Watch or clock repairer jobs

There are only two routes one may take to enter the watchmaking industry. Training as a Watchmaker via an Apprenticeship or School. Both of these options are acceptable. If I absolutely had to choose one, I would go with the Apprenticeship path. Nevertheless, the odds of landing an apprenticeship in this day and age are exceedingly slim, but it is not impossible to do so.

1. APPRENTICESHIP

In almost every field, one-on-one instruction is considered to be the most effective method of education. If you ever get the opportunity to acquire knowledge on a one-on-one basis, you will be able to accelerate the process and shave years off of your learning curve.

individualized, but yet getting to the point. During the course of my apprenticeship, I picked up skills that required anything from few hours to an entire day to master. On the other hand, I've taken classes that required an entire week to cover the same material. It is a highly hands-on approach in the sense that the watchmaker from whom you are studying will educate you and make the topics more relevant to you personally.

Apprenticeships place a significant amount of importance on getting hands-on experience. It's the difference between being book clever and being street savvy. In contrast to the educational environment of a school, in which you are expected to have a comprehensive understanding of all levels via written and theoretical components, apprenticeships often place more of an emphasis on your ability to perform the duties of the job.

Apprenticeship was the primary mode of instruction for watchmaking in the early days of the profession. The art of watchmaking was shared with intimate friends, members of the family, and other relatives. There was no organization that could validate your status as a "watchmaker" and give you that title. Your performance was a resounding success. It wasn't until the industry had a pressing need for more watchmakers that certification organizations were required to be established in order to assist the recruitment of trained watchmakers.

When compared to the micromechanics and lathe work, which you may only rarely encounter, this section deals with the more typical components of watch maintenance that you may encounter. Instead of manufacturing a barrel bushing using a lathe, you will be doing more conventional overhauls such as changing the battery and the straps.

Return on investment obtained quickly You'll discover that the information you acquire is highly useful in the repairs you do on a daily basis. Since of this, you will see an increase in your front-end income because you will be able to mend common items.

It is quite difficult to locate a watchmaker in today's world who is willing to take on an apprentice.

No income. As an apprentice, you will not get payment. If you want to be an apprentice full-time, you should be aware that if you want to pay your expenses you will need to find another work. Your best hope is to become an apprentice on a part-time basis.

One of the aspects of an apprenticeship that I find problematic is that it ties you down to the watchmaker who is responsible for teaching you the skills. There is no guarantee that the method and the talent that they are instructing you in are up to par with what is expected in the business. As you progress in your career, you will discover that the watchmaking business is rife with traditional watchmakers who refuse to get modern training. This is a problem since the industry is always evolving.

2. WATCHMAKING SCHOOL

In most cases, working in a group with other individuals who are also interested in becoming watchmakers will be beneficial to you in the great scheme of things.

A substantial amount of labor, both conceptual and practical. My impression is that studying to make watches at a specialized institution provides a more well-rounded education. You'll have an understanding of the fundamental reasons why certain things function, which is something that becomes more crucial as your watchmaking expertise grows. A high degree of structure and organization.

You won't have to worry about keeping up with the most recent trends in watchmaking after you graduate from watchmaking school since you will have been taught the most recent industry standards.

Environment that is both controlled and enclosed. You are educated in an environment that is managed carefully. You will learn one set of goals by completing the examinations, practices, and being in the environment that has been designed for that purpose. When you get out into the real world, you'll see that you'll have to deal with three to four different sets of difficulties at the same time. It won't ever be as nice or as simple as it is while you're in school for watchmaking. I go to a lot of trouble attempting to explain this on my Instagram, and since then, watchmaking schools have messaged me asking how they might add more real-world examples.

Attending school for watchmaking may unquestionably help you build a professional network and improve your chances of landing future employment, opportunities, and open doors. The lecturers at watchmaking schools are often in communication with watchmaking industry specialists. Jewelers, other watchmakers, and even shop managers are all potential candidates for this role. As a student, you will benefit tremendously from these connections.

