Do you think watch YouTubers make stuff up?

If your practicing on the same movement for 6 months and putting in 4-6 hrs a day it’s definitely possible you will get good at disassembly and reassembly on that specific movement enough to put a video together and look like you’re doing a decent job. But It definitely will not make you an official watch maker by any means. That’s takes many years and rigorous schooling from professionals guiding you. Even then it’s a skill so one person may be the lebron James of watch making while another person is a good pick up player for street ball both going through the same amount of time and drills if you catch my drift here

Any idiot with a camera can start a YouTube channel as a self-proclaimed "expert" ... I regard the vast majority of them as better-than-TV- entertainment and advertising, nothing more.

Some channels are excellent, generally the bigger slicker ones (like those who contribute to WatchCrunch) are more trustworthy as they have a reputation and business to protect.

YouTube is a place where clicks, likes, subscriptions, financial microtransactions and advertisers count. I'm sure that somebody can learn a lot about restoring watches in 6 months. But even I learn from material outside of YouTube, mainly through forums, spec. sheets and other hobbyists.

YouTube is a form of entertainment in the end. There are some folks who use it truly to help others, but the incentives are such that it pays to produce content that create views.

Watch servicing and repair is basically transmission repair in small scale. There is a fairly standard assembly. You take it apart, replace the worn parts, clean, reassemble, and lubricate. I'm not discounting it, but the bulk of it is not rocket science. There are trickier items and conditions where the ability to diagnose or something requires more in-depth knowledge or experience, but most things are more humdrum. Furthermore, some people are quick studies and grasp things quickly, others not so much.

I'm not making any sense of the scammer story. I suspect the fakery is in the received 'before' condition. Restoration vids have a habit of inducing superficial deterioration and gunk to juice the change in appearance.

I personally find Marshall a dedicated, humble youtuber. Of course you can learn watchmaking by watching videos, practicing disassembly and assembly of different movements. He's pretty transparent with his knowledge and says he reaches out to colleagues for advice when needed.

Can't really understand why you react the way you do. Nothing really point to him being a fraud.

Scammers aren't that uncommon and the modus operandi he described is real.

After watching a handful of videos and getting a cheap vintage movement to practice on, I was able to disassemble and service a movement within a couple months. I won’t claim expertise or be making videos about it anytime soon.

As @PoorMansRolex noted, it’s not rocket science. Reasonably good vision (and magnification), steady hands, and significant patience are helpful traits. A few good tools make it easier. It doesn’t hurt to have done very small scale detail work in other hobbies, e.g. many years of building and flying model aircraft.

People do make up stuff online all the time.

However, when you're picking which movements to service as a hobby, the learning curve can be whatever you want it to be, in a sense. Someone with the right tools and patience can quite easily start simple cleanings, lubrication, and regulation of time/date wheel only movements from quality manufacturers with fairly limited training relative to a full time watchmaker. They don't have a business to keep afloat by accepting complicated or high paying services, so you can cherry pick watches you know well and are allowed to mess up.

I don't know anything about the scam situation. It could be bs, it could be worded poorly, it could be modified for various legitimate reasons, or it could be true and just dumb/lucky.

Marshall is top notch. I think you misunderstood him when he talked about how long it took him to learn the hobby. He routinely says he learns new things everyday.

I know YouTubers make stuff up and I believe there are a lot of scammers out there. Marshall is not one (maybe I’m naive).

Marshall is one of the only YouTubers I still watch. You misunderstood the scam. The boys parents (I think) realized the scam while the watch was in transit and was able to get it back. The scammer did not send it back.

Im sure theres a level of over exaggerating razzle-dazzle; nobody wants to be reminded on how pathetically boring life can be.

It's incredibly difficult to get any traction on youtube, let alone in such a niche category as wrist watches.

I'm not saying dishonesty is justified, but I understand how demoralizing it can be to put in so much effort (a LOT is required to make a semi-presentable product) without any response.

I don't know where I was going with this... yes I think it's possible to become fluent with mass produced movements in 6 months.

Marshall, you're questioning Marshall?

And the vid you reference, he never said the scammer sent it back. He said they were able to get it back, I assume by contacting the shipping company.

As far as his claim of watching videos teaching him, yeah that sounds a little unbelievable but you have to also account for the fact that some people have talents that others don't. It's entirely possible.

Go and watch all of his videos from the beginning. I think you'll see he's legit

I managed to fix and service a watch after watching YT videos (mostly Marshall's, also Nekkid Watchmaker) and taking a photo after I removed each piece. It's not hard, really, just fiddly and it seriously tests your patience. Main barrier to servicing watches IMO is the cost of the various tools and oils. I'd spent £500 before I got round to doing anything. Worth it, though, it's great fun.

Everyone makes stuff up - no one reads around and just chats sh*t. Welcome to the internet.

