Another Expensive Hobby - The Price Tag Made Me Take A Step Back!

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emapples

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So this past year I've began to try my hand at some very basic watch repair. I've taken an in depth online course, consisting of 3 levels and over 60 individual lessons thus far, and have thoroughly enjoyed the process of learning something completely different than anything I'd done in the past. I'm now to the point where to continue my journey it will require the purchase of some specialty tools. I got in to the hobby just by buying the most basic of necessities. Tonight I priced out some specialty equipment that I would need to service certain types of watch movements, to be able to repair certain watch parts rather than simply replacing them, as well as a few upgrades from cheap/chinesium tools to more quality Swiss tools. Well, the total cost (not including shipping or taxes) for these upgrades is $1,923.73 (and that is saving nearly $1,000 on only a few items buy not getting the top tier models)! I guess I'll just put the next round of my watchmaking journey on hold for now!! That's quite a chuck of change, and right now I still love my H&K SP5 way too much to sell it for another hobby. I might consider selling the Staccato, but not the H&K!!

By the way, this cost is only tooling and does not cover any of the lighting upgrades I'd like to do to the workbench. That'll come in time though.
My dad did this in his mid 40’s he bought several watch repair shops out in the late 80’s had every conceivable tool for it. Plus a ping pong table full of old jewels watches must have been thousands of them. A couple lathes everything you needed to be a watch repair person. Don’t know if he still has all that crap or not.
 

mightymouse

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A friend of mine was looking into the Horology course at Okmulgee years ago. At the time, folks close to their graduation were being recruited like MBA candidates at an Ivy League business school. Salaries were lucrative, jobs were readily available, and qualified candidates were relatively few. As a result, it was a seller's market (the Horology graduate-to-be being the seller), and the enterprising student could just about name his/her price and working conditions. I don't know if such things are still the same in the current economy, but I'd hazard a guess and say that your "expensive hobby" could be turned into a quite a money-making side business if you'd take the notion.
 

thor447

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I'm strongly considering directing urge to collect things away from firearms and into something else. Pocket watches are the current front runner in my mind. I have three already, only one of which runs. I'm afraid that if I started collecting them I would find myself in your predicament.
If you are any sort of tinkerer, it WILL happen. Be forewarned.
 

thor447

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I bought a new Omega Speedmaster for $400 in 1979, still have it. I sent it off to Omega to be rebuilt and when I got it back it looked brand new. I'm kinda afraid to wear it.....
I own an Omega Seamsaster myself, I fully understand. It only comes out on special occasions though.
 

thor447

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Could you make some money repair stuff for folks? Would be a write-off if you actually start a business.
I suppose I could, but that was never my intention. I feel that I still have more to learn before I would ever feel comfortable taking in a watch for repair from a 'customer'. Perhaps one day. My thought was that aside from a few of my personal watches with much higher end complications, I could perform the routine services on them, saving that cost. Also there is a very large marketplace online for buying vintage and non-functioning timepieces. There are a few people I've met that actually make decent money from time to time buying old non-running watches, fixing them up and selling them online. I thought that might be fun to do one day.
 

thor447

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Buy the items as you need them, with exception to the cleaner. I started on this road recently and have found most items can be replaced if fubar and I have several donor watches already . I am on the hunt for a needs repair cleaner , using elbow grease and a sonic cleaner at the moment and it is tedious but works......
I'm hunting for the same thing! I've located an old L&R Mastermatic that probably needs to be re-wired. It might make a fun restoration project. As I'm sure you've found out yourself, even those old machines command a good price. I'm using an ultrasonic myself as well.
 
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dennishoddy

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I have a Seiko chronograph watch with three dials I bought in a country way west of here across the pond in the 70's. It worked fine for a few years and failed.
I took it to several watch repair shops getting it back with a "I have no clue how to work on this thing."
Finally a repair shop in Ponca decided to take it on. When I went back in a couple weeks later, he showed me the book he had to buy that was as thick as an old sears and robuck catalog.
He got it going for awhile, but it failed again.
Sits in my memory box as we speak.
 

thor447

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A friend of mine was looking into the Horology course at Okmulgee years ago. At the time, folks close to their graduation were being recruited like MBA candidates at an Ivy League business school. Salaries were lucrative, jobs were readily available, and qualified candidates were relatively few. As a result, it was a seller's market (the Horology graduate-to-be being the seller), and the enterprising student could just about name his/her price and working conditions. I don't know if such things are still the same in the current economy, but I'd hazard a guess and say that your "expensive hobby" could be turned into a quite a money-making side business if you'd take the notion.
From what I've gathered, there is indeed a big need for new watchmakers. I've heard it described as there being two types in the industry. The first is those who work for large companies, specializing in a particular type of watch movement, with the building a watch more akin to factory work. The second is the independent type of watchmaker, who has the skills and experience to work on and troubleshoot several types of watches. The older generation of these are retiring in great numbers, and there isn't enough people coming in to the trades to apprentice and fill those positions. A good watchmaker is never short of available work, and can command a hefty price. I know if I had a $40,000 vintage Patek Phillipe, I wouldn't want just anybody working on it.
 

thor447

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I have a Seiko chronograph watch with three dials I bought in a country way west of here across the pond in the 70's. It worked fine for a few years and failed.
I took it to several watch repair shops getting it back with a "I have no clue how to work on this thing."
Finally a repair shop in Ponca decided to take it on. When I went back in a couple weeks later, he showed me the book he had to buy that was as thick as an old sears and robuck catalog.
He got it going for awhile, but it failed again.
Sits in my memory box as we speak.
Mechanical chronographs are very tough to work on. So many more moving pieces. Next to a minute repeater, they are among the most involved watch complications. The place I'm taking classes from is still developing their chronograph course, which is due for release in November. I have an old chronograph myself that hasn't been serviced in about 10 years, and will be the watch I use when taking that course. It's still running, but is due to be cleaned, re-lubricated, and regulated.
 

dennishoddy

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HR director in a place I worked at back in the day only worked on the mantle clocks as a hobby.
My mom inherited one from her mom that came from Germany in the 1800's.
Took him awhile but he got it going. I hated that thing. It dinged on the half hour and chimed on the hour. Hated midnight and noon.
 

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