Becoming a Watchmaker, update one.
Dear Diary,
Well, the school that is closest to me, in the same state, daily commute-able even (which is incredibly fortunate in the world of watchmaker education), is closing.
Tragic. It doesn’t make sense to me, as the school had, from what I understand, funding from Rolex, and other Swiss brands. I was told that they even sponsored tuition, you just needed to figure out how to live for 2 years and buy a $5k tool kit. If the industry is hurting so bad for watchmakers and service technicians, why are the closing one of the very very few educational centers, one that is supposed to have made people into the best in the world? They have not responded to further inquiries. Guess I no longer have to fret about making the cut at the entrance exams.
So, I have decided to continue to learn by doing. I have purchased some pocket watch movements to more easily practice on (tiny Japanese moments are a bit challenging at times) more tools and supplies to fill in gaps in my kit, and have been taking notes listening to watchmaker videos, and I plan to take Alex’s “Watch Repair Tutorials” course, which my family is splitting cost of for my birthday coming up, as well as sourcing some literature. I’m confident I will be able to pass the CW21 with enough practice and diligence over the coming years.
My wife found me an affordable copy of Horology by JE Haswell, and I have been keeping an eye out for Theory of Horology, which is used as a textbook for the Horology schools.
I will be building out a schedule once I enroll in the course to make sure I have designated time for it, and in the meantime have been disassembling and studying a spare seiko movement, reassembling and practicing wheel placement. Next up is learning to properly clean on a budget and work on oiling skills.
So the path I have imagined seems to be closed, but this gives me the opportunity to learn at my own pace while still making a stable living with health insurance and all that. Not the hard cut from the auto industry I wanted, but this will work too.
Once I get my supplies, I will try to make a post showcasing what I got, where and how much, since I am finding it challenging to to find that info for myself. I will also explain the tools I already have. I am trying to do this as cost-effective as possible, as I bet many in my position are trying to do.
One thing I have not mentioned, that I don’t think I’ve ever seen brought up in talks about perusing watchmaking and repair is that I have carpal and cubical tunnel syndromes from over use and abuse at work I’m assuming. I have gone thru therapy and all that, but nothing has resolved it. I have an evaluation tomorrow to see what my path forward to relieve my suffering is. This is something that has been a problem for over a decade, effecting many aspects of my life.
I am able to work on movements and all, but it really requires paying attention to position and stretching frequently. I’ll also include updates on this process as well in the future. I’m afraid to even talk about it because I feel like it makes me doubt myself that I can even do this, but even as it is now I can work through and around it. Just hoping the doctor can help make it a non-issue.
Just got back into timepieces, pardon my ignorance. Champagne taste, High Life budget.
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This is quite the journey that you are embarking on. I wish you the very best of luck!
Marshall at Wristwatch Revival on youtube highly recommends watching Mark Lovick at Watch Repair Channel and has taken his courses on watchfix.com. I'm just starting out, and planning to check out these courses. Marshall also has tool kits and recommendations at sutcliffehansen.com. Good luck!
The school closing is disheartening for sure. But the persistent cannot be deterred!
The field is crowded, but maybe start a YT channel with a Patreon account and people that want to see you succeed can donate to your hands on education?
Just a thought, and I understand why some may not want to do that.
That a good idea, I would need a way to film however. A scope with camera runs just under a grand from what I gather
Alex Hamilton class is very good. I'm taking it now. The other online classes that are not very expensive are Mark Lovick's at watchfix.com. Marshal from Wrist Watch Revival Youtube channel highly recommends him. The other one is by Cristian Lass, who used to be a restorer for Patek Phillippe museum. He is now an independent high-end watchmaker. You can find him at learnwatchmaking.com.
Good luck.
https://www.timezonewatchschool.com/WatchSchool/
Sorry to hear about this, but good luck with your pursuit as a watchmaker. On a side note, looks like we are in the same local area, I'm in Allentown.
