What Does it Take to Be a Watch Repairer?
Occupation Description Repair, clean, and adjust mechanisms of timing instruments, such as watches and clocks. Includes watchmakers, watch technicians, and mechanical timepiece repairers.
Daily Life Of a Watch Repairer
- Fabricate parts for watches and clocks, using small lathes and other machines.
- Estimate repair costs and timepiece values.
- Disassemble timepieces and inspect them for defective, worn, misaligned, or rusty parts, using loupes.
- Clean, rinse, and dry timepiece parts, using solutions and ultrasonic or mechanical watch-cleaning machines.
- Gather information from customers about a timepiece’s problems and its service history.
- Reassemble timepieces, replacing glass faces and batteries, before returning them to customers.
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What a Watch Repairer Should Know
When polled, Watch Repairers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
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.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
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.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Related Job Titles
- Time Clock Mechanic
- Horologist
- Antique Clock Repairer
- Clock Repairer
- Watch and Clock Repairer
Job Demand for Watch Repairers
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 1,800 jobs in the United States for Watch Repairer. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Watch Repairer. There will be an estimated 100 positions for Watch Repairer per year.

The states with the most job growth for Watch Repairer are Washington, Colorado, and Florida. Watch out if you plan on working in Nebraska, Indiana, or Ohio. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What is the Average Salary of a Watch Repairer
Watch Repairers make between $23,240 and $68,500 a year.

Watch Repairers who work in Michigan, Missouri, or Oregon, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Watch Repairers in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $29,390 |
California | $49,950 |
Colorado | $49,320 |
Florida | $51,260 |
Georgia | $38,340 |
Indiana | $44,730 |
Maryland | $28,610 |
Michigan | $54,590 |
Missouri | $52,880 |
New Jersey | $51,760 |
New York | $35,340 |
Ohio | $44,690 |
Oregon | $50,950 |
Rhode Island | $43,680 |
Tennessee | $42,580 |
Texas | $44,240 |
Utah | $53,580 |
What Tools do Watch Repairers Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Watch Repairers may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Word processing software
- Intuit QuickBooks
- SAP software
- IBM Lotus Notes
Becoming a Watch Repairer
Learn what Watch Repairer education requirements there are.

How many years of work experience do I need?

Who Employs Watch Repairers?

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

References:
Image Credit: Phasmatisnox via CC BY 3.0
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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