pallet escapement as use by Ansonia, Gilbert, Seth Thomas and many other American and European clock manufacturers. Large clear drawings show you how to check and put the escapement in beat; how to check and adjust center distance; how to check and adjust span, as examples. You are also shown how to make a simple drill guide to accurately position and guide the drill to bush worn pivot holes, and much more.

BK-13
$13.95
 

5.5" x 8.5", 20 page guide that has 25 pictures and several line drawings to show you and easy-to-make attachment for the lathe that offers as simple solution to the complex problem of grinding a very precise radius and clearance angle on a lathe tool bit to make gear cutters and the like. Although this attachment is designed for the watchmakers lathe, it can easily be scaled up for larger lathes.

BK-14
$10.95
 

For a person interested in watchmaking, this booklet provides basic explanations of the intricacies of the inside of a watch. Everything is printed in three languages, English, French and German, which is helpful to communicate with proper watch terms in a second language. The first section deals with how a watch works with “complications”, using texts illustrated by diagrams and sketches. The second section explains the terms used in the first and provides information on watchmaking companies and brands. This publication does not replace the need for a more exhaustive dictionary, however it is a capable tool for providing the layperson with a lot of knowledge on the inside of watches complete with address and names of Swiss watch companies.

BK-101400
Out of print cannot supply

This is the simply the best book written on using watchmakers lathe. A complete breakdown on the modern Bergeon watchmakers lathe is cover in 88 pages, with 450 photos and drawings. No other book provides the reader with this much information on using a lathe and all its accessories. Size 21 x 27 cm.

BK4577-E
Discontinued, no longer available.

Basic knowledge for watchmaker. 368 pages of useful information with drawings and pictures. Size: 210 x 300 mm. Strong cardboard bound.

BK6891-E
Discontinued, no longer available.

We just found a few copies of the eight edition Bestfit Parts Books Volumes 1 & 2, a total of 835 pages. Order yours today before the limited supply is sold out. The Bestfit Encyclopedia identifies Swiss, French, German, Italian, and Japanese movements, which were first introduced before 1961-64. This is still the main set of movements and parts identification books used by material houses and watchmakers worldwide today for movements made before 1964. Every serious watchmaker realizes the time and dollars saved with fewer ordering mistakes and parts problems solved with ease. These books will not make you an expert on movements or parts overnight, but will get you headed in the right direction so you can communicate with an expert in no time. We have been using the Bestfit stock numbering system and books now for well over 70 years. You can order any part shown inside these Bestfit Books using these Bestfit numbers from Otto Frei. If we do not have in stock the item, as a Bestfit Parts Distributors we can order from Bestfit for you. Please, keep in mind that the Bestfit books list several hundreds of thousands of items most of which are no longer in production and a few thousand of the rarest of these parts can be found no where other than in the Bestfit book. However, without these books you have far fewer chances of getting the right parts. These are the last books that we have. The printing image quality is subpar compared to earlier printings. The text is legible, only some of the images of the movements parts are not as detailed and clear as older printings. These books will no longer be reproduced again and once they are sold out, we are unable to obtain any more.

BK111/111A
Regularly: $99.00
89.00