Sign-In
Cart
Built to Be Bought: The twenty watches that won the wrist
Paperback
General Antiques & Collectibles
Please select the version of book you would like to purchase.
ISBN13: 9798195301996
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: May 2 2026
Pages: 372
Weight: 1.09
Height: 0.77 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: May 2 2026
Pages: 372
Weight: 1.09
Height: 0.77 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
The watches you've heard of are not the watches the world bought.
For every Submariner on a James Bond wrist, there are a hundred million Casio F-91Ws on the wrists of teenagers, soldiers, and accountants. For every Patek Philippe Nautilus on a waiting list, there are five hundred Apple Watches sold this quarter. The twentieth century's most successful object is not the car or the smartphone. It is the wristwatch - and the wristwatch the magazines never wrote about.
For every Submariner on a James Bond wrist, there are a hundred million Casio F-91Ws on the wrists of teenagers, soldiers, and accountants. For every Patek Philippe Nautilus on a waiting list, there are five hundred Apple Watches sold this quarter. The twentieth century's most successful object is not the car or the smartphone. It is the wristwatch - and the wristwatch the magazines never wrote about.
Built to Be Bought tells the real story of the wrist in twenty watches, chosen on one criterion: volume. Not prestige. Not pedigree. What people actually paid for.
Inside, you'll find:
Twenty watches. One century. Ten billion wrists.
The watches that won.
Inside, you'll find:
- The bathroom-window drop test that gave us the G-Shock.
- The Friday-before-Basel deadline that nearly killed the Royal Oak.
- The Hayek son who overrode his own marketing department to launch the MoonSwatch - and produced the largest single watch hit of the 2020s.
- The spreadsheet at an authorised dealer in 2019 with eighty-plus names against a single Tudor reference.
- Why the F-91W appears on terror watch lists, prison commissaries, and the wrist of the President of Iran.
- How a Cupertino wearable shipped more units in one year than the entire Swiss watch industry combined.
Twenty watches. One century. Ten billion wrists.
The watches that won.
Also in
General Antiques & Collectibles
Long Range Shooting Handbook: Complete Beginner's Guide to Precision Rifle Shooting
Cleckner, Ryan M.
Paperback
$23.70
Cherrypickers' Guide to Rare Die Varieties of United States Coins Volume 1
Stanton, J. T.
Fivaz, Bill
Hardcover
$37.95
Military Workout: Train Like a Soldier: The Complete Military Workout Plan for Strength, Fat Loss, and Mental Toughness
Publishing, Zero Excuses
Paperback
$19.99
Wacky Waving Inflatable Tube Guy Deluxe Edition: Includes USB Cable and Vinyl Stickers
Riordan, Conor
Paperback
$17.95
Dark Archives: A Librarian's Investigation Into the Science and History of Books Bound in Human Skin
Rosenbloom, Megan
Paperback
$18.05
Broad Stripes Bright Stars: A Graphic History Celebrating 250 Years of America's Icons
Hinrichs, Kit
Hardcover
$61.75
Baofeng Radio for Preppers: The Ultimate Survival Communication Guide for Unpredictable Times
Clark, Michael
Paperback
$11.99
Vintage Rolex New Edition: The Largest Collection in the World
Silver of the Vintage Watch Company, David
Hardcover
$123.50
The Card: Collectors, Con Men, and the True Story of History's Most Desired Baseball Card
O'Keeffe, Michael
Thompson, Teri
Paperback
$18.04
The Grandfather Clock Owner's Repair Manual, Step by Step No Prior Experience Required
Lloyd, D. Rod
Paperback
$28.41
Art of the Japanese Sword: The Craft of Swordmaking and Its Appreciation
Kapp, Hiroko
Kapp, Leon
Yoshihara, Yoshindo
Hardcover
$42.70
Military Ribbon Guide Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force & Coast Guard
Foster, Col Frank C.
Paperback
$18.69
The Complete U.S. Error Coin Guide 2026: A Collector's Handbook to America's Rarest Coin Mistakes
Merritt, Jaxon
Paperback
$19.19
Japanese Mythology: A fascinating introduction to Japanese mythology, myths, legends and deities
Edizioni, Iacobellis
Paperback
$11.21
The Madman's Library: The Strangest Books, Manuscripts and Other Literary Curiosities from History
Brooke-Hitching, Edward
Hardcover
$33.25
Comprehensive Catalog and Encyclopedia of Morgan & Peace Silver Dollars 5th Edition-Part I
Mallis, A. George
Van Allen, Leroy
Paperback
$37.44
Watch Repair for Beginners: An Illustrated How-To Guide for the Beginner Watch Repairer
Kelly, Harold C.
Paperback
$14.24
Exceptional Watches: From the Rolex Daytona to the Casio G-Shock, 90 Rare and Collectable Watches Explored
Mazarian, Clément
Collection Personnelle
Hardcover
$57.00
Art Legacy Compass: Guidance for Managing, Downsizing, and Transitioning an Artist's Studio and Estate
Longe, Mary E.
Paperback
$28.45
The Cuckoo Clock Owner's Repair Manual, Step by Step No Prior Experience Required
Lloyd, D. Rod
Paperback
$28.41
Wristwatch Annual 2026: The Catalog of Producers, Prices, Models, and Specifications
Braun, Peter
Paperback
$37.95
Comic Book Apocalypse!: The Death of Pre-Code Comics and Why It Happened, 1940-1955
Hogan, David J.
Hardcover
$56.99
Disney/Pixar the Color of Toy Story: A 30th Anniversary Celebration of Colorscripts and Creativity
Pixar Animation Studios
Hardcover
$33.25
The Stuff of History: A Curated Compendium of Curious Objects and Forgotten People
Moore, Steven
Hardcover
$28.49
Harry Potter: Hagrid with Harry's Birthday Cake ("You're a Wizard, Harry"): With Sound!
Lemke, Donald
Paperback
$15.15
Dream of Blossoms NOTEBOOK [ruled Notebook/Journal/Diary to write in, 60 sheets, Medium Size (A5) 6x9 inches]
Viola, Iris a.
Paperback
$9.81
Professional Gunsmithing: A Textbook On The Repair And Alteration Of Firearms
Howe, Walter J.
Paperback
From $19.99
Houdini's Library: Inside the Spellbinding Collections of the Great Illusionist
Colleary, Eric
Hardcover
$61.75
Hello Kitty and Friends: You're My Bff: A Fill-In Book
Hagan, Merrill
Humphrey, Kristen Tafoya
Hardcover
$11.40
License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History, 1903 to the Present
Fox, James K.
Paperback
$37.44
Common Sense Addressed to the Inhabitants of America: The Complete Edition With Appendix & Epistle To Quakers
Paine, Thomas
Paperback
$7.49
The Comprehensive U.S. Error Coin Guidebook 2026: Identify, Grade, and Value Rare U.S. Mint Errors with Clear Photos and Expert Tips
Coleman, Richard A.
Paperback
$17.99
Marvel Comics Mini-Books Collectible Boxed Set: A History and Facsimiles of Marvel's Smallest Comic Books
Marvel Entertainment, Marvel
Hardcover
$28.49