My book, Tou h rbillon, about my passion, is often compared with the book Watchmaking by George Daniels, published in 1981. I think that is absurd. Let me say somewhat about that, only a minimum.

Watchmaking is a book, which describes comprehensively its treated issue. A very beautiful book, which I estimate very much (1981 published). George Daniels has a reputation for creating complex Tourbillon watches. Pocket watch freaks should own this book.

Tou h rbillon, about my passion, with this book the reader learns the background to my passion watchmaking, which in addition to that led me making exceptional specific Tourbillons. I report on me and these Tourbillons. And I report in detail as I did that and as I generally work. All my watches are modeled on Tourbillons, which were developed and were made in Glashütte/Sa (Germany). Contrary to George Daniels I do not create, design inimitable watches!

Both, may I say that, George Daniels and I would like to inform the clock friends about this art by passing our knowledge, in a variety of ways to motivate the readers to exercise this handicraft.

Many interested readers ask for presenting my book,
Tou h rbillon, about my passion, somewhat more in detail.
I like to do this here.

Contents, pages 4-10
you find references to the treatises and drawings, components as well.

Introduction, pages 11-39:
I let the reader know why I wrote the book. Then follows a quoted article published 1904 in an old magazine that the world famous Tourbillon of the company A. Lange & Sons and its designer Fridolin Stübner describes and in pictures presents.
6 photos document identically constructed Tourbillon movements
compared to two of my watches.
4 further photos of my watches follow; and also one shows my workshop.

Chapter 1, pages 40-83
I tell about my life, my job training, my relation to Glashütte/Sa and to many watchmaker who taught me this handcraft, then still 2 pages about book recommendations.

Chapter 2, pages 84-408
the extensive technical lecture, the construction, background as well, detail descriptions, instructions for making of watches, the cases, and about adjusting. A guidance for making, step by step, over 147 drawings, each component is described, is dimensioned etc. 37 pages with almost 80 detail drawings are concerned with the cage and its components. A series of 8 photos shows the cage from any perspective. 23 photos document my work. A photo series, 44 photos, shows an assembling of the Tourbillon.

Chapter 3, pages 412-480
advices relating to the handcraft, in 14 treatises is reported which was shown and taught to me. How I manufacture a spring-detent, an escape wheel, about hardening, finishing etc. The readers find data to my Tourbillon with a flying cage.

Chapter 4, pages 484-522
I report on meetings, on special watches, which I estimate, on friends of watchmaking.

The end, pages 523-543
I finish my book with a series of 30 photos about old lathes and tools, which I use in my workshop.

Condition of the book
The book, approx. DIN A4 (19 x 25 cm), in cloth hardcover, enclosed by a protective foil jacket, shows 544 pages. The complete book is printed in the four-color print. Use found high-quality paper, to 100 gram, surface in brilliant white.

My book, Tou h rbillon, about my passion, I published it 20 years after the publication of the book Watchmaking. In these 20 years the computer conquered our world and was no more neither privately nor in business to be excluded from our life. I used software in particular programs for designing and drawing or photographing already since 1989 vocationally. I made comprehensive construction designs since then nearly daily with my computers. This experience is reflected into well over 150 of the detail designs of my book. All drawings are polychrome printed. To each drawing belongs a comment and if making sense an advice for completing and finishing.

The printed photos refer to the components and were made during their production time. I used a camera Nikon F 90 with appropriate objectives. All photos were professionally revised and set for printing in matte gloss character. The condition of my book corresponds to the know-how of today.

A comparison with the condition of the book Watchmaking should be permitted. This is printed in black-and-white on matte ca.120 gram heavy paper and shows at the book beginning 8 photo plates on especially embedded bound photo paper. Only the photos are colored printed.

Both books show the same dpi density with the photos.

The comparison is not a criticism to the book Watchmaking. As I mentioned before it is a very, very nice book which I estimate and recommend.

Translation to English
I translated myself the book into the English language. It is possible that the reader trips over a word order or does not understand a predication. Trying to get a beautiful book, also to improve the knowledge,
I’m pleased about to hear a review.

I made a vain attempt charging a translator with translating this special kind of book. The costs would be enormous. Nobody would be able to afford the expected prices. It is a technical book, shows a lot of drawings and photos, and in this case nobody expect a book written in “Oxford English”.

I am sure you will understand my “Steffen Pahlow English”.
All technical terms correspond with the
“Illustrated Professional Dictionary of Horology” by G. A. Berner.

Friends who share with me the wonderful passion watchmaking urged me making an English version. The English Version was published November 2008. I sold up to now many, many books. I’m happy about that. I got only one negative review.

Regards Steffen Pahlow

spahlow@t-online.de