Watch and Clock Repairers
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Takes watches and clocks apart, inspects parts under a loupe for wear, rust, or misalignment, then cleans them with solutions or ultrasonic machines. After oiling moving parts and repairing or replacing what is broken, sometimes on a lathe or drill press, the pieces go back together with a new glass face or battery if needed. Timing gets adjusted with tweezers, truing calipers, and rate recorders, then checked with meters before the piece goes back to the customer. Repair costs and values are estimated as part of the job. Suits people who like close, precise hand work and diagnosing small mechanical problems.
Typical education: Post-Secondary Certificate (vocational/technical)
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$67'230
Median Wage Market Position
$67'230
What you might do
- Disassemble watches and inspect worn parts
- Clean timepiece parts with ultrasonic machines
- Repair or replace damaged watch parts
- Oil the moving parts of timepieces
- Reassemble watches and replace batteries
- Test watch accuracy with electronic meters
Skills that matter
- Ultrasonic cleaning of timepiece parts
- Loupe inspection of worn or rusty parts
- Fine adjustment of timing regulators
- Oiling of moving timepiece parts
- Cost and value estimates for customers
- Accuracy tests with electronic instruments
AI & the future of this role
Microscopic assembly and regulation still reward patience and tactile skill few automations match well. Online guides and diagnostic tools might chip away at routine jobs, while luxury and heirloom work could hold a smaller core.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details