Articles
The history of watches and the watchmaking trade.History · 8You get an overview of how the art of timekeeping evolved from large mechanical clocks to the fine movements in a wristwatch — and how the watchmaker became a precision trade.A working day at the watchmaker's bench...Weekday · 8You follow a typical workflow at a watchmaker's bench — from troubleshooting and disassembly to cleaning, lubrication, and reassembly — and see why patience and cleanliness are crucial.Tool at the watchmaker's benchTools · 8You get an overview of the fine tools a watchmaker uses — from tweezers and watchmaker's screwdrivers to magnification, cleaning agents, and modern aids.Precision, quality, and careQuality · 7You learn why cleanliness, precision, and care are the trade's most important rules, and how you ensure quality and take care of both the watch and yourself at the bench.Ways forward as a watchmakerCareer · 7You get an overview of the directions the watchmaking trade can take — from service and repair in a shop to restoration of old watches and work with modern brands.How you engage with a culture different from your ownEducation · 9 minWatchmaker is a vocational education that alternates between school and apprenticeship and takes about four and a half years in total. Here you get an overview of basic course 1 and 2 the main course the admission requirements and how to get into The Danish School of Watchmaking in Ringsted.PLACEHOLDER_25Education · 8 minAs a watchmaker apprentice you get paid while you learn and wages increase through the course. The article explains the principles behind apprentice wages what a collective agreement means and what conditions apply when you are later fully trained — without promising specific amounts which you should always check in the applicable collective agreement.Rules, certificates and requirements in watchmakingRules · 8 minWatchmaking is not a regulated trade in the same way as, for example, electrical and plumbing, but there are still rules you need to know. The article is about the significance of the journeyman's certificate, mandatory safety courses, warranties and your responsibility when working with customers' valuable belongings.Work environment and ergonomics at the watchmaker's benchSafety · 9 minWatchmaking is sedentary precise and takes place close to small items for many hours. It places great demands on vision posture and hands. The article goes into depth on ergonomics lighting eye strain and the chemical and physical impacts you must protect yourself against at the bench.The watchmaking industry today.Industry · 8 minWatchmaking is a small trade with few graduates each year, but demand for skilled watchmakers is great. The article looks at where watchmakers work, why mechanical watches have gained renewed popularity, and what job opportunities you have when you are fully qualified.After the journeyman certificate — further education for watchmakersCareer · 8 minYour journeyman certificate is not the final station. As a watchmaker, you can retrain, specialise in specific techniques, become independent or build further with broader education. The article shows the directions you can take when you're fully trained, and how ongoing learning keeps you sharp in a trade in motion.How a mechanical watch movement worksTechnique · 8 minYou get a tour of how a mechanical watch movement is built — from mainspring and wheelwork to escapement, balance wheel, and hairspring. The article shows how these parts work together to convert stored energy into steady, precise pointer movement, and why this understanding is the foundation for all troubleshooting in the trade.The quartz watch and electronics in modern watchesTechnique · 8 minThe article explains how a quartz watch uses a vibrating quartz crystal an electronic circuit and a stepper motor to drive the hands with far greater precision than a mechanical watch movement. You get an insight into battery types troubleshooting electronic watches and why modern watchmakers must master both mechanics and electronics.Watch crystal watch case and strap—materials in watchmaking.Materials · 7 minA review of the materials watchmakers encounter daily — from sapphire mineral and plexiglass to watch cases in steel titanium and gold plus straps in leather steel and textile. The article also touches on the EU's nickel rule and why material choice is part of good customer advice.Water-tightness — sealing and pressure testing of watchesTechnique · 8 minWater-tightness is not a permanent property, but something that must be recreated and checked every time a watch case has been opened. The article explains seals, crown types, the meaning of marking in practice as well as standards ISO 22810 and ISO 6425, and why pressure testing is a fixed part of good service.Watch batteries—types replacement and environmental regulations.Safety · 7 minBattery replacement is one of the watchmaker's most frequent tasks, but also contains environmental and safety regulations that must be observed. The article covers battery types, why mercury has been phased out, labelling and disposal rules, and how electronic waste in modern watches should be handled.The journeyman's exam for watchmakers — how you prepareCareer · 6 minThe journeyman's exam is the watchmaker apprenticeship's final and decisive exam. The article explains what the exam contains, how you prepare throughout the education, what happens if you don't pass the first time, and why the journeyman certificate follows you for the rest of your career.Antique and mechanical watches – restoration as a specialtyCareer · 8 minRestoration of antique and mechanical watches is a growing specialty where the lack of original parts often forces the watchmaker to manufacture replacements himself. The article examines the challenges, the ethics of originality and collector value, and how you gradually build the specialty through experience and networking.