Vintage watch collector and researcher Richard Crosthwaite discusses his approach to creating and marketing his books and how print on demand gives him the freedom and flexibility to design his books, his way.  

Find his book, Heuer Carrera Chronographs 1963-85, in the Blurb Bookstore.

Your book Heuer Carrera Chronographs 1963-85 is one of Blurb’s bestselling photo books! To what do you attribute its success? 

There are lots of watch books available, but the majority are for brands like Rolex and Omega. There are far fewer available for the brands I cover, so that is one advantage. Also, as well as featuring beautiful photography, my books contain very specific information, which makes them invaluable as references for people who are interested in watch collecting. Having access to this information can save collectors substantial amounts of money by avoiding making mistakes when they’re buying vintage watches.  

Can you share any interesting facts or stories you discovered while researching this book?  

Part of my research has involved collecting watch serial numbers. Through this, I’ve been able to identify the number of watches in particular production runs, and this made it clear that certain watches are incredibly rare—some with a production run of fewer than 50—which is really interesting for collectors. 

Where did your passion for watches come from?

My passion for watches came after my wife bought me a watch for our engagement 15 years ago. Due to my research-minded nature, I got hooked on the design and story of vintage watches. Previously, I didn’t wear a watch that cost more than £100.

You are a collector and researcher of vintage watches, and you also offer authentication and consultation services. How are you leveraging your books in your overall business strategy?  

To be honest, my approach has always been to create books that I would be interested in reading. I research and write about the watches that I enjoy collecting, and I like sharing that knowledge with fellow enthusiasts. The books seem to be popular with both experienced collectors and those who are just starting out, and through them, people then contact me when they want to learn more. 

Who is your book’s target audience? What strategies have you found most effective in reaching out to them? 

Watch collectors are the main audience, as well as websites or other media outlets that cover watches and luxury collecting. Sharing content via social media channels, especially at times of bookstore-wide promotions, has been effective. 

You have 24K followers on Instagram! How do you use your impressive social media following to promote your books and your business?  

I share images of the books and photography that’s featured in the books via social media.  I’m not overly strategic about this. I take the approach of sharing what I would be interested in seeing, and people who share a passion for vintage watches tend to find it. 

Social media accounts prosper from having a combination of great images and being informative and engaging with your followers. I prefer not to post too much, especially when it may be repetitive.

Why did you go the route of self-publishing versus traditional publishing? And why did you choose Blurb?  

In the beginning—over a decade ago—I ordered a batch of books and was making daily trips to the post office to ship them. One of the best things about Blurb and the print-on-demand service is the convenience of having Blurb take care of everything, including dispatch. It’s a system that has always worked like clockwork. In essence, all I need to focus on is producing the book, and then Blurb handles everything else and sends me the profits each month!

It goes without saying that the quality has always been high, which is extremely important for this sort of book, and any problems have been addressed quickly and efficiently. Also, because I’m always continuing to research watches, I often discover new things. Using Blurb, I can update the books when that happens or create new covers or limited editions, none of which would work as well with a traditional publisher. 

What have been the biggest lessons you’ve learned from self-publishing? What about the challenges you’ve faced?  

It’s always best to get a test copy, but after a decade of producing books via Blurb, I am now able to confidently look at the online tool and know that what I can see is exactly what will be produced.  

Pricing can be tricky to get right! How did you determine the pricing strategy for your book?  

The book pricing is pitched at a level competitive and comparable with similar watch books. 

Looking back, is there anything you would change about your process of creating or marketing this book?  

I have learned many lessons over time with regard to what works, how to fully utilize the tools available, and what layouts work best. The books that I sell now are definitely more professional and polished than at the start of the process, which I guess is part of the journey. 

What advice would you give to someone who is looking to self-publish and self-promote their own book?  

Take your time and remember that the longer you take to familiarize yourself with the tools and work on the layout and content, the better the end product will be. 

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