Hello everyone, Im Greg. I let an opportunity slip through my fingers...now im trying to position myself for the next one..oh and btw im new here:)

[watchlovingeezer]

Ill try to keep this brief..i tend to be long winded.

So ive worked at a jewelry and watch store on jewelers row in philadelphia for the past 6 years. I was one of the first employees.Over the years we developed a reputation for being the best watch buyer on the street. and by best i mean the best option for sellers...we buy watches the other stores wont bother with. The other stores want items they can score with.

I convinced the owner from the beginning that we couldnt afford to turn away $50 or $100 profit. So my job evolved into buying and "fixing" watches all day every day. i can do very basic repairs, and batteries. 

The owner of the store never told me to learn watchmaking ...but it was an unspoken thing, if we bought a watch that needed repairs we sent it out. But the established watchmakers on the street are expensive and slow. So we pass on buying broken watches sometimes because the repair would take too long and it doesnt pay to tie up money for 6 months. We wouldve made much more money if i had learned to do quick repairs...and we would have more opportunities too.

So fast forward to a few months ago, and my boss was at a friends house where he met a guy who was in between jobs...he also happened to be a watchmaker. self taught, something i failed to do myself.

Long story short, he was hired on the spot...hes a nice guy and we get along fine. He seems to know what hes doing. Needless to say i was shifted out of the watch department...which hurt, because i built it from scratch. All of my customers are directed to the watchmaker now....Im not bitter, its the right move for the store. I shouldve learned how to fix watches. Im still doing some watch buying, but i hand everything over to him. and I do other work in the shop.  

Side note: When the watch department started taking off, the owner of our other store (hes a rolex dealer) offered to get me into the Rolex school in Lititz PA...but at the time i believed i couldnt afford to attend school full time for 2 years and not work.That turned out to be a mistake too. I shouldve done whatever i needed to do to take advantage of that opportunity

I want to work with watches until I retire. Im not young, but i think im young enough to learn watchmaking. I just need to commit myself to it. I have a passion for it..Ive developed a love of watches....But now im on the outside looking in because i failed to take the initiative. Ive tried to teach myself by using youtube videos and the internet but I always hit a dead end. One last thing, Even though I lost my position, I see opportunities coming back around in the store. Our watchmaker is slow, it took some time for that to become evident... hes got a month of work piling up. Maybe if i can develop repair skills, he and i can be a team. 

One thing worth mentioning.., i recently asked him if he would consider teaching after work if i paid him... and he said no, lol he didnt consider it. He said hes not a teacher. I wasnt offended, i told him I understood. Hes a methodical speaker, i think hes right...hes not built for teaching. 

So the reason for this epic rant, is basically to ask anyone who is willing to offer advice. If you were in my shoes, can you suggest a good first step for me? schools? Maybe watchmakers i could pay to mentor me? The rolex school is the only school i can find on the internet.

If i can take a few steps in the right direction, i know ill succeed.. but im paralyzed by indecision right now

im sorry for this long letter...i tried to keep it brief believe it or not lol..Thanks for taking the time to read this. -Greg

 

[RichardHarris123]

Hello and welcome from England.  I'm not sure what to advise you, a mentor would be great if you could find one.  School, can you afford it now? You could try Mark's courses. 

[Neverenoughwatches]

2 hours ago, watchlovingeezer said:

month

 

2 hours ago, watchlovingeezer said:

Ill try to keep this brief..i tend to be long winded.

So ive worked at a jewelry and watch store on jewelers row in philadelphia for the past 6 years. I was one of the first employees.Over the years we developed a reputation for being the best watch buyer on the street. and by best i mean the best option for sellers...we buy watches the other stores wont bother with. The other stores want items they can score with.

I convinced the owner from the beginning that we couldnt afford to turn away $50 or $100 profit. So my job evolved into buying and "fixing" watches all day every day. i can do very basic repairs, and batteries. 

