Can military veterans fill watchmaker shortage?

June 27, 2008

Watchmaking students at the N.G. Hayek Watchmaking School, Swatch Group's repair facility in Secaucus, N.J.

By Joseph Dobrian

Hewlett, N.Y.—U.S. soldiers returning from overseas may have jobs waiting for them in the watch industry.

To fill the shrinking ranks of U.S. watchmakers, the American Watch Guild has launched "The Watchmaker and Technician Training Program for Disabled War Veterans and War Veterans," aimed at soldiers returning from Iraq or Afghanistan.

"In the 1960s, the U.S. had about 35,000 watchmakers and 35 watchmaking schools," Susan Musman, the watch guild's executive administrator, says. "When quartz watches came in, in the 1970s, watchmaking was perceived as a dying profession, but automatic watches underwent a renaissance in the 1980s and '90s, and watch sales have reached phenomenal numbers in recent years."

But today, there are only 4,400 U.S. watchmakers, and their average age is 62. When half of them retire a decade from now, brands will have to turn to the nation's 11 remaining watch schools, which graduate about 100 much-coveted watchmakers annually.

"I've recently visited Tourneau, Swatch and Movado repair facilities, and in each place I was told they'd take as many new watchmakers as they could get," Musman says. "Tourneau said it would gladly double its number. They also need polishers, people to open and close the cases, and so on. Every skill level is needed."

Last fall, Bertram Kalisher, executive director of the watch guild, began talking with schools about setting up scholarship programs for returning veterans, particularly those who have lost use of their legs.

Musman says a typical two-year program will cost approximately $20,000, but a recent graduate can expect to earn $40,000 to $60,000 annually to start, with top watchmakers making as much as $100,000. A technician's training program (a cheaper, albeit less remunerative, option) usually lasts four months.

"Some of the veterans, depending on disabilities or other conditions, might get government funding that will cover some of their costs," Musman says. "Some watchmaking schools have already established veterans' coverage and benefits. Our organization might help those who aren't covered."

Even sans publicity, three veterans have already contacted the program, she says.

"One of them went for a bench test at the Richemont facility in Dallas and did so well that he was offered a job immediately," Musman says. "Another one, in California, has already been doing watch repairs on the side and now wants to learn how to work with more sophisticated movements. And a Marine Colonel based in Virginia is retiring and wants to take the bench test to see if he has the dexterity, patience and skill to make the career change."

Musman says she recently met with a group of vocational counselors in Virginia, who have offered to disseminate a brochure on the program, and the directors of the Veterans Administration's (VA) vocational education program in New York have responded enthusiastically as well.

As for post-training job placement, Musman says the guild's connections will be invaluable, and at any rate, newly graduated watchmakers receive an average of about five starting job offers.

"All the big watch companies want [graduate watchmakers]," Musman says. Plus, since some retailers have watchmakers on-site, the positions are available all over the country.

"There may be concerns on the part of some about veterans who might be emotionally traumatized by their combat experiences, concerns about allowing them around expensive products," she says. "But they'll have received social and vocational counseling, and they'll be interviewed before they're given jobs, of course."

Many vets already have had security clearances, she adds.

The next step, Musman says, will be to enlist the cooperation of watch retailers and service centers to apprentice interested veterans for a two- to four-week period.

They'll work side by side with watch technicians to learn basic skills and to find out whether or not they're cut out for further horological training. The guild also hopes to form an alliance with The Fisher House program, which donates "comfort homes" on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers to house the families of ill or injured veterans and soldiers.

For more details visit the Vet Watch Training Web site, Vetwatchtraining.org.

—E-mail: jdobrian@aol.com

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in the May 16, 2008, print edition of National Jeweler.