# How Should I Begin Watchmaking?



## _ & _ (Feb 22, 2012)

I don't know exactly what it is about watchmaking that intrigues me, other than everything. Everything about this profession seems exactly right for me and I am ready to dedicate a lot to learning the trade. However, leaving my hometown and going to watchmaking school is not a possibility for me right now, yet I still have a strong urge everyday to learn more about it. I'm considering several options on how to go about learning this from home and I was hoping some input from WUS would help set me in the right direction. btw, I am currently a watch technician at a store that does mostly low end quartz work, so my job only produces a limited amount of satisfaction.

1) There's the online TimeZone Watch School. They offer 3 lessons at $75 a piece plus suggest thousands of dollars worth of tools. These will teach you to assemble, disassemble, oil, and time mechanical and automatics. TimeZone Watch School Home The sample lesson is good and is easy to follow.

2) GemCity Home Study. They offer many lessons at $60 each, starting with filing metals and making your own tools, also thousands of dollars worth of tools required. Professors at the school are always on hand to talk to. You send them in your work when you finish a lesson and they grade it. ( I guess it is essentially the same course you learn if you go to their school, just no professor to help guide you.) Watch Repair School, Clock Repair School, Watch Repair Training, Clock Repair Training, Hand Engraving Training, Watch repair training

3) Get an apprenticeship. This could be the most difficult, yet possibly the best option. I've attempted to contact multiple watchmakers in the city and have received back a couple replies via email, though I'm still struggling to actually have a conversation with someone.

4) ????

Any information, suggestions, or details on how you got into the trade would be quite useful. My current goal (though years in the future) is to receive the CW21


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## Gabriel A. Zorrilla (Nov 30, 2010)

I'm a wannabe like you, but if you contacted some watchmakers and they replied, why don't you give them a call? That'd show you are serious about that. If you get under the wing of one, you will get all the knowledge you may need.


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## RustyMainspring (Nov 16, 2010)

If you know about the CW21 than look at its reading list. Get those books and start reading them. 

For your beginning work get stock square and round brass. Get a lathe, this will be around $500 but you really need this. File a piece of square brass into a perfect square. Now do it again one millimeter smaller and again. So make one 7x7, 6x6, 5x5 now each bevel the edges. 

Do this and if you still like watchmaking then start trying some turning.


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## Outta Time (Feb 9, 2010)

If you are serious, there is no substitute for an experienced, qualified watchmaker standing behind you. I strongly recommend going either the watchmaking school route, and then apprenticing, or doing some apprentice work first to see how you like it. The only trouble with the second method is, working watchmakers are usually not interested in taking on someone with no schooling or practical knowledge. There is a lifetime of learning in the trade, and the more technical training you can get before you apprentice, the better. There are quite a few schools in the US, and some of them are underwritten by various large companies, Rolex or Swatch, and are quite affordable in that respect. Tools will always be expensive, however.


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## _ & _ (Feb 22, 2012)

Hey guys, thanks for the feedback. I think the books would be a good idea, I'm a major bookworm and didn't even think of it haha. 

Good news is that I heard from a company this morning in my city looking for a new watch technician, and I'm fortunate enough to already know the in's & out's of quartz servicing. They have several certified watchmakers (CMW21 & CW21) working for them. I told them I could only except a position if they would train me in mechanicals. If I get lucky here I'll get to learn at least a portion more of the trade AND get paid. 

what more could a guy want?

for anybody in my position, all I did was email every place in my town I could find on google that did watch repair. the trade is known by so few i'd gamble you'd be able to at least come back with some interested folks.


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## dacattoo (Jan 9, 2011)

Actually there are not alot of schools. And when you consider they only take a handful of students per year(Seattle takes 12) there are fewer students graduating(my class graduated 9 students) and the number of schools or more accurately the number of benches in the US available is like maybe under 50 this is not virtually but actually a not dying but dead profession. Throw in the "parts problem" and you have either the best or worst time in history to be a watchmaker, depending on your point of view. Millions of watches come into this country every year and the there are maybe 5 or 6 thousand watchmakers in this country, average age pushing 60. More are dying, retired or leaving for whatever reason than can be cranked out of the schools per year. 
I personally think this is the best time in history to be a watchmaker. The parts availability problem is a serious one for independents. There were rumors and supposed promises that if one had a WOSTEP cert they would be able to get parts accounts but I have never had any luck. Until watch buyers start making a fuss and refuse to be forced to Rolex or Swatch for repairs and charged large amounts of money for things they don't want or need I don't see the parts problem changing. When you buy a car do you think about the repair costs 10 years down the road? No, it's the Corinthian leather seats and back up camera.
I could go on
Michael


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## pithy (Aug 22, 2010)

