Watch and Clock Repairer Career

Job Description: Repair, clean, and adjust mechanisms of timing instruments, such as watches and clocks. Includes watchmakers, watch technicians, and mechanical timepiece repairers.


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Watch and Clock Repairer Career

What Watch and Clock Repairers do:

  • Reassemble timepieces, replacing glass faces and batteries, before returning them to customers.
  • Perform regular adjustment and maintenance on timepieces, watch cases, and watch bands.
  • Test timepiece accuracy and performance, using meters and other electronic instruments.
  • Clean, rinse, and dry timepiece parts, using solutions and ultrasonic or mechanical watch-cleaning machines.
  • Repair or replace broken, damaged, or worn parts on timepieces, using lathes, drill presses, and hand tools.
  • Oil moving parts of timepieces.
  • Adjust timing regulators, using truing calipers, watch-rate recorders, and tweezers.
  • Demagnetize mechanisms, using demagnetizing machines.
  • Test and replace batteries and other electronic components.
  • Disassemble timepieces and inspect them for defective, worn, misaligned, or rusty parts, using loupes.
  • Estimate repair costs and timepiece values.
  • Order supplies, including replacement parts, for timing instruments.
  • Gather information from customers about a timepiece's problems and its service history.
  • Record quantities and types of timepieces repaired, serial and model numbers of items, work performed, and charges for repairs.
  • Fabricate parts for watches and clocks, using small lathes and other machines.

What work activities are most important?

Importance Activities

Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment - Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.

Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Controlling Machines and Processes - Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment - Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.

Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment - Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.

Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.

Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Holland Code Chart for a Watch and Clock Repairer