The owner of the store never told me to learn watchmaking ...but it was an unspoken thing, if we bought a watch that needed repairs we sent it out. But the established watchmakers on the street are expensive and slow. So we pass on buying broken watches sometimes because the repair would take too long and it doesnt pay to tie up money for 6 months. We wouldve made much more money if i had learned to do quick repairs...and we would have more opportunities too.

So fast forward to a few months ago, and my boss was at a friends house where he met a guy who was in between jobs...he also happened to be a watchmaker. self taught, something i failed to do myself.

Long story short, he was hired on the spot...hes a nice guy and we get along fine. He seems to know what hes doing. Needless to say i was shifted out of the watch department...which hurt, because i built it from scratch. All of my customers are directed to the watchmaker now....Im not bitter, its the right move for the store. I shouldve learned how to fix watches. Im still doing some watch buying, but i hand everything over to him. and I do other work in the shop.  

Side note: When the watch department started taking off, the owner of our other store (hes a rolex dealer) offered to get me into the Rolex school in Lititz PA...but at the time i believed i couldnt afford to attend school full time for 2 years and not work.That turned out to be a mistake too. I shouldve done whatever i needed to do to take advantage of that opportunity

I want to work with watches until I retire. Im not young, but i think im young enough to learn watchmaking. I just need to commit myself to it. I have a passion for it..Ive developed a love of watches....But now im on the outside looking in because i failed to take the initiative. Ive tried to teach myself by using youtube videos and the internet but I always hit a dead end. One last thing, Even though I lost my position, I see opportunities coming back around in the store. Our watchmaker is slow, it took some time for that to become evident... hes got a month of work piling up. Maybe if i can develop repair skills, he and i can be a team. 

One thing worth mentioning.., i recently asked him if he would consider teaching after work if i paid him... and he said no, lol he didnt consider it. He said hes not a teacher. I wasnt offended, i told him I understood. Hes a methodical speaker, i think hes right...hes not built for teaching. 

So the reason for this epic rant, is basically to ask anyone who is willing to offer advice. If you were in my shoes, can you suggest a good first step for me? schools? Maybe watchmakers i could pay to mentor me? The rolex school is the only school i can find on the internet.

If i can take a few steps in the right direction, i know ill succeed.. but im paralyzed by indecision right now

im sorry for this long letter...i tried to keep it brief believe it or not lol..Thanks for taking the time to read this. -Greg

 

Welcome, you've come to the right place to do some learning,  i feel you might be wanting to crash course with it though. Maybe I'm  being cynical here and doesn't want to teach you, that makes you his competition . 

[oldhippy]

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

We all look forward to your contributions and continued involvement. 

Don't they teach watchmaking at a collage near you. What about an apprenticeships is there anything like that in America. You need to ask around. Marks courses are extremely good providing you undertake them all you will learn everything that you will need to undertake any type of watch repair.   

 

[eccentric59]

Hi Greg, welcome from a fellow Philly native.

I've always loved watches and mechanical things in general. Some of my fondest memories were making things in my grandfather's shop -- he was a machinist at the Philadelphia navy yards. Anyway, I stumbled upon Mark's course while researching a watch for my son. I bought the course bundle as a 60th birthday present to myself and never looked back. From what I've experienced and heard from others who have embraced the hobby/profession I would make the following observations and recommendations:

1. Do not start your journey with other people's watches, especially if you are going to be paid to fix or service it.

2. You will be intimidated by the smallness of parts and confused by their complexity. That goes away with experience.

3. You will break things. You will lose parts and you will make plenty of mistakes. The talk in the forums of springs and screws flying into oblivion, crawling on hands and knees with a flashlight and a magnet is not hyperbole. You will find out soon enough, but don't let it discourage you.

4. Tools matter. Just as a professional chef will not use a dull knife or a mechanic will not remove a nut with pliers, you will be rewarded by getting the best tools you can afford. Screwdrivers and tweezers will make the most difference initially.

5. Finding parts for vintage watches can be something like participating in a scavenger hunt blindfolded. 

Formal instruction looks a little limited. There are three listed here in PA https://blog.esslinger.com/list-of-schools-for-watchmakers-watchmaking-training-classes/ all in and around Lancaster county and a bit pricey. 

Good luck.