That a good idea, I would need a way to film however. A scope with camera runs just under a grand from what I gather
I just got a setup that Alex Hamilton from Watch Repair Tutorials recommended. It was about $600.
you are on a journey. follow the end goal despite the immediate view. if you want to serve as an independent watchmaker, it could be more fulfilling. I've heard that watchmaking for the bigboys can be mundane and likely aggrevate your conditions with repetitive work and quotas. being independent would be challenging in different ways--you would become a small business and all that entails. you would still need some credentials to establish report with customers. good luck to you.
Good luck, Kyle. That's disheartening that one opportunity has closed. But I'm glad youre still pursuing it. A lot to start this journey too. Look forward to seeing a future update.
Glad to see you’re still in good spirits. I love the passion and drive you have for this hobby. If you haven’t already, I’d recommend reading any material you can find from George Daniels and Roger W Smith. These are the two greatest watchmakers of modern times. The watch world would very different without those two.
The Lititz Watch Technicum is closing?!? That’s really sad news. Their building is beautiful and I thought it was great having a watchmaker school nearby. I wonder why they made that decision. Not much info on the topic can be found online.
Yeah I was very sad to get that email.
Glad to see you’re still in good spirits. I love the passion and drive you have for this hobby. If you haven’t already, I’d recommend reading any material you can find from George Daniels and Roger W Smith. These are the two greatest watchmakers of modern times. The watch world would very different without those two.
They are a fascinating duo, I have watched a couple docs, clips and interview about them. Their determination and dedication to the craft is inspiring.
I don't know if you're a veteran or not, but if you are, there is another 'nearby' option in Delaware.
https://www.veteranswatchmakerinitiative.org
I don't know if you're a veteran or not, but if you are, there is another 'nearby' option in Delaware.
https://www.veteranswatchmakerinitiative.org
I am not but I have veteran friends I may recommend this to
Same thing happened to me. I spent three years casting metals and setting stone with no idea we had a watch school. I Ran to the watch school just in time to find it too was shutting down.
Same thing happened to me. I spent three years casting metals and setting stone with no idea we had a watch school. I Ran to the watch school just in time to find it too was shutting down.
Well, the only thing left in my case is to learn from all available resources and practice at home. It really is a shame they are either closing or have are extremely limited on admissions
Then I was told There is still a school in Texas. And all I could think of is there is nothing on planet earth that will get me to drive through Texas let alone live there. I'd sooner move to Hell.
Well, the only thing left in my case is to learn from all available resources and practice at home. It really is a shame they are either closing or have are extremely limited on admissions
I wish you the best! I'm too old, sick (and poor) to even try now. 20 years ago though..........
Yeah, or Seattle for that matter! I live an hour away from Lititz. What a shame…
I just don’t understand why they are closing rather than expanding. It’s hard to buy tools and parts, insane bidding wars on movements and tool collections. People are buying them, there’s plenty of aspiring watchmakers out there.
There are waiting lists of people willing to pay thousands for tools, education and certifications, and there are now two schools in the US. What?! Maybe there just aren’t enough instructors? But who’s building the watches in the first place? The luxury watch market is big enough that surely this problem can be solved no? There have to be more passionate people out there willing to learn this and teach this right?
Not to burst your bubble but the economics just don’t make sense (in the US) for the watches that are out there nowadays. Just look at the watches on WC (which represents I would argue the “normal” watch collectors - some high ends on here but most sub-$1000)
Who is willing to pay $200-$500 to get a proper servicing or repair on a watch that is sub-$500 or even sub-$1000 (and if you say, I wouldn’t charge that…how are you going to make a living for less?)
I’m sure there are school in Switzerland or Japan specializing in repair and maintenance of high value pieces. But likely they are in-manufacturer service training (employees)
But for the normal Joe in the US, the watch is a throw away or you send to the manufacturer for a warranty repair (in house) if you’re lucky and bought from a reputable dealer/brand.
it’s the by product of mass produced watches in China or Japan or Korea (cheap accessibile watches that cost more to repair than to buy another one (or you just switch out the movement (in its entirety))
The independent watch maker/repair guy is going the way of the shoe cobbler. Sure they are out there. But there aren’t lines of people trying to get in to see them anymore.
