The story of mankind's struggle to measure time - and the stunning timepieces that have changed the way we do so.

An overview of the most significant developments in timekeeping across human history, with the worldwide struggle towards a consistent and accurate sense of the time proving to have been a storied and character-rich journey.

'An edifying, readable book that will not only delight watch lovers but enrich the relationship they have with the timepieces they own... This book is not just a history of time-measuring instruments: it’s a history of humanity itself, of its desperate attempts to harness the forces around it and find its place in the cosmos... A Christmas-list perennial.'