Hello from California!

[bingbong]

Hello all!

I've been a interested in high end mechanical watches for 10 years or so, wound up with a homage, and when one stopped working I started looking into learning how to swap movements.  One thing led to another, and I subscribed to the Watch Repair course, and here I am!  I figured I would take the class and see if I wanted to go further into the subject.  I'd love to be a watchmaker as a second career, but do I have the ability?  I don't know.   I have confidence working on automobiles, but using those tweezers to manipulate tiny screws and springs has been a humbling experience  

I've been enjoying reading the forums.  Lots of great information and helpful people.  

[Neverenoughwatches]

5 hours ago, bingbong said:

Hello all!

I've been a interested in high end mechanical watches for 10 years or so, wound up with a homage, and when one stopped working I started looking into learning how to swap movements.  One thing led to another, and I subscribed to the Watch Repair course, and here I am!  I figured I would take the class and see if I wanted to go further into the subject.  I'd love to be a watchmaker as a second career, but do I have the ability?  I don't know.   I have confidence working on automobiles, but using those tweezers to manipulate tiny screws and springs has been a humbling experience  

I've been enjoying reading the forums.  Lots of great information and helpful people.  

Welcome bingbong. If you already have a mechanical mind then you are on the way. And having confidence in your abilities i find very important, nerves creeping in can potentially lead to silly mistakes. The rest will fall into place as you learn and practise your manipulation techniques with tools. As long as you have the patience to stick with it and stay positive that you will improve. There are so many knowledgeable folk here to help and encourage you when you get stuck.

[watchweasol]

Hello and welcome to the forum.     enjoy

 

[RichardHarris123]

Hello and welcome.  I've have lost countless screws but with practice and good tweezers I rarely drop them any more.  

[HectorLooi]

1 hour ago, RichardHarris123 said:

Hello and welcome.  I've have lost countless screws but with practice and good tweezers I rarely drop them any more.  

Ohoh. I think you've just jinxed yourself.

There is an unwritten rule in watchmaking which is never to congratulate yourself for not dropping things.

[Neverenoughwatches]

3 minutes ago, HectorLooi said:

Ohoh. I think you've just jinxed yourself.

There is an unwritten rule in watchmaking which is never to congratulate yourself for not dropping things.

No rich will be fine, he was touching some wood when he wrote that. (No comment please Richard it is supposedly a day of worship ) no double entendre intended.  

Just now, Neverenoughwatches said:

No rich will be fine, he was touching some wood when he wrote that. (No comment please Richard it is supposedly a day of worship ) no double entendre intended.  

Well ok it kind of panned out like one and i left it alone.

[RichardHarris123]

On 5/26/2022 at 9:18 PM, Neverenoughwatches said:

I think i may have got just a little carried away. I did actually have about 25 of those already. Ive just had a good look through, there are about 10 that i havent  heard of.

 

17 hours ago, grsnovi said:

Well, one thing I can say is that while you may have been buying watches to deplete your bank account, the tools will also set you back.

Enjoy the constant drain...   

...and welcome!

 

4 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

No rich will be fine, he was touching some wood when he wrote that. (No comment please Richard it is supposedly a day of worship ) no double entendre intended.  

Wood I. I mean would I.  Hehe. 

[grsnovi]

17 hours ago, bingbong said:

I'd love to be a watchmaker... but do I have the ability?

Hi @bingbong

Starting by watching YT videos, then progressing to taking Mark's online courses should give you an idea. Kinda how I started several months ago. One thing to consider is that the videos posted will usually always solve a problem with beautiful results in less than an hour. We are usually encouraged to pick up movements cheap on eBay which in many cases leaves us with having to do a lot of diagnostic problem solving rather than a simple: 1-2-3 Clean, lube, reassemble BINGO it's done and working fine, no beat error, +/- 1 sec/day.

So far I have enjoyed my interaction with watch movements and have learned from Mark's courses but I'm not certain what the longer term objective is or will be. Am I to constantly be on the lookout for amazing eBay deals in the hope of scoring an Omega Speedmaster for $20 that just needed a cleaning? Or do I want to progress past the three hand movements to day/date complications on up to repairing one of George Daniels tourbillons?

[Michael1962]

Welcome to the forum @bingbong

If you are comfortable with automobiles, working with timepieces should be ok eventually. Just a matter of scale.

I'm a fitter and machinist, so it is the same thing with me.

Edited July 3, 2022 by Michael1962