Hello, and thank you for taking the time to read this notice.
My name is Josh, a recent emigre to Australia and a keen apprentice watchmaker. First, to allay any fears, I have full working rights in Australia under my relationship visa.
I got into watchmaking after a 10-year stint in advertising, although my love of watches goes back to childhood. I attended night school for a year, under Jon Woods, and I loved all of it.
I'm patient, loyal and ready to learn more. I have experience working on Swiss, Japanese, Russian and American watches. This includes the following:
ST36 (ETA 6497 Clone)
ETA 2408 (Semi-Quickset Calendar Mechanical)
Luch 2209 (Russian Mechanical)
Bifora 934 SCI (Second Centre Indirect Drive Mechanical)
Felsa 690 (Early Bidynator Automatic)
ETA 2892-A2 (Modern Automatic)
Seiko 7S26C (Standard Seiko 5 Automatic)
ETA 955.422 (Found in Hamilton & TAG Heuer Quartz Watches)
I’m incredibly passionate about watchmaking, and I intend to forge ahead and make this my full-time profession. I'm hoping you can help me.
As a quick overview of my current skill level:
Good bench practice: how to set up and maintain a good workbench.
Tool inspection and maintenance: this includes how to dress screwdrivers and tweezers.
Watch handling and storage: how to properly handle modern and vintage watches.
Assessing cased watches: On-the-spot checks of watch functionality, through checking the winding, setting and calendar action of watches.
Opening watch cases: this includes front-loading and back-loading cases, alongside specialist waterproof and Oyster cases.
Removing dials and hands: the safe and careful removal of hands without bending them or marking the dial. Plus, the removal of dials without bending or breaking the feet.
Radium handling: how to properly handle and store radium-painted dials and hands.
Mainsprings: how to let down the power in a mainspring, analysing clockwise/anti-clockwise spring orientation, how to safely remove a mainspring from its barrel, inspecting the barrel for wear, oiling and replacing mainsprings by hand, and installing new coiled mainsprings.
Disassembly and reassembly: careful, clean disassembly and reassembly, including correct orientation of all wheels and bridges and testing of power flow while reassembly. Plus, keyless work and motion work assembly while checking for function.
Pallet lever assessment: studying and checking the lock and draw of the pallet fork. Plus, assessment of pallet jewel orientation and shellac status.
Elementary fault-finding: assessing issues through checks while disassembling, including endshake, wear to pivots, plate wear and incorrect/lack of lubrication.
How to clean a watch: both by hand and using a motor-driven cleaner.
Lubrication: this includes selecting the right oil and applying it to the gear train, pallet stones, cap jewels, balance jewels and mainspring.
Timegraphers: How to set the lift angle and use the timegrapher to check for faults through various stages of disassembly, and then the accuracy when reassembled. Plus, measuring beat error before and after adjustments are made.
Beat error: assessing beat error through the position of the impulse jewel and correcting it by adjusting the collet.
Regulating: making final adjustments on the regulator arm, plus an introduction to the Etachron system.
Watch Crystals: removing and replacing all three varieties (sapphire, mineral and acrylic), and how to polish and restore acrylic crystals.
Ancillary skills: strap replacement, battery replacement, elementary polishing, calibre identification, crown pendant tube removal and replacement, caseback gasket identification and replacement.
Understanding the gear train: the theory of power transfer, train layout, gear ratio and gear direction.
Understanding the different types of gear train: direct vs indirect minutes and seconds.
Understanding the Swiss lever escapement: this includes understanding the relationship between the balance and escapement in Swiss lever watches.
Jewels: their purpose and different varieties, and shock-protection systems.
Complications: the interplay between simple complications, like the calendar works and the gear train.
I understand that these are only the most elementary skills, and I have a long road ahead of me. I am ready and committed to make this journey.
I also have a full suite of tools at my disposal, including standard hand and bench tools, plus specialist items including a demagnetiser, cleaning machine, jacot lathe, jewelling tool and staking tool.
If you were to choose me as your apprentice/junior, you'd be taking on a stable, reliable and keen individual, as well as one who has supplementary skills that could prove useful to your business, including sales, marketing, and customer service.
If you have any questions or want to chat, I'd love to hear from you.
Thank you and kindest regards,
Josh