In an educational environment like a classroom, you will learn at the same rate as the rest of the class. Therefore, if the teacher is instructing the group and you immediately grasp something, the instructor may ask you to continue doing it until the rest of the class comprehends it. Or the exact reverse might be true. If you are the only one in the group who does not grasp anything, you may find that in a group situation you are hesitant to let the teacher know about your inefficiencies. This is especially true if everyone else in the group understands what is being taught.

It is difficult to enroll in watchmaking school. There are just three in the United States, and only a few in other parts of the globe.

Plan on doing some traveling. It is possible that in order to attend the school of your choosing, you will be need to travel, but this will depend on where you reside. This might imply out of the neighborhood, the neighborhood, the city, the state, or even the nation. It may be very expensive to move your whole life if you have dependents such as children, a spouse, or other relatives.

Expensive. The schooling for watchmaking is not inexpensive. When you take into account things like tuition, the cost of watchmaking instruments, the cost of living, including rent, food, and transportation, etc., you'll realize that watchmaking school is not inexpensive. You also need to take into consideration the possibility that you may need a part-time work in order to be able to pay all of your expenditures.

The duration of time spent in watchmaking school might vary. The typical amount of time is between two and four years.

About sixty percent of the essential information that you will need as a watchmaker will be taught to you at watchmaking school. You will need an additional five to ten years of on-the-job training in order to learn around 35 percent of the material that is not covered at watchmaking school. To put things in perspective, some of the greatest watchmakers I know in the world haven't even finished the final five percent of the problem, and neither have I. Neither of us has completed the whole thing. One of the many beautiful aspects of watchmaking may be found here. It is impossible for you to finish the problem.

As a side note, if you are located in the United States, you have the option of enrolling in a 5-day watchmaking course offered by the American Watchmakers Clockmakters Institute in Harrison, Ohio. This is a fantastic option that provides you with the opportunity to get modern watchmaking knowledge in manageable doses.

HOW YOU CAN GET STARTED: APPROACHING IT FROM A PRACTICAL PERSPECTIVE

It's possible that producing watches isn't for everyone. It would be a waste of your time if you spent all of your time filling out applications to schools and attempting to acquire an apprenticeship, only to find out on the first day that you despise the work. The following is a straightforward and practical strategy to getting started in the watchmaking industry:

Get some Tweezers (Some material houses worth looking at include Jules Borel, Casker, and Otto Frei.)

Buy a Bergeon Loupe 4X -

Invest in a Wire Holder for Your Loupes. Ninety-five percent of you will furthermore need purchasing a wire for your loupe. Without the wire holder, the loupe will only be able to be worn on the face by around 5 percent of individuals.

Buy a Bergeon 4040 Movement Holder

Invest in a set of screwdrivers designed for watchmaking (Check out Amazon here)

Optional: If you are able to locate a "watchmaking kit" that includes a loupe, screwdrivers, tweezers, and a holder for the movement of the watch, then you have struck gold.

You may get a new 6498 ETA movement from Jules Borel, Casker, or Otto Frei, or you can purchase a 6498 ETA Clone on eBay. The 6498 movement is ideal for beginners since it is large enough for a beginning to perceive and comprehend. This makes it the finest movement for beginners. Because of the quality, it is essential that you make use of an ETA when you are just getting started. It makes things simpler since we don't have to worry about why the watch isn't working—whether it's because we made a mistake someplace or whether the movement is simply poor quality. When you initially start off, going for a terrible movement is not always the best idea since there are sometimes simply too many factors to cover.

Invest on a brand-new Quartz ETA movement if you're struggling to make ends meet. Anything that begins with the number 955 is generally of high quality. Obtaining this from Casker, Jules Borel, or Otto Frei is who I would suggest getting it from.

You will need to download this 6498 Technical Guide in order to continue with the disassembly and reassembly process.

