AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |
Back to Blog
Pnw horology school8/31/2023 ![]() ![]() (By-the-way, watches will eventually need repairs and all of the mechanical ones require maintenance.) demand problem to run prices higher with the big name service centers garnering a premium for repairs. That’s not enough to service the industry. If 2,000 watchmakers remained employed in the US and 500 graduated from our schools that would leave us with 2,500 watchmakers. That’s an average of about 5 students per school. The ten US Schools together graduate approximately 45 students a year. We’ll take the JCK numbers at face value and interpolate. At the time, 4,500 watchmakers were employed in the US (down from 30,000 in the 1950’s) with an estimated 2,500 expected to retire, they believed, by 2010. The last census figures I can find come from 2001 in JCK Magaine. How many people are employed in the watchmaking world and what are their areas of expertise? Let’s look at the industry from a service point of view. You can determine for yourself the advantages and disadvantages of the Swiss approach. In my opinion, this is an issue for the folks that regulate Restraint of Trade aka the Justice Department. That’s essentially two competing organizations WOSTEP and SAWTA. Some consider this restraint of trade and recall a similar strategy Rolex used in the 1960’s.Īnother model in the US is known as the Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Education Program or WOSTEP. ![]() What’s the Swiss American Watchmaker’s Training Alliance? It’s owned by Rolex and if you don’t get their AWCI CW21 Certification, you can’t buy parts for Rolex watches. The program focuses on micromechanics and watch service with a strong emphasis on chronographs. The students are expected to pay for their tools which, according to the school, currently cost around $6000. Tuition is free for the 14 students accepted each year. The Technicum offers a two-year, 3000+ hour SAWTA (Swiss American Watchmaker’s Training Alliance) curriculum. The school, founded by Rolex in 2001, was created to help make up for the deficiency of skilled watchmakers in the US. Nicolas G.The Lititz Watch Technicum is a watchmaking school located in Lititz, Pennsylvania. Patek Philippe Horology Programme, New York, NY If online isn’t for you and you are considering in-person schools, NAWCC has a listing of full-time Watchmaker and Clockmaker Schools worldwide. Gem City College Watchmaking and Repair School previously was available remotely, but now offers coursework only on-campusīritish Horological Institute Distance Learning Course The NAWCC offers a large number of online programs Learn Watchmaking (only a couple of classes available, with their Learn Watchmaking 101 being their main offering, an introductory 5 hour course) But talk about an experience! How often do you get 5 hours of 1:1 time with an independent watchmaker with a background including the likes of the Excenter Tourbillon and Horological Machine No.1, in addition to creating a namesake brand? Never. What is extremely cool is that there is also a 1:1 (Zoom) class available, of course at a much higher price point. This is the first in a future series from The Naked Watchmaker. The Naked Watchmaker Masterclass with Peter Speake and Daniela Marin has just been released with an introduction to the history, parts, how the mechanism works and terms, and an introduction to complications. Introduction to the Gear Train of a Wristwatch ![]() Some introductory learning videos (not schools/classes):Īn Electrical Engineering View of a Mechanical Watch (from MIT) If you can’t bail on your 9-5 job, but still want to start down the path to becoming a watchmaker, or simply pick up skills to become more involved with your hobby, there are a number of “distance learning” (aka home, remote or online) courses that provide the opportunity.įirst off, if you have 20 minutes, even if you aren’t going to be doing any work, you can learn how a mechanical watch works courtesy Hamilton from 1949. ![]()
0 Comments
Read More
Leave a Reply. |