To those interested in becomming a Watchmaker I can offer this:
1. The school route is great, but after the two year program you still won't get a parts account from anyone. You will have no problem finding a job though.
2. Self-taught. It will take awhile, but it's a rewarding hobby/career.
Every budding Watchmaker should have books. Books by DeCarle, Fried, and Daniels are great.
There are old correspondence courses that are good to. Try to get Chicago School of Watch Repair, and Bulova School of Watch Repair. Hunt around for the best price.
The quality of internet videos on the internet are spectacular. You are lucky to have them. When I started their was only one guy who taught Watch Repair.
Tools:
#2, #5 Dumont tweezers. (any tweezers will do, even the cheap ones.)
Watch back removal tools. You will need various types, including Rolex, and universal tools.
small ultrasonic bath to clean parts. A mason jar filled with cleaning fluid, and rinse will suffice to hobbiests though.
oils. Moebius are recommended, but expensive. Personally I think they are overpriced.
Presto #1,#2 hand removers.
some Radico.
A mainspring tool. These can get pricy. Look for a old set of Marshall mainspring removal tools.
Decide if you want to work with a loupe, or a 10-40x stereoscope.
a band remover.
A staking set. (Look around. No need to spend more than $250.00
A jewelers lathe, mill, etc. come way later. The biggest mistake newbies make is buying every tool they thing they might need. Then again you wealthy boys can go crazy.
Too tired to go on, but I'm in the Bay Area under "I buy Watchmaker, jeweler, amd some Machinist's estates. I'm gearing up to do repairs. I hope to have a website soon. I'm thinking about teaching, but not sure if there's a market for it.
Parts rarely fail on watches from the 50's on, especially the better made watches that are sealed. Even those that arn't sealed very well, the parts seem to last.
If a part does fail, it's usually the old blue steel mainsprings.
They can be replaced with modern White-Alloy springs. (That is just a brand name.)
Watches are my thing. I don't know why I like them so much, but do.
Servicing does take awhile to learn though. That whole 10,000 hrs probally. Servicing a watch does not take that long to learn. I'm talking about making parts with a Jeweler's lathe. And getting to the point where you know those parts well enough to visualize exactly what's wrong with a timepiece by looking at it.
If you did learn to clean/oil your mechanical watch, it's something that will be passed down to loved ones.
Oh yea, Service a mechanical watch when it stops keeping good time. That is unless you take it in the water.
I know a watchmaker who told his father he needed to Service his gifted wristwatch. His father got it 30 years ago as a present, and just wore it daily. The watchmaker was expecting dried up oil, but to his astonishment, the oil was still there. It was hermetically sealed. Oils do breakdown, but he couldn't find any damage to parts using a 40x stereoscope.
I get what you are saying completely, and completely agree.
I have noticed male children, especially the first born male, who's father is a Psychiatrist end up--well--what's the right phrase? Some seem very angry. It's just something I noticed in my small circle.
I'm probally wrong, but it's something I have noticed.
1. The school route is great, but after the two year program you still won't get a parts account from anyone. You will have no problem finding a job though.
2. Self-taught. It will take awhile, but it's a rewarding hobby/career.
Every budding Watchmaker should have books. Books by DeCarle, Fried, and Daniels are great.
There are old correspondence courses that are good to. Try to get Chicago School of Watch Repair, and Bulova School of Watch Repair. Hunt around for the best price.
The quality of internet videos on the internet are spectacular. You are lucky to have them. When I started their was only one guy who taught Watch Repair.
Tools:
#2, #5 Dumont tweezers. (any tweezers will do, even the cheap ones.)
Watch back removal tools. You will need various types, including Rolex, and universal tools.
small ultrasonic bath to clean parts. A mason jar filled with cleaning fluid, and rinse will suffice to hobbiests though.
oils. Moebius are recommended, but expensive. Personally I think they are overpriced.
Presto #1,#2 hand removers.
some Radico.
A mainspring tool. These can get pricy. Look for a old set of Marshall mainspring removal tools.
Decide if you want to work with a loupe, or a 10-40x stereoscope.
a band remover.
A staking set. (Look around. No need to spend more than $250.00
A jewelers lathe, mill, etc. come way later. The biggest mistake newbies make is buying every tool they thing they might need. Then again you wealthy boys can go crazy.
Too tired to go on, but I'm in the Bay Area under "I buy Watchmaker, jeweler, amd some Machinist's estates. I'm gearing up to do repairs. I hope to have a website soon. I'm thinking about teaching, but not sure if there's a market for it.