Creative and design
Watchmaker
Make, service and repair watches.
Summary
This occupation is found in an independent company servicing of a range of watch brands or a workshop maintained by a particular brand of watch. The independent company may be:
- a small business such as a jeweller. In this setting, the watchmaker would service watches for their customers,
- alternatively, the watchmaker may be employed by a large company focusing on servicing watches directly for the public and for other businesses.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to service quartz and mechanical watches (manual winding and automatic winding watches). The watchmaker will also complete part jobs whereby they replace components which are worn or damaged.
The work is skilled, precise, and delicate in nature and requires the use of:
- test equipment to assess the functioning of the watch and determine faults,
- hand tools to dismantle, reassemble and adjust the watch,
- machine tools for cleaning watch components and case refurbishment.
An understanding of the principles involved in the functioning of both quartz and mechanical watch movements is important together with a background knowledge of timekeeping, history, and the watch industry.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with their employer, managers, other watchmakers, and team members. The watchmaker may also interact with clients or customers and suppliers.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for the maintenance of their hand tools and the use of test equipment and machinery in accordance with relevant Health and Safety legislation. They are responsible for working ethically and disposing of waste materials and cleaning fluids in a sustainable manner.
The watchmaker may progress to servicing more complex watches such as chronographs, and to restore watches for private individuals and the heritage sector. They may also manufacture watches.
Typical job titles include
- Watch Repairer | Watchmaker
Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)
K1:
Health and safety legislation relating to common hazards within the working environment for watch servicing (Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, COSHH, PPE).
K2:
The importance of risk analysis to ensure the safety of self and others when using tools, equipment and materials for watch servicing.
K3:
The importance of safe disposal of all waste materials.
K4:
Ethical issues in watchmaking (counterfeit watches (fake and replica), watch customization, use of generic parts, the availability of watch parts to watchmakers).
K5:
Construction, operational principles and maintenance of tools and equipment required for watch servicing. (hand tools required for watch servicing, test equipment and machines for case refinishing).
K6:
Different types of quartz and mechanical watches, their basic function and construction.
K7:
The construction of watch cases, bracelets and straps.
K8:
Procedures for servicing and refinishing watch cases and bracelets.
K9:
Procedures for resealing and water resistance testing of watch cases.
K10:
The construction and operational principles of quartz watch movements and their components.
K11:
Procedures for using test equipment and observations to identify and correct operational faults in quartz watch movements.
K12:
Procedures for servicing quartz watch movements (disassembly, cleaning, reassembly); Procedures for servicing quartz watch movements (lubrication).
K13:
The construction and operational principles of mechanical watch movements and their components.
K14:
Procedures for using test equipment and observations to identify and correct operational faults in mechanical watch movements.
K15:
Procedures for servicing mechanical watch movements (disassembly, cleaning); Procedures for servicing mechanical watch movements (reassembly, lubrication and adjustment).
K16:
The specification and estimation of the cost of replacement components for quartz and mechanical watch movements and their cases.
K17:
Manufacturer’s technical information and its use.
K18:
The watch servicing industry and associated trades (sequential servicing, watch technician, material dealer, dial restoration, watch restoration, case polishing and refurbishment, making watches, brands, independents).
K19:
The history and development of time keeping (background to timekeeping, developments in quartz and mechanical watches, alternative escapements, older watches).
K20:
The use of Information technology for record-keeping, self-learning and continuous development.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0395: Watchmaker (Level 3) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0395
- Status:
Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £30,272 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 5224 Precision instrument makers and repairers
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 5224/03 Horologists, watch makers and repairers
- 5224/01 Calibration and precision instrument technicians
S1:
Complies with health, safety and environmental legislation (Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, COSHH, PPE) relating to common hazards within the working environment for watch servicing.
S2:
Uses equipment safely in accordance with manufacturer's technical information and industry practice.
S3:
Maintains tools in correct working order according to industry practice.
S4:
Selects and uses appropriate tools in the servicing and repair of watches.
S5:
Determines approach to open and service watch cases and remove watch movements.
S6:
Specifies replacement components required for servicing watch cases and bracelets/straps.
S7:
Ensures all watch case and bracelet/strap components are in a suitable condition for re-assembly (includes refinishing where necessary).
S8:
Reassembles watch cases and bracelets, refits movements and reseals watch cases.
S9:
Uses test equipment to determine the water resistance of the watch (wet and dry testing, condensation test).
S10:
Uses suitable test procedures and observations for fault finding and to determine the approach for servicing quartz watch movements.
S11:
Dismantles quartz watch movements in accordance with industry practice.
S12:
Specifies replacement components required for the servicing of quartz watch movements.
S13:
Ensures all components for quartz movements are in a suitable condition for re-assembly.
S14:
Reassembles and lubricates quartz watch movements in accordance with manufacturer's technical information and industry practice.
S15:
Uses suitable testing procedures and observations for fault finding and to determine the approach for servicing mechanical watch movements.
S16:
Dismantles mechanical watch movements in accordance with industry practice.
S17:
Specifies replacement components required for the servicing of mechanical watch movements.
S18:
Ensures components of mechanical movements are in a suitable condition for re-assembly.
S19:
Reassembles, lubricates and adjusts mechanical watch movements in accordance with manufacturer's technical information and industry practice.
S20:
Services watches within agreed commercial time scales.
S21:
Uses information technology for record-keeping, self-learning and continuous development.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0395: Watchmaker (Level 3) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0395
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £30,272 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 5224 Precision instrument makers and repairers
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 5224/03 Horologists, watch makers and repairers
- 5224/01 Calibration and precision instrument technicians
B1:
Promotes a positive safety culture; ensures work is carried out in a safe way that does not put themselves or others at risk.
B2:
Maintains a tidy working environment and replaces equipment after use.
B3:
Adheres to required work practices and completes work to meet deadlines.
B4:
Shows attention to detail and accuracy during servicing and record keeping.
B5:
Demonstrates a responsibility to complete routine work with minimal supervision.
B6:
Listens to others and respects alternative views and opinions.
B7:
Prioritises an ethical approach and environmental sustainability in watch servicing.
B8:
Varies communication style appropriately during discussions and explanations with colleagues, clients and others.
B9:
Recognises the opportunities from the use of information technology in watch servicing.
B10:
Keeps abreast of developments in the watch servicing industry.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0395: Watchmaker (Level 3) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0395
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £30,272 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 5224 Precision instrument makers and repairers
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 5224/03 Horologists, watch makers and repairers
- 5224/01 Calibration and precision instrument technicians