42 Business DECEMBER 2018
high life
D
espite the rise of the
smart watch and
recent leaps
forward in wearable
technology,
mechanical
watches continue
to retain their charm and popularity
among seasoned watch lovers.
A luxury watch can last a lifetime and
even be passed through the
generations, with many brands such as
Patek Philippe, Rolex and TagHeur able
to retain or even increase in value over
the years.
So, have you ever stopped to think
about how some of your favourite
watches are made?
Well, the answer may be closer to
home than you think, as one of the
world’s premier watchmaking schools
is based in Manchester.
Tucked away in a unsuspecting
corner of Sale, the British