The History and Design of Wristwatches in the 20th Century

Aficionada & Aficionado was created as part of my Bachelor’s thesis – a Coffee Table Book that explores the cultural history and design of wristwatches throughout the 20th century. The idea grew out of a personal moment: after one of my first successful design jobs, I wanted to invest the earnings into something meaningful and lasting. This decision led me into the world of mechanical watches – objects that fascinated me because they combine craftsmanship, design, and emotion in a way few other products do.

It quickly became clear that wristwatches were an ideal topic for my thesis. Many existing books on watches focused either heavily on technical detail or used inconsistent visual strategies. My ambition was to create something different: a publication that balanced research and storytelling with editorial design, making horology accessible and engaging for a broader audience.

The book is structured into four chapters:

• A timeline of key milestones in watchmaking history.
• National chapters on Germany, Switzerland, the USA, and Japan, showing regional strengths and design philosophies.
• Portraits of influential watchmakers and designers, from John Harrison to Abraham-Louis Breguet.
• An exploration of collecting practices, highlighting archetypes from dress watches to tool watches to integrated steel sports watches.

Almost all photography was produced by myself, including my own watches and pieces from acquaintances. The visual language combines clear typography with staged watch photography, ensuring the book not only informs but also inspires.

For me, Aficionado was more than a book project – it was an exercise in designing knowledge through form. It demonstrates how personal motivation, cultural research, and editorial design can converge into a project that communicates both fascination and expertise.

In this project, my editorial design expertise – built through several book projects during my studies – came fully into play. The book itself was conceived in a format matching the size of a traditional watchmaker’s mat, linking concept and physical design in a subtle but meaningful way.

Importantly, Aficionada &Aficionado was conceived as part of a two-book thesis project. Alongside the technical volume Uhrmacherei / Watchmaking / Horologerie, which approaches watchmaking from a rational, functional perspective, Aficionada & Aficionado serves as the emotional and accessible Coffee Table Book. Together, the two volumes reflect the dual nature of horology: precision engineering on the one hand, and cultural fascination on the other.