How A Master Watchmaker Involves In The Development Of A Watch - Watch Customisation
A master watchmaker is a craftsman with infinite knowledge about the mechanics of time measurement. Becoming a master watchmaker is extremely complex, his work is crucial to originate pieces as complex and exclusive as the ones you will find in the Luxury Watches Manufacturer.
On this occasion we analyze the work of the master watchmaker in the great Swiss houses, from its preparation to the design of the great bracelet models.
The preparation of a master watchmaker
Only the knowledge of a master watchmaker about his trade would serve to write several posts like this, in any case, we are going to summarize the training of the people who set the pace of Swiss watchmaking.
To begin with, it is essential to arrive in Switzerland, where the best watchmaking technical schools in the world are located. The basic training consists of four years, in this time the most "simple" notions about the operation of a watch are learned.
The first year the student does not manage a single movement, this first year he only manipulates a precision lathe with which he will refine the pulse. During the second year he begins to assemble components and repair them, in the third and fourth years he learns notions of manufacturing, production, laboratory, etc.
Once this course is finished, the student obtains an official title that enables him to continue training.
The higher diploma lasts five years and to access it is essential to complete a previous module, in which you will learn assembly, case adjustment and precise adjustment.
Once you finish the specialization, nine years after starting, the big watchmaking houses force you to go through one of their own courses, where they select only the most skilled craftsmen.
What are the basic tasks of a master watchmaker in the workshop
As you can see, becoming a Patek or Audemars master watchmaker is very complicated, as a watchmaker with these characteristics must be able to perform all kinds of tasks, such as the following:
- Assembly of fine watchmaking components
- Mechanism check
- Movement development
- Materials research and its application to watchmaking
- Luxury watch design
- Maintenance and repairs
- Adjustment of parts and mechanisms
These are just the general tasks that a master watchmaker must master. Obviously, in the Rolex or Longines workshops each master is specialized in one aspect of watchmaking, however, to get to work in these houses one must completely master the watchmaking trade, including all the usual tasks.
How a master watchmaker intervenes in the development of a piece
As we said, the development of a new model is not completely carried out by a single master watchmaker, normally it is a team of craftsmen who take care of the different phases, however, we are going to analyze how a luxury watch is developed exclusive step by step, as if it were a single person who carried out the entire job.