What a fabulous book. Two days ago I didn't know it existed and now I have it in my hands, courtesy of DHL. It was published in 2006 and the German edition is sold out. Nomos still has some copies of the English edition and it can be ordered through their website.

I've never seen anything like it. There's the horological stuff you might expect, and insights into the Glashütte watch world, but there are delightfully random entries about extinct animals in Saxony, sex in Glashütte, the Nomos vehicle fleet, nutrition for watchmakers and recipes for 'Dead Grandma'. There's a detailed Glashütte map folded into the back cover.

It's written with considerable panache and humour and it's an absolute joy. I've only flicked through it so far, but I'll be devouring every page in the coming days. Naturally, it came with a Nomos catalogue full of lovely, lovely things. Who says the Germans don't have a sense of humour? The Nomos Encyclopaedia is smart, sophisticated and frequently very funny. Get it while you can.

http://www.nomos-store.com/en/Things...clopaedia.html