*school trivia*


AWCI
Harrison, OH
Bishop State
Mobile, AL
Bowman
Lancaster, PA
Bradley
Peoria, IL
Brooklyn High
Brooklyn, NY
Bulova
Woodside, NY
Carolina
Durham, NC
Chicago 2X
Chicago, IL
Career Prep
Sterling Heights, MI
Cunningham
Corydon, IN
Denver
Denver, CO
DeSelms
Attica, IN
Detroit Tech
Detroit, MI
Drexler
Milwaukee, WI
Elgin
Elgin, IL
Gem City
Quincy, IL
Gruen
Cincinnati, OH
Hardin JC
Wichita Falls, TX
High Point Trades
High Point, NC
Hiles
San Francisco, CA
Hiram G. Andrews Ctr
Johnstown, PA
Hutchinson's
LaPorte, IN
IOSW
Fort Worth, TX
Jones County JC
Ellisville, MS
Kansas City
Kansas City, MO
Kilgore College
Kilgore, TX
Lititz Watch Technicum
Lititz, PA
Milwaukee Tech
Milwaukee, WI
NAWCC School
Columbia, PA
NCST
Pulaski, PA
Needles
Kansas City, MO
Newark
Newark, NJ
NG Hayek
Miami, FL
NG Hayek
Secaucus, NJ
North Idaho JC
Coeur d'Alene, ID
North Seattle CC
Seattle, WA
Omaha O & W
Omaha, NE
Oregon Vo-Tech
Klamath Falls, OR
OSU I T
Okmulgee, OK
Paris Junior
College Paris, TX
Parson's
LaPorte, IN
Philiadelphia
Philadelphia, PA
Pinellas Tech
Petersburg, FL
Ries & Armstrong
Macon, GA
St. Louis
St. Louis, MO
Saint Paul College
St. Paul, MN
Schwartzman
San Francisco, CA
Southern
Memphis, TN
Spencer
Spencer, NC
Stone's
St. Paul, MN
Strutz
Sacramento, CA
Stuhl's
Swindle
Dublin, TX
Van Slyke
Oakland, CA
Waltham
Waltham, MA
Western PA
Pittsburgh, PA
Winter Park Tech
Winter Park, FL
York Time Institute
York, PA


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## _ & _ (Feb 22, 2012)

*Re: school trivia*



> pithy said:
> 
> 
> > AWCIHarrison, OHBishop StateMobile, ALBowmanLancaster, PABradleyPeoria, ILBrooklyn HighBrooklyn, NYBulovaWoodside, NYCarolinaDurham, NCChicago 2XChicago, ILCareer PrepSterling Heights, MICunninghamCorydon, INDenverDenver, CODeSelmsAttica, INDetroit TechDetroit, MI
> ...


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## nofd1977 (Feb 10, 2012)

*Re: school trivia*

Good thread. I too would love too learn this beautiful craft. I have always loved working with my hands to create and repair. Being a jeweler for 5 years in the past made me realize I had a passion for this. After having to retire from the fire dept early due to a back injury, I too am going to pursue an education in watch making. Closest to me would be Bishop in Alabama. I hear the teacher in knowledgeable but they do not get the funding that the other larger schools receive. Anyway , I wish you guys luck on your journey.


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## vintage_collectionneurs (Jul 11, 2016)

Has any come across any short course in watch making that are based in Asia?


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## rubberduck (Jul 9, 2016)

PaulQin said:


> Has any come across any short course in watch making that are based in Asia?


I took the 101 course on learnwatchmaking.com it is a bit expensive but really worth it. I guess you can take it in Asia as well

It is really good and easy to follow. You learn how to service a wristwatch thereby you take it apart from A-Z and afterwards assembles everything again. After that you will be taught how to lubricate and regulate it. Christian lass is a really good teacher and explains everything in details. I had some question and he answered within 1 hour. 
A friend of mine met Christian in London when Patek Philippe had their Grand Exposition where he was doing a demo of some sort.


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## Alden (Jul 24, 2015)

I live a few miles from Winter Park, FL.

*Winter Park Tech* is a public technical/vocational school that teaches stuff like culinary, auto mechanics, cosmetology.... they do not teach watchmaking.

I wonder who made this list of schools?


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## rubberduck (Jul 9, 2016)

Can it be it is a very old list. Watchmaking was quite common before the arrival of the electronic watch.


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## Alden (Jul 24, 2015)

Not sure, but I know there is an AD for Rolex in Winter Park.

I wonder if that is a connection.


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## Samantha (May 14, 2010)

That list was posted almost 5 years ago. Also, many of the schools listed have not been in existence, i.e., the Elgin school, Bulova's school, and the school at Bradley in Peoria.
Samantha


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## pithy (Aug 22, 2010)

Neat history link:

Bradley University: Horology on the Hilltop


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## Samantha (May 14, 2010)

Very nice! Thanks pithy!
Samantha


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