Tags: eta 2824, eta 2892, Lemania 1873, Rolex, Valjoux 7750, watchmaking, Watchmaking School

While in watchmaking school we worked on a handful of “common” calibers. Our main repertoire included:

Unitas 6497

Rolex 1570

ETA 2824

ETA 2892

Valjoux 7750

ETA 955.xxx

ETA 926.xxx

Lemania 1873

We also got limited exposure to some other modern movements and were responsible for providing other watches in an effort to increase our exposure to different calibers while we had constant supervision.

I found this method of instruction extremely beneficial. The skills I developed while working on these few calibers are transferable to the majority of watches on the market today. In fact most of what is sold today has one of the above listed movements in it.

When I left watchmaking school I was under the impression that it was these movements that I would see more than anything. Funny thing is I see very few of the above.

Today I worked on a 7750, but it has probably been a year since I last worked on one. I just don’t see them. The balance in my shop seems to be different.

Here is an idea of my last 30 repairs (excluding the little stuff like band repairs, power cells, etc. as pulled from my repair database:

Rolex Datejust Service

Full Service Lds Movado

Full Service Ladies Bulova

Full Service Elgin Wristwatch

Full Service Baume & Mercier Quartz

Full Service Lds Rolex Datejust

Full Service Vintage Rolex

Replace Xtal & PC Ladies Movado

Replace Qtz Movt Eterna

Full Service Rolex 69178 Gold Datejust

Full Service Rolex Submariner

Replace Qtz Movement Skagen

Service Auto & H2O

Full Service Breguet Pocket Watch

Rolex Regulation

Full Service Eljin 0size Pocket Watch

Full Service Ladies Rolex Datejust

Full Service Movado

Full Service Croton Lds w/ xtal, crown & parts

Full Service Brixon watch

Full Service Quartz

Full Service Rolex op

Full Service ladies Rolex datejust

Full Service Rolex Submariner

Full Service Hampden 3/0 size pw

Full Service Rolex Ladies datejust

Dial Repair & H2O w/ crown & tube

Full Service Rolex Oyster Perpetual

Full Service Rolex Datejust

Of the above repairs 10 were Rolex services, 5 were quartz and the remaining 15 were vintage mechanical wrist and pocket watches. Excluding Rolex none of these watches contained the calibers in the list from my schooling. Where do people get their modern watches serviced? Not at my shop. How different it could be, somebody somewhere in town must be running a shop where they primarily service the modern stuff. I think I would like some of that work.