Overview of the role

Make, service and repair watches.

Details of standard

Occupation summary

This occupation is found in an independent company servicing of a range of watch brands or a workshop maintained by a particular brand of watch. The independent company may be:

  • a small business such as a jeweller. In this setting, the watchmaker would service watches for their customers,
  • alternatively, the watchmaker may be employed by a large company focusing on servicing watches directly for the public and for other businesses.

The broad purpose of the occupation is to service quartz and mechanical watches (manual winding and automatic winding watches). The watchmaker will also complete part jobs whereby they replace components which are worn or damaged.

The work is skilled, precise, and delicate in nature and requires the use of:

  • test equipment to assess the functioning of the watch and determine faults,
  • hand tools to dismantle, reassemble and adjust the watch,
  • machine tools for cleaning watch components and case refurbishment.

An understanding of the principles involved in the functioning of both quartz and mechanical watch movements is important together with a background knowledge of timekeeping, history, and the watch industry.

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with their employer, managers, other watchmakers, and team members. The watchmaker may also interact with clients or customers and suppliers.

An employee in this occupation will be responsible for the maintenance of their hand tools and the use of test equipment and machinery in accordance with relevant Health and Safety legislation. They are responsible for working ethically and disposing of waste materials and cleaning fluids in a sustainable manner.

The watchmaker may progress to servicing more complex watches such as chronographs, and to restore watches for private individuals and the heritage sector. They may also manufacture watches.

Typical job titles include:

Watch repairer Watchmaker

Occupation duties

Duty KSBs

Duty 1 Liaise with customers and/or colleagues to determine their requirements and provide clear feedback on work undertaken.

K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K8 K9 K10 K11 K12 K13 K14 K15 K16 K17 K18 K19 K20

S1 S2 S5 S6 S7 S8 S9 S10 S11 S12 S13 S14 S15 S16 S17 S18 S19 S20 S21

B1 B4 B5 B6 B7 B8 B9 B10

Duty 2 Maintain tools in an appropriate condition to undertake servicing procedures for watchmaking.

K1 K2 K5

S1 S2 S3

B1 B2 B4 B5

Duty 3 Assess the condition of quartz and mechanical watches and their components using test equipment, visual assessment and observation.

K1 K2 K5 K6 K7 K8 K9 K10 K11 K13 K14

S1 S2 S4 S5 S6 S9 S10 S15

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5

Duty 4 Open watch cases and remove watch movements.

K1 K2 K5 K7 K8 K9

S1 S2 S4 S5

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5

Duty 5 Identify faults in watch cases and bracelets and decide appropriate levels of intervention.

K1 K2 K5 K7

S1 S2 S5

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5

Duty 6 Specify replacement components for watch cases / bracelets.

K16

S6 S21

B2 B3 B4 B5

Duty 7 Refinish polished and grained surfaces of the watch case and bracelet; prepare and reassemble components (e.g., gaskets, glasses, pushers).

K1 K2 K8

S1 S2 S3 S4 S7 S20 S21

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5

Duty 8 Refit watch movements to watch cases, reseal and close watch cases and test watches for water resistance.

K1 K2 K9

S1 S2 S4 S9

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5

Duty 9 Identify faults in quartz and mechanical watch movements and decide appropriate levels of intervention.

K1 K2 K10 K11 K13 K14

S1 S2 S10 S15

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5

Duty 10 Specify replacement components for quartz and mechanical watch movements.

K16 K17

S12 S17 S21

B4 B5

Duty 11 Service lubricate and adjust quartz and mechanical watch movements, to ensure the serviced movement meets the manufacturer’s specification and industry practice.

K1 K2 K3 K10 K12 K13 K15 K17

S1 S2 S4 S11 S13 S14 S16 S19 S20 S21

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5

Duty 12 Complete documentation, detailing initial condition of watches, work undertaken, test results, components and estimated cost of components required.

K6 K7 K10 K11 K12 K13 K14 K15 K16 K17

S9 S10 S12 S15 S17 S19 S21

B3 B4 B5 B9

Duty 13 Practise continuous self-learning to achieve an awareness of opportunities and developments in the watch industry.

K18 K20

S21

B9 B10


KSBs

Knowledge

K1: Health and safety legislation relating to common hazards within the working environment for watch servicing (Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, COSHH, PPE). Back to Duty

K2: The importance of risk analysis to ensure the safety of self and others when using tools, equipment and materials for watch servicing. Back to Duty

K3: The importance of safe disposal of all waste materials. Back to Duty

K4: Ethical issues in watchmaking (counterfeit watches (fake and replica), watch customization, use of generic parts, the availability of watch parts to watchmakers). Back to Duty

K5: Construction, operational principles and maintenance of tools and equipment required for watch servicing. (hand tools required for watch servicing, test equipment and machines for case refinishing). Back to Duty

K6: Different types of quartz and mechanical watches, their basic function and construction. Back to Duty

K7: The construction of watch cases, bracelets and straps. Back to Duty

K8: Procedures for servicing and refinishing watch cases and bracelets. Back to Duty

K9: Procedures for resealing and water resistance testing of watch cases. Back to Duty

K10: The construction and operational principles of quartz watch movements and their components. Back to Duty

