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I am the son of a watchmaker...

LittleWatchShop

By LittleWatchShop
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LittleWatchShop Distinguished Member

LittleWatchShop

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If my dad were still alive, he would be 105 yrs old.
When he passed, I got the majority of his gear--watch bench, lathe, staking sets, hand tools, etc.
These are in one room of my house--I call it the lab...you see...I am an electrical engineer (Ph.D).  The other stuff in the room are electronic in nature (soldering/desoldering station, parts bins, microscope, oscilloscope...etc.)
My dad owned a business in Houston, TX for 50+ years.  He wanted me to follow in his footsteps but I chose engineering.
In addition to all of the tools, I inherited lots of old watches. Many were left at his business and never picked up for reasons unknown.  Some, I think he may have bought from customers as an investment--mostly pocket watches.  Not sure.
So as time has crept up on me, I have felt this urge to return to my roots.  I am retired (although I do sell some of my time as a consultant--expert witness).
I have been digging through the old watches and finding a few gems.
One, in particular, inspired me to open it up to investigate a problem with the date ring.  The process has given me a deep appreciation for the life my dad lead as a watch technician.  The problem is not solved yet, but I will not give up!!  It is fun, though scary!!
When I was a kid, my dad gave me all of his clock work.  I would repair clocks to earn money to buy guitar strings, music, and other things a 15-yr old would buy in the 60's.  Wonderful memories.
Now I have discovered this forum and am looking forward to reading about the experiences of watchmakers and hobbyist on this site.
Thank you for having me!!!

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KarlvonKoln Distinguished Member

KarlvonKoln

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Welcome to the forum!  It can be very inspiring to follow in the footsteps of a parent or ancestor.  It sounds like you got to see a little more of your father through his eyes, as it were.
My own great-grandfather was a tailor, and his father before him, going back to when most of us lived in München.  And I found I had a bit of talent for that.  On the side, I do a bit of costuming and tailoring; my clients mostly belong to the same Middle-ages reenactment group that I do, so my work is well known in that circle.
But there are no clockmakers or watch repair people in my lineage.  That was all me. When I was a little kid, I had an unsupervised moment with my mom's alarm clock and my dad's small screwdriver set.  I managed to get it back together and working as before, so mom still doesn't know.  Been tinkering with timepieces ever since.  And more recently, I found this forum.  These fine folks have been patiently elaborating on the proper ways to undertake this kind of work.  I have learned far more than I started with.  I believe you will too.  Enjoy!

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