About
Most watch repair shops are run the same way they were 30 years ago.
Paper job envelopes. Handwritten estimates. An inventory system that lives entirely in the watchmaker's head.
It works until it doesn't. Lost tickets, missed follow-ups, no visibility into what's sitting on the bench. The craft deserves better infrastructure.
25 years on the bench
I'm a Certified Omega Watchmaker, CW21 certified, and hold Rolex Level 60 certification. I spent 15 years inside a multi-store Rolex boutique network, long enough to see how even high-volume, well-run shops struggled with the operational side. Not because the watchmakers weren't skilled, but because no one had built the right tools for them.
So I built them.
How it started
About 10 years ago I got tired of opening Adobe Acrobat just to generate an estimate. A multi-field PDF, emailed manually, saved somewhere. Then QuickBooks Enterprise for invoicing, a platform built for accountants, not watchmakers.
I started building my own solution. What began as a simple estimation tool grew over the years into a full shop management system: estimates, invoicing, parts database, tools tracking, technician workflows, intra-store communication. Along the way I taught myself front-end development, eventually building web and mobile interfaces using modern HTML and JavaScript.
That custom system is still running today, actively used by a multi-million dollar watch service operation with 9 watchmakers on staff.
WatchMaker App
A decade of iteration became the foundation for WatchMaker App, built by a watchmaker, for watchmakers.
Repair workflow management, technician time tracking, parts and inventory, estimate approvals, client communication, all handled so the watchmaker can stay focused on the bench. We've gone deep enough to build custom NetSuite integrations for clients who need repair operations connected to enterprise accounting and inventory systems.
Today I consult full time, helping repair shops modernize how they run their business. WatchMaker App is the tool I put in their hands.
This blog
This is where I write about watch service operations, workflow design, and the business of running a repair shop. Occasionally about software and building in a niche industry. Sometimes about what it takes to bring a craft-based business into the modern era without losing what makes it good.
If you run a service department or work as an independent watchmaker, this is written for you.