In most crafts a small inaccuracy can be corrected afterwards. In watchmaking a misplaced dust particle or a bent part can mean a watch does not keep time. Therefore quality here is not something you check at the end — it is something you build in at every step.
§Cleanliness
A clean workplace and clean parts are a prerequisite. Dust and dirt are enemies of a watch so you work with clean hands clean tools and a tidy desk.
§Precision
You work with parts that are very small. It requires steady hands, good magnification and patience. Going slowly is not being slow — it is working correctly.
§Quality
- 01Lubricate only the right places with the right amounts
- 02Check mechanism after assembly — does the clock keep time precisely?
- 03Use only parts and measures that suit the task
- 04Live up to the customer's expectation of a watch that works
§Beware of yourself
Fine work strains eyes, neck and back over time. Good lighting, good work posture and breaks keep you sharp and healthy in a trade you can have for life.
“A good watchmaker is not known by speed but by the watch still running precisely long after it left the workbench.”