Occupation Details
Watch and Clock Repairers
Repair, clean, and adjust mechanisms of timing instruments, such as watches and clocks. Includes watchmakers, watch technicians, and mechanical timepiece repairers.
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Interests
Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Investigative
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Conventional
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Values
Achievement
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Working Conditions
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$42,990.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$63,690.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$76,360.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
420
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
420
+0 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
43
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
0.0%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
College Helps - Some college classes or training
Experience Requirements
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Education Requirements
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Training Details
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, desktop publishers, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters and simultaneous captioners, and medical assistants.
School Programs
The following lists school programs which are applicable to this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
State License and Certifications Requirements are not currently associated with this occupation.
Apprenticeship
Contact your regional representative to learn more about apprenticeships available in your area by visiting Apprenticeship Contacts.
Skills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
Repairing
Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Equipment Maintenance
Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Troubleshooting
Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Mechanical
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Administrative
Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Production and Processing
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Achievement/Effort
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Analytical Thinking
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Concern for Others
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Independence
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- Arbor straighteners
- Audio probes
- Beat amplifiers
- Beat setters
- Bench knives
- Bench polishers
- Brushing tools
- Busch burs
- Case openers
- Clock timers
- Degree gauges
- Demagnetizing machines
- Escape wheel straighteners
- Fan gauges
- Gear pullers
- Gemological microscopes
- Glass cutting tools
- Hammer adjusting tools
- Hand nut tools
- Hand pressers
- Ionic cleaners
- Jewelers' hammers
- Jewelers' loupes
- Jewelry mallets
- Jewelry steam cleaners
- Link pin removers
- Magnifying table lamps
- Mainspring winders
- Micro calipers
- Mini pliers
Technology
- GrenSoft WorkTracer
- IBM Lotus Notes
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Word
- SAP business and customer relations management software
- Sage Software Sage50
- Upland Consulting Group Repair Traq
- WatchWare Repair Shop
Duties
Duties are job behaviors describing activities that occur on multiple jobs. The generalized and detailed work activities described in the list below apply to this occupation.
- maintain repair records
- calibrate or adjust electronic equipment or instruments to specification
- replace electronic components
- repair digital timing devices
- hand engrave jewelry-related products
- polish jewelry, silverware or related products
- precision assemble watches or other timing devices
- fabricate, assemble, or disassemble manufactured products by hand
- use oral or written communication techniques
- use engraving techniques
- use electronic calibration devices
- operate lathes
- use precision measuring tools or equipment
- use cash registers
- use electrical or electronic test devices or equipment
- use hand or power tools
- use precision measuring devices in mechanical repair work
- use soldering equipment
- read specifications
- read schematics
- read technical drawings
- examine products or work to verify conformance to specifications
- estimate time or cost for installation, repair, or construction projects
- understand service or repair manuals
- adjust or set mechanical controls or components
- repair mechanical timing devices
- test mechanical products or equipment
- repair or replace malfunctioning or worn mechanical components
- lubricate machinery, equipment, or parts
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- Clean, rinse, and dry timepiece parts, using solutions and ultrasonic or mechanical watch-cleaning machines.
- Adjust timing regulators, using truing calipers, watch-rate recorders, and tweezers.
- Reassemble timepieces, replacing glass faces and batteries, before returning them to customers.
- Disassemble timepieces and inspect them for defective, worn, misaligned, or rusty parts, using loupes.
- Oil moving parts of timepieces.
- Estimate repair costs and timepiece values.
- Repair or replace broken, damaged, or worn parts on timepieces, using lathes, drill presses, and hand tools.
- Test timepiece accuracy and performance, using meters and other electronic instruments.
- Perform regular adjustment and maintenance on timepieces, watch cases, and watch bands.
- Order supplies, including replacement parts, for timing instruments.
- Gather information from customers about a timepiece's problems and its service history.
- Test and replace batteries and other electronic components.
- Record quantities and types of timepieces repaired, serial and model numbers of items, work performed, and charges for repairs.
- Demagnetize mechanisms, using demagnetizing machines.
- Fabricate parts for watches and clocks, using small lathes and other machines.
Learning Resources
More information on this occupation may be found in the links provided below.
Precision instrument and equipment repairers
Visit this link for additional information on this career from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; a publication produced and maintained by the United States Department of Labor.
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