Lower Your Start-up Costs with Vintage Watch Tools
In 2023, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that US firms employed about 1800 watch repairers. Compare that number, when the Saint Louis Fed estimated: “Employment of watch repairers at more than 25,000 in 1963.” They also believed, “employment opportunities will continue to be good through the 1960’s and in the longer run for experienced watch repairmen who have established reputations for doing high quality work.”
What Happened?
Of the 1800 watch repairers the US Bureau of Labor Statistics identified in 2023, most worked for manufacturers. A few had their own shops and considered themselves independent contractors accepting work from various jewelry stores and from individuals through the Internet.
On March 26, 2023, the New York Times ran an article entitled, Can’t Buy the Watch You Want? It’s Partly a Lack of Watchmakers. The subtitle read: With student enrollments down and retirements rising, Swiss brands worry that growth will stall.
The first two paragraphs by Roberta Naas read:
“The watchmaking world is facing an unprecedented problem: a severe lack of watchmakers who can build and repair timepieces as well as technicians, engineers and other skilled workers. That has contributed to such severe supply problems that they could stall growth, especially at top-end brands.
“There is a true shortage of manpower,” Aurélie Streit, vice president of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, said during a recent video interview from the organization’s Geneva headquarters. “Not only watchmakers, but also specialists in the 15 other watchmaking jobs, from precision mechanics to engineers, finishers, polishers, research and development,
Who Will Fill the Gap?
In the US and Europe, hobbyists have taken to watch restoring. The evidence exists on watch forums such as watchyouseek.com and in the UK at WatchRepairTalk. YouTube has seen a large influx of watch repair “how to” videos from around the globe. Even