If you happen to utilize another ETA movement, you should go via the technical support site of ETA to locate the paper containing the technical specifications for that particular movement. Click on the tab labeled "Caliber," and then look for the movement there.

In all likelihood, it will cost you many hundreds of dollars, but looking at the bigger picture, it will be money well spent. If you come to the conclusion that creating watches is not something you like doing, the financial implications of this realization are negligible in the grand scheme of things. The potential benefits far exceed any potential drawbacks. What if you come to the conclusion that creating watches is your vocation? Think of it as a watershed experience in your life...

After acquiring the necessary resources, the next step is to just launch into the endeavor. Tinker and have fun. Make sure that watchmaker has its own dedicated workstation. Check that the surface is spotless, completely smooth, and, if possible, white (taping white printer paper onto a desk will do the job). Make certain that you clean it each and every day (watchmakers dust off and clean their bench daily prior to beginning work). Reconstruct the 6498 by taking it apart and putting it back together piece by piece. After you've gotten started, you'll have a good idea of how much you like producing watches within a short period of time. Some individuals find it soothing to take something that is already put together, disassemble it and take it apart piece by piece, and then put it back together again in its original form. You may steer clear of some common mistakes that first-timers often encounter by following these steps:

Do not adjust the settings of an expensive watch. Seriously. It would be in your best interest to invest in a 6498 movement. You have no one but yourself to blame if you tamper with a watch that you treasure and wind up damaging it as a result of your actions. If you feel confident enough to fiddle with one of your watches, you should make sure that it is one of those that can be thrown away and does not have the capacity to remember any information if it is damaged.

Take apart each component one by one and then rebuild it as soon as you're done. Build your muscle memory by repeatedly tightening and loosening the same screw. This will help you become more efficient. Treat it like a workout. Five sets of ten repetitions, four sets of twelve repetitions, and so on. As soon as you have it mastered, you may go on to the next, and then repeat the process. You should not skip any steps in the procedure.

In the event that Screws A, B, and C are first removed, followed by a moving bridge. Be careful to put it back on with the moving bridge in the other direction, using Screws C, B, and A. That counts as one rep. It should be repeated ten times. That counts as one set. Repeat for a total of five sets. That's some good ol'-fashioned repetition training, and it can do wonders for you. It may seem straightforward, yet straightforward does not equate to easy.

Take photographs of the movement both before and after you remove anything from your body. You won't have to wait long before you realize that your memory isn't all that excellent. This will ensure that you have a solid strategy to turn to in case you forget where anything is supposed to go in the event that you forget. This watchmaking advice is invaluable, regardless of whether you are just starting out or have years of experience under your belt. This piece of advice has, by itself, prevented a great deal of embarrassment for me.

Always check to see whether the watch is operating properly once you have reassembled it. You have made a mistake if the watch was functioning properly before you disassembled it and rebuilt it, but it is not functioning properly now. Examine and appraise the components using the photographs that you took. Are the pieces in their proper places? Examine the action from a perspective that is more sideways. Is there anything that's off-balance? Are there any broken parts? You will engage in the preliminary stage of the process of elimination. Watchmaking relies heavily on logical reasoning, particularly the elimination and deduction processes.

The act of grasping tweezers is comparable to that of holding chopsticks. Seriously. When you first start using the tweezers, you need to be very cautious about how you grab objects. If you apply too much pressure, your body parts will actually scatter all over the place. If you use too mild of pressure, your components will fall off before you even reach the destination you were going for.

Work deep on your desk/bench. Avoid putting too much of your work on the ledge of the desk. You want to position yourself so that you are as near to the desk's center as you can get. This manner, even if any of the components are missing or dropped, the assembly won't slide off the surface. It will be very difficult to locate it in the event that it slides off the desk, whenever that may be. You want to reduce the likelihood of adverse outcomes as much as you can.

During the process of disassembly, arrange the components in an A-to-Z manner on the bench you are using. In this method, you will have a visual representation of the components in front of you. Although it seems like a no-brainer, this approach is really effective.