Don’t bother with videos on YouTube about watches but learning how to service simple watch movements is very possible for any person who is slightly capable with mechanical objects. My father who was an academic but failed to find work after emigrating to Canada from HK routinely serviced his 60s Rolex OP and even watches for his friends. My brother and I also picked up the hobby but became bored with the tedious repetition and small parts. I knew quite a few watchmakers who were essentially self taught. A fella who used to sell designer shoes to my wife took an on line course and became a capable watchmaker.

Seems like a strange thing to fake for seemingly little gain. I watch the same channel you mention and it seems all above board to me. I mean you literally watch him disassemble and assemble a watch on camera.

As for the stories, well who knows. I don't see any reason not to believe them, and even if they aren't 100% true, it wouldn't stop me from continuing to watch and enjoy the channel.

C) Some are genuine enthusiasts, some are straight BS.

If you are referring to Wrist Watch Revival, he is a literal icon in the field. One of the reasons I got into watch collection. Learning to disassemble a basic NH movement from YouTube videos is not uncommon. Many of the amazing modders here have done it.

Using this as a starting point some progress into more complicated movements. Marshall has been doing it for a good amount of time. I'm sure his kit is just enough to get your toes wet and not make you an expert. That takes time and practice.

Agree with you. Marshall comes across as a knowledgeable, likeable guy.

Exactly, I'm what they call a kinesthetic learner. I learn from seeing and doing. Reading about it does nothing for me. Let me do it 2 or 3 times and it's almost second nature from them on

I was thinking the same thing while watching that video, but I think if anything the Client lied to him about the story to get his attention. He’s brought up scams before on the channel. He probably gets so many requests and they wanted to stand out

If you are referring to the channel I think you are, he says he learned the basics in 6 month threw an online watch repair series and is been adding new skills over the years he has been doing it. The video I watch of the pocket watch I though the kids parents contacted the shipping company and got the watch returned before it had been delivered.

The video did seem confusing at 1st but the package on that one was intercepted by those who sent it. They were able to realize something was wrong & had the shipping company return it, mid transport, before arriving to the scammer. And yes, working on watches becomes simpler when you realize how close most movements are to each other. Once you’ve got the general concept, you get pretty quick with it. From what I’ve picked up in other videos, Marshall has watch friends in high places. They probably offer some kick ass repair advice that we peasants don’t get when learning ourselves.

First of all, there is a vast gap between servicing a watch and watchmaking. I guess you watched the latest Wristwatch Revival video, and are buffled, that Marshall started this as a hobby. If I recall it correctly, it is true that Marshall started by following some youtube tutorials, but he also had some online or in person classes, so he did not learn anything from youtube videos. Max from WC had an interview with him some time ago, it's an interesting talk.

Learning to service a watch is not that hard, there are some courses available for watch entusiast (at least in my region), from one day courses teaching disassembly and reassembly of a basic movement to fully established evening courses teaching a little bit more founded knowledge about more complicated movements.

Back to the particular video, the watch never reached the scammer, I think the owner cared reach out to the courier company.

Regarding your original question, I'm pretty sure a vast majority of youtube creators are making stuff up to gain views because they are living from it. Every online content is left to the viewer's own discretion.

"Some channels are excellent, generally the bigger slicker ones (like those who contribute to WatchCrunch) are more trustworthy as they have a reputation and business to protect."

Lmao. That's a hard no for me, dog

Since I have been known to swear under pressure, like speak in tongues, I am sure I lack the patience this would take. That being said, I'd love to learn to assemble a watch. But you'll not see me do it for YouTube. Watching me lose my shit might be entertaining for some. I disappoint my wife enough without becoming Internet famous (infamous) for that.

I'm sure scammers exist but there seems to be some earnest folks out there. Scammers belong in the Ninth Circle of Hell, getting urinated on by Dante and Virgil, ad infinitum.

I don’t know anything about watchmaking, but like anything else, if you put in the time, I can see you learn to become a watchmaker in 6 months. Does that mean they’re a quality watchmaker? Unlikely as that’s years of experience. Working on different movements, encountering various problems, etc.

Watchmaker in 6 months, sure.

Quality watchmaker? Nope, I wouldn’t give them my watch to work on.

And how does one “accidentally” send their watch to a scammer?

When it comes to working with your hands you have to be Naturally talented for it that’s why some people work in offices and other on work sites and if you are lucky enough to be good with your hands it doesn’t take to long pick anything up you are not going to be a master of it over night that takes time I’m a joiner but I can strip down a motorcycle engine and rebuild it after watching a few YouTube videos it’s me longer then a mechanic but I’m not a mechanic

It’s wristwatchrevival

All fakes probably

Scammers might not be uncommon but the scammer kindly returning the watch is probably pretty uncommon.

So I think you are referring to Marshall from Wristwatch Revival. I have been watching his videos for a couple of years now and have always felt him to be a straightforward guy.

He does make a point to say that he is always learning and that he has plenty to learn still, a mark of a generally honest man.

Perhaps what has you thinking he learned everything in 6 months is that he took a course from the Wristwatch Repair Channel that was the major source of his initial training, and that may have taken anout 6 months. Either way I think he presents an interesting and entertaini g series of videos about watchmaking.