K11: Procedures for using test equipment and observations to identify and correct operational faults in quartz watch movements. Back to Duty

K12: Procedures for servicing quartz watch movements (disassembly, cleaning, reassembly); Procedures for servicing quartz watch movements (lubrication). Back to Duty

K13: The construction and operational principles of mechanical watch movements and their components. Back to Duty

K14: Procedures for using test equipment and observations to identify and correct operational faults in mechanical watch movements. Back to Duty

K15: Procedures for servicing mechanical watch movements (disassembly, cleaning); Procedures for servicing mechanical watch movements (reassembly, lubrication and adjustment). Back to Duty

K16: The specification and estimation of the cost of replacement components for quartz and mechanical watch movements and their cases. Back to Duty

K17: Manufacturer’s technical information and its use. Back to Duty

K18: The watch servicing industry and associated trades (sequential servicing, watch technician, material dealer, dial restoration, watch restoration, case polishing and refurbishment, making watches, brands, independents). Back to Duty

K19: The history and development of time keeping (background to timekeeping, developments in quartz and mechanical watches, alternative escapements, older watches). Back to Duty

K20: The use of Information technology for record-keeping, self-learning and continuous development. Back to Duty

Skills

S1: Complies with health, safety and environmental legislation (Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, COSHH, PPE) relating to common hazards within the working environment for watch servicing. Back to Duty

S2: Uses equipment safely in accordance with manufacturer's technical information and industry practice. Back to Duty

S3: Maintains tools in correct working order according to industry practice. Back to Duty

S4: Selects and uses appropriate tools in the servicing and repair of watches. Back to Duty

S5: Determines approach to open and service watch cases and remove watch movements. Back to Duty

S6: Specifies replacement components required for servicing watch cases and bracelets/straps. Back to Duty

S7: Ensures all watch case and bracelet/strap components are in a suitable condition for re-assembly (includes refinishing where necessary). Back to Duty

S8: Reassembles watch cases and bracelets, refits movements and reseals watch cases. Back to Duty

S9: Uses test equipment to determine the water resistance of the watch (wet and dry testing, condensation test). Back to Duty

S10: Uses suitable test procedures and observations for fault finding and to determine the approach for servicing quartz watch movements. Back to Duty

S11: Dismantles quartz watch movements in accordance with industry practice. Back to Duty

S12: Specifies replacement components required for the servicing of quartz watch movements. Back to Duty

S13: Ensures all components for quartz movements are in a suitable condition for re-assembly. Back to Duty

S14: Reassembles and lubricates quartz watch movements in accordance with manufacturer's technical information and industry practice. Back to Duty

S15: Uses suitable testing procedures and observations for fault finding and to determine the approach for servicing mechanical watch movements. Back to Duty

S16: Dismantles mechanical watch movements in accordance with industry practice. Back to Duty

S17: Specifies replacement components required for the servicing of mechanical watch movements. Back to Duty

S18: Ensures components of mechanical movements are in a suitable condition for re-assembly. Back to Duty

S19: Reassembles, lubricates and adjusts mechanical watch movements in accordance with manufacturer's technical information and industry practice. Back to Duty

S20: Services watches within agreed commercial time scales. Back to Duty

S21: Uses information technology for record-keeping, self-learning and continuous development.  Back to Duty

Behaviours

B1: Promotes a positive safety culture; ensures work is carried out in a safe way that does not put themselves or others at risk. Back to Duty

B2: Maintains a tidy working environment and replaces equipment after use. Back to Duty

B3: Adheres to required work practices and completes work to meet deadlines. Back to Duty

B4: Shows attention to detail and accuracy during servicing and record keeping. Back to Duty

B5: Demonstrates a responsibility to complete routine work with minimal supervision. Back to Duty

B6: Listens to others and respects alternative views and opinions. Back to Duty

B7: Prioritises an ethical approach and environmental sustainability in watch servicing. Back to Duty

B8: Varies communication style appropriately during discussions and explanations with colleagues, clients and others. Back to Duty

B9: Recognises the opportunities from the use of information technology in watch servicing. Back to Duty

B10: Keeps abreast of developments in the watch servicing industry. Back to Duty


Qualifications

English and Maths

Professional recognition

This standard aligns with the following professional recognition:

  • British Watch and Clock Makers’ Guild for Member


Additional details

Occupational Level:

3

Duration (months):

24

Review

Status: Approved for delivery (available for starts)
Level: 3
Reference: ST0395
Version: 1.1
Date updated: 10/01/2022
Approved for delivery: 19 February 2018
Route: Creative and design
Typical duration to gateway: 24 months (this does not include EPA period)
Maximum funding: £27000
LARS Code: 235
EQA Provider: Ofqual
Employers involved in creating the standard: Watchfinder & Co Bremont Watch Company Ltd F. Hinds Limited, Peter Roberts Watches (Horological Consultants) Ltd., Swiss Time Services Ltd, Watches of Switzerland Group Plc In-Time Watch Services Ltd Rotary Watches Ltd Breitling UK Ltd E.P. Mallory & Sons Ltd

Version log

Version Change detail Earliest start date Latest start date
1.1 End-point assessment plan, standard and funding revised 10/01/2022 Not set
1.0 Retired 19/02/2018 09/01/2022

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