Watch or clock repairer

Career path and progression

With experience, you could manage a workshop or retail jewellery outlet, or run your own business repairing or designing watches.

You could specialise in working for luxury clock and watch maker brands.

If you specialise in antique watches or clocks, you could work with museums, conserving and restoring their collections. You might also work for auctioneers as a valuer.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• the ability to work well with your hands
• persistence and determination
• the ability to repair machines or systems
• the ability to use your initiative
• knowledge of engineering science and technology
• analytical thinking skills
• problem-solving skills
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Related subjects

Most relevant

• Design and Technology - Watch and clock repairers work with precision tools and materials every day, taking apart intricate mechanisms, making replacement parts, and reassembling timepieces. The practical skills of working with hand tools, understanding how mechanical systems fit together, and problem-solving through making are central to this craft.
• Physics - Watch and clock repairers need to understand the mechanics behind how timepieces work – including gears, springs, oscillation, and energy transfer. Diagnosing faults and adjusting mechanisms to keep accurate time relies on a solid grasp of forces, motion, and materials.
• Engineering - Watch and clock repairers apply engineering principles when inspecting mechanisms, identifying worn components, and fabricating replacement parts to precise tolerances. Understanding how mechanical systems are designed and how individual components interact is essential for diagnosing and fixing faults.
• Mathematics - Watch and clock repairers use precise measurements constantly, working with tiny components where fractions of a millimetre matter. They also calculate gear ratios, understand how different parts of a mechanism relate to timekeeping accuracy, and provide cost quotes to customers.

Also relevant

• Art and Design - Watch and clock repairers sometimes etch or engrave designs onto watch faces and work on restoring the visual appearance of timepieces. An eye for detail, aesthetics, and fine hand skills – especially when working on decorative or antique pieces – connects closely to art and design.
• Chemistry - Watch and clock repairers work with different metals, alloys, lubricants, and cleaning solutions as part of servicing and restoring timepieces. Understanding how materials corrode, react, and behave over time helps when choosing the right treatments and replacement parts.
• History - Watch and clock repairers who specialise in antique timepieces need to understand the historical context of the pieces they restore, including the techniques and materials used in different periods. This knowledge is especially important when working with museums, auctioneers, or private collectors.
• Business - Watch and clock repairers often run their own workshops or manage retail outlets. Understanding how to price jobs, manage finances, deal with customers, and market a specialist service is important for those who want to be self-employed or progress into management.