Horological/Watchsmith training

Just wondered if anyone has ever considered or undertaken any formal training in the above purely for the purposes of understanding our hobby a little better or maybe even to undertake servicing of their own and friends watches?

I have been thinking about it purely to try and improve my understanding of movements but don't really know where to start. On-line maybe?

Don't want to start cracking open the back of my Rolex but maybe some work on cheaper or broken car boot watches could be possible......

Any experience others have in this sort of training would be appreciated:eagerness:

I've not done any training but I have considered it as it would in theory allow me to more cost effectively work on some of the hospital cases I have lying around. ;-)

One online informal course I thought might be good to start with was this (working on the easily available 7S26): http://www.clockmaker.com.au/diy_seiko_7s26/

There is a Chicago school of watchmaking book/CD available that's lets you learn at home ( if you buy the tools/movements ( mainly unitas I think )
It is seriously detailed. if I was you I would try something like that, but there is no getting around buying the tools because it is proper hands on and genuine training

Thanks both, some interesting options there which I will certainly look into. In terms of tools I've just invested in some of ebays finest at £15.99:smug:purely because I wanted a spring bar remover and for the extra couple of £'s it seemed rude not too. They'll probably be terrible but we'll see.

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Originally Posted by Zolawinston

Thanks both, some interesting options there which I will certainly look into. In terms of tools I've just invested in some of ebays finest at £15.99:smug:purely because I wanted a spring bar remover and for the extra couple of £'s it seemed rude not too. They'll probably be terrible but we'll see.

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Hope that works out better for you than when I bought a strap adjuster tool on ebay. Broke first try, the steel was soft

http://bhi.co.uk/training-education/short-courses/

The residential five day course comes highly recommended by a couple of people I know who have done it.

Foggy

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Originally Posted by xellos99

Hope that works out better for you than when I bought a strap adjuster tool on ebay. Broke first try, the steel was soft

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I'm going to manage my expectations as I've a feeling my experience won't be that much different:confusion:

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Originally Posted by Foggy

http://bhi.co.uk/training-education/short-courses/

The residential five day course comes highly recommended by a couple of people I know who have done it.

Foggy

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I was reading about that one earlier, definitely going to be looking at it more closely.

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Originally Posted by markrlondon

One online informal course I thought might be good to start with was this (working on the easily available 7S26): http://www.clockmaker.com.au/diy_seiko_7s26/

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I was doing that tutorial a few years ago when Nick (the watchmaker) first posted it. He never posted the final chapters to complete the assembly and it looks like he still hasn't. Are the final chapters available anywhere...I have a partially assembled 7S26 in a cupboard somewhere!

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Originally Posted by RABbit

I was doing that tutorial a few years ago when Nick (the watchmaker) first posted it. He never posted the final chapters to complete the assembly and it looks like he still hasn't. Are the final chapters available anywhere...I have a partially assembled 7S26 in a cupboard somewhere!

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Oops!

Isn't assembly the reverse of disassembly, to paraphrase certain well known manuals? :-)

In 2010, having retired early at the age of 52, I was as keen as mustard to learn. The BHI courses set me on the way to becoming a fully-fledged repairer ........ Followed by many hours of self-teaching and learning the hard way.

Sadly, Swatch Group are pulling the rug from under the likes of my good self by restricting the supply of parts. If they succeed ( which seems likely) it is difficult to make a case for putting in the time, effort and financial commitment to become proficient. If you can't get parts to fix ETA movements you're struggling..... But that's exactly what Swatch Group want and frankly it's consistent with the twisted Swiss psyche....... They really are a strange breed.

Given the depressing situation regarding the Swiss manufacturers'determined efforts to control the supply of parts, it's difficult to make out a case for training to become a repairer. Sad but true.

Paul

The BHI residential is the best route for you i think. Don't be tempted by the distance learning one.

There is also a Degree course at Birmingham City, that is a mix of clocks and watches, with the final project being to produce a clock from scratch.

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Originally Posted by minkle

The BHI residential is the best route for you i think. Don't be tempted by the distance learning one.

There is also a Degree course at Birmingham City, that is a mix of clocks and watches, with the final project being to produce a clock from scratch.

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Interesting comment about distance learning. That was going to be my next step... probably. The #clocknerds seem to think that I need to get my hands dirty (so to speak).

I did three 5-day residential courses at the BHI Headquarters near Newark. Excellent training, taught me enough to reach a stage where I could teach myself. without this I would've struggled.

The distance learning wasn`t for me, I`ve no interest in working on clocks. Ideally, the BHI could streamline what they offer and provide a fast track to get a qualification in watch repairing/servicing that would be recognised by the industry. In an ideal world the like of Swatch Group would be prepard to supply parts to anyone who holds this qualification. Also, it could be like a licence that needs renewing every few years by attending a refresher course to ensure the individual still had the skills.

I`d love to see the BHI being more pro-active in this area; maybe I`m an optimist but I think this could've formed the basis of a compromise to resolve the parts supply problem.

Paul

There is also the Epping Forest Horology Centre who have classes.

http://www.efhc.org.uk/

Paul, I completely get your point about ETA parts restriction, but we are seeing the increase in Sellita and other movement manufacturers being used, so perhaps in the long run, it's still a good skill to invest in? For the love of it, anyway.

Download the 7s26c calibre manual/tech guide and follow the numbers for reassembly.

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Originally Posted by RABbit

I was doing that tutorial a few years ago when Nick (the watchmaker) first posted it. He never posted the final chapters to complete the assembly and it looks like he still hasn't. Are the final chapters available anywhere...I have a partially assembled 7S26 in a cupboard somewhere!

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I have assembled and reassembled a unitas 6497 by following the cards on the website of ETA. Step by step I managed to doe the job. Not that I'd try to crack open a rolex neither but it was fun in doing.
Give it a shot maybe you may like it and than jou can still decide to take some lessons!

[QUOTE=walkerwek1958;3925674]In 2010, having retired early at the age of 52, I was as keen as mustard to learn. The BHI courses set me on the way to becoming a fully-fledged repairer ........ Followed by many hours of self-teaching and learning the hard way.

Sadly, Swatch Group are pulling the rug from under the likes of my good self by restricting the supply of parts. If they succeed ( which seems likely) it is difficult to make a case for putting in the time, effort and financial commitment to become proficient. If you can't get parts to fix ETA movements you're struggling..... But that's exactly what Swatch Group want and frankly it's consistent with the twisted Swiss psyche....... They really are a strange breed.

Given the depressing situation regarding the Swiss manufacturers'determined efforts to control the supply of parts, it's difficult to make out a case for training to become a repairer. Sad but true.

Paul[/QUOTE

Not a good situation I agree but there are other avenues all the jap movements and chinese most of which should be serviceable.
Its possible a lot of people will avoid buying swiss made Watches assuming they do their research before they buy.

here it is ETA shows step by step how to assemble and dissemble the unitas movement. Nice to try once yourself

http://www.eta.ch/swisslab/6497/6947.html

Having had a false start on the one last month I have now enrolled on the BHI Basic Quartz Watches course in September.

http://bhi.co.uk/training-education/short-courses/

If I get nothing else out of it I'm hoping that it will be pay itself over a lifetime of DIY battery changes.