Working on a luxury timepiece doesn't just happen at the bench. Labcoat required in your shop or not? Tie at the bench or no? Here's my take after years inside a Rolex boutique with a service window facing the sales floor. The labcoat isn't
Every watchmaker has notes that don't belong in a service record. The discovered technique you want to remember next time. The hand-made part you're monitoring to see if it holds up. The comeback where you couldn't recreate the issue. And the problem customer. You
If you're a watchmaker in a boutique with a window, do you talk to walk-in patrons? If you do, how does it disrupt your workflow? And why even do it? Unless you get commission on the sale, I'm not seeing it. If you have a quota
Is AI making you feel anxious or giving you FOMO? Watchmaking is one of the skills that won't be replaced by AI. At least not anytime soon. But you might be thinking AI isn't for you, or that you're not technical enough to use
Every watchmaker eventually has to answer a question that has nothing to do with watches: what is your time actually worth? The old-school view is that a watchmaker who replaces instead of adjusts isn't really practicing the craft. You should be able to manipulate the escapement. Move the
We all know how to record them. But are we actually diligent about it? A solid timing sheet record is part of quality control. It's not just paperwork. It's proof the work holds up. Then there's the lantern test. Done over several days after
Before that, I spent 15 years working across multiple brands. That range gave me exposure. But focus is what created expertise. Working on a single brand for the past decade has made me an expert, not by title but by repetition. I have been trained to the highest level possible
If you're still a one-man band in your watch repair business, it's time to hire. Even just an assistant. Not all tasks need your expertise. Here are some you can offload: * Watch take-in. * Describing the piece, identifying model and serial numbers. * Contacting customers for estimates and
Not all watch repairs are equal. Most of the time, estimates aren't really an "estimate." Agree? We hardly ever go back to the customer and charge extra for a $50 part. We just eat the cost. So how do you keep up with each repair'
Do you vandalize your customer's watch? Most watchmakers inscribe their initials and date on the case back after service. The old-timer way to track which watches have been through their shop. There's a better way now. Log every serial number. A proper database like WatchMaker App
Tools and equipment for a watch shop are not cheap. Buy a Swiss name brand and you're paying 4-5x the Chinese equivalent. I recently bought an ultrasonic cleaner from Alibaba. The manufacturer claimed they did R&D for a known Swiss brand. To be honest, I'
A client called me at week 3. "Is the watch done yet?" The part was on backorder, four-week ETA. His tone shifted on the call. The watch was a gift. There was a deadline I didn't know about. The delay wasn't the problem. The