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Istarr

By Istarr
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Istarr New Member

Istarr

Posted
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Hello everyone, I hope you’re enjoying life.

 I’m very new to the hobby of watchmaking and horology. I’m wanting to know what your experiences were when first starting good and bad. 
How long did it take you to acquire enough tools to be able to dismantle and reassemble? “Properly”
Did you go to school for it or just start by diy? 
Resources on lessons if self teaching?
What to stay away from or what is a tool or gadget I shouldn’t cut corners on? 
Are there niches or specialist inside the community? 
 

what is your advice for a newcomer? 
 

btw Is 39 yrs old too late to start? 🤣

 

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rossjackson01 Super WRT Addict

rossjackson01

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Hello Istarr and Welcome

Hello and welcome. 

I’m very new to the hobby of watchmaking and horology. I’m wanting to know what your experiences were when first starting good and bad. 

As a result of the Covid Lockdown. in November 2021,  Aged 73 and bored off my trolley. I had done computer courses, word, excel, databases, photography web design. All good, but sitting at a computer achieves not a lot. I saw a YouTube of someone who had been learning for 2 weeks and had serviced a Sekonda 2428. I can do that. I'll by a tool set, under £10 and away I will go. Did that. Serviced nothing and lost a lot of pieces. Man's a fibber. There are many of them about on Youtube. 2 weeks. Ha!

However, I did have some tools and enjoyed the cock up. I bought a book. Being dyslexic meant I did not understand much of what was written. But I did enjoy the YouTube videos. I learn well visually. One of the best that I saw was 'Mike' on 'Myretrowatches' who showed his workings on Seiko watches. That will do for me. I bought a few Seiko movements and began my journey. I also typed the words' Watch forum' and I found this site. Mike and the members here stated that I could do no better than avail myself of the free course by Mark Lovick. I did enrol and then and realised how much I didn't know.

 

Did you go to school for it or just start by diy? 

I saved for the course, and then Mark had a sale.  What can I say. I have now done part 1 and 2 and use part 3 as my information go to. Worth every penny and more.  

 

The bad thing I did was to buy movements. Having got them working I have nothing to put them into. .  Watches not working means that here is probably a broken part. Parts are more expensive than movements, or you need to buy another movement just for the part. I now purchase whole watches. 

 

How long did it take you to acquire enough tools to be able to dismantle and reassemble? “Properly

I've still got my original tools. I have added other items and now have a reasonable resource. 

 

What to stay away from or what is a tool or gadget I shouldn’t cut corners on? 

I've collected tools a I have gained experience. Practice, practice, practice is the main way forward. There are some I could not do without, at my level now. However, when I started they would not have helped me in any way.  The biggest problem you are going to have is use of tweezers to overcome the 'ping'. Hold an item to tight - ping! it's gone. Even the big magnet may not find it. I've found a spring only last week that I lost 18 month ago. Aaagh!

Advice for newcomer.

I still feel like a beginner. I ask questions of other members like a beginner even now. They are really good to me. Gentle guidance by them is really good. They put up with a lot from me. Would not be where I am today without them.

 

Where am I?

I can service any watch with basic complications. Anything other than time is a complication, day and date displays are complications. Chronograph's? Almost, but not yet. I'll know when.

 

On  recent holiday I visited a few watch shops and chatted with the people. 3 offered me employment when they realised I did non-quartz. It's a dying trade

 

Would I do it again. Oh yes!

Expensive? Yes and no. I'm still spending, but do keep to my limit. 

 

Hope this helps

Ross

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by rossjackson01
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JohnFrum WRT Addict

JohnFrum

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1 hour ago, rossjackson01 said:

The bad thing I did was to buy movements

On the other hand, if you have one or two (or three) lots of identical movements, you have plenty practice material. 
Ladies watch movements are relatively cheap - not much demand with collectors. The older ones are quite well designed and built.
I bought a few dozen Seiko 1104a and 11a movements (about 2 USD for each).  Classic mid 20th century design with indirect centre seconds pinion, with spring, dials held in with screws, banking pins for pallet fork etc. 
They are small - tiny form factor so working on them has built manipulation skill with tweezer/screwdriver. The hairsprings are attached via pins to the stud and the balance staffs are friction fitted. Lots of identical material to practice hairspring manipulation, balance staff refitting, pallet and roller jewel replacement, jewel endshake adjustment, opening and closing barrel arbor holes, winding mainsprings etc. 
 

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JohnFrum WRT Addict

JohnFrum

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2 hours ago, rossjackson01 said:

I saved for the course, and then Mark had a sale.  What can I say. I have now done part 1 and 2 and use part 3 as my information go to. Worth every penny and more. 

I’ve just taken advantage of Mark’s 30% sale on top of the bundle discount. 
Mark’s instructional style is very clear.

I’ve got Fried’s ‘Bench Practices’ and ‘Watch Repairers Manual’ and De Carle’s ‘Practical Watch Repairing’. Fantastic books.  Awaiting delivery of a hard copy version of the Joseph Bulova School of Watchmaking Manual. 

Took up the hobby a year ago and slowly building skills and acquiring background knowledge. Steadily acquiring a whole lot of tools I never imagined I would want/need as well.

12 hours ago, Istarr said:

How long did it take you to acquire enough tools to be able to dismantle and reassemble? “Properly”

A set of 4-5 good quality screwdrivers, and a couple of tweezers - #3 and #5 - best quality you can afford - will get you started. You also need some form of optical aid - you can’t fix what you can’t see and optics - a good loupe or better, are essential. 

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oldhippy Distinguished Member

oldhippy

Posted
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Thank you for your introduction and welcome to this friendly forum.

We all look forward to your contributions and continued involvement. 

I did a 7 year apprenticeship this was 5 years as an apprentice then 2 years as an improver. I was lucky as the workshop I worked in in was well equipped with not only hand tools but a lathe, cleaning machine, timing machine, to name just a few. Stock consisted of thousands of English £ worth. My master was one of the top watchmakers of the 1970’s. I started to buy my tools after a few months as it was suggested to me that there is nothing better than owning your own tools, so I did.

I always recommend to those who are just going to try their hand at watch repairing, to start on Pocket watches (not the Fusee pocket watches they are totally different) A pocket watch is the same as a basic watch only much bigger, you don’t have to get it going, just practise taking it apart and putting it all back, it gives you good practise on how to use you watch makers screwdrivers, tweezers and your eye glass.     

You might find this helpful

704789946_TZIllustratedGlossary(2).pdf

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