I know there are some DIY repair guys on here but it’s self taught and a side hustle not a full time anymore.
I think there is a myth going around which states that there are loads of jobs out there for newly minted watch makers…but if there are, I haven’t come across any (at least in the US for US pay)
If this is your passion. I say go for it. But I would see if maybe you can get a job with a watchmaker as an intern or apprentice first before plunking down the money to take tests or enroll in a school.
Not to burst your bubble but the economics just don’t make sense (in the US) for the watches that are out there nowadays. Just look at the watches on WC (which represents I would argue the “normal” watch collectors - some high ends on here but most sub-$1000)
Who is willing to pay $200-$500 to get a proper servicing or repair on a watch that is sub-$500 or even sub-$1000 (and if you say, I wouldn’t charge that…how are you going to make a living for less?)
I’m sure there are school in Switzerland or Japan specializing in repair and maintenance of high value pieces. But likely they are in-manufacturer service training (employees)
But for the normal Joe in the US, the watch is a throw away or you send to the manufacturer for a warranty repair (in house) if you’re lucky and bought from a reputable dealer/brand.
it’s the by product of mass produced watches in China or Japan or Korea (cheap accessibile watches that cost more to repair than to buy another one (or you just switch out the movement (in its entirety))
The independent watch maker/repair guy is going the way of the shoe cobbler. Sure they are out there. But there aren’t lines of people trying to get in to see them anymore.
I know there are some DIY repair guys on here but it’s self taught and a side hustle not a full time anymore.
I think there is a myth going around which states that there are loads of jobs out there for newly minted watch makers…but if there are, I haven’t come across any (at least in the US for US pay)
If this is your passion. I say go for it. But I would see if maybe you can get a job with a watchmaker as an intern or apprentice first before plunking down the money to take tests or enroll in a school.
This is definitely the reality I am finding.
I am hoping I can find someone to apprentice with, otherwise I am just going to be learning as I go and put myself out there. I live in an area with money, so there are collectors of antique/ vintage clocks and watches that are in need of repair. I know anecdotally of a few people who’ve paid thousands for antique clock repairs, and they had a hell of a time finding anyone who would do it at all.
I am not quitting my day job to do this immediately, however I am now more seriously persuing this on the side in the hope that I can achieve a dream which is to ideally, but perhaps not realistically, turn it into a career someday, or own my own business. I thought I was going to be going to school and getting a job with Rolex or something at the start of this, but apparently they don’t want people to do that anymore. They don’t want to sell you their watches, and they don’t want you to build or work on them now, either. Just want.
Rolex: We want you to want us.
I love the art and the precision of watchmaking and repair. How it’s a science and an art. Hopefully someday I will be good enough at it to earn money, maybe when I get to retirement. If someone can become a watchermaker, why can’t it be me? We are all humans.
You are right, though, the reality of our world is that most things can and will be thrown away.
You wanna throw away your watch, give it to me. I will fix it and sell it. Or keep it, I just love these things, really and my mind is slowly turning to gears, pivots, cap jewels, pallet forks and Mobius 9010.
I want a lathe.
I fix things, it’s what I’ve done since I was a kid this is the pinnacle of it for me, and I’m pursuing it. I’m tired of fixing cars, and this feels like it could be a way out. Im 35 and I have a chance to change my future.
It’s a long road but I’m here for it.
That's definitely a kick in the pants and makes no sense to me either and not much more does anymore, as always persistence pays off and you will get there one way or another the more you tinker and learn from others the more skilled you will become, I never went to school for auto repair it was all hands on and watching the pros growing up, I know when my boss retires I'm considering leaving the field myself, going back to school would be difficult with family etc but if there's a will there's a way!
Yeah man, that is something that working in independent auto repair teaches you. Persisting in the face of doubt, resource gathering, and creative problem solving.