Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters
Production
Small parts of watches, clocks, and chronometers are assembled, fitted, and installed under a loupe using watchmakers' tools. Movement is watched and tested with electronic equipment, tweezers, and holding fixtures so errors in timing or fit can be traced. Faulty pieces are taken apart, cleaned with solvents, lubricated, and put back together; hairsprings, pallets, and similar parts may be bent with tweezers to correct truing or endshake. Components are examined under a loupe or microscope for defects. Suits people who like tiny, precise hand work and diagnosing why a mechanism is off.
Typical education: High School Diploma or GED
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$62'620
Median Wage Market Position
$62'620
What you might do
- Assemble timepiece parts using watchmaker tools
- Observe running parts to spot timing errors
- Test fit and movement with tweezers
- Take watches and clocks apart for repair
- Replace worn or faulty timepiece parts
- Bend hairsprings and bridges to true them
Skills that matter
- Watchmakers' tools for precision assembly
- Diagnosing defects in timepiece movements
- Testing fit with tweezers and electronics
- Cleaning, oiling, and replacing worn parts
- Inspecting components under loupes or microscopes
- Deciding how to true or repair a movement
AI & the future of this role
Much of this precision assembly follows tight, repeatable steps that automated inspection and robotic placement may increasingly handle. Fine calibration under tolerance still involves human judgment, but employment prospects look comparatively soft as production systems improve.
Does Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters fit your values?
Take the free LostInCareer assessment to see personalized matches based on your core values—not just a personality label.
Related careers
Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details