Frederic J. Friedberg of Irvine once owned more than 700 Illinois Watch Co. timepieces. After being captivated by the brand's Art Deco designs, Friedberg started his quest to preserve the company's history.

A decade later, he published The Illinois Watch & Its Hamilton Years, which clocks in at 24.5 pounds and 1,648 pages.

LA Times business reporter Daniel Miller stopped by LA Times Today to talk about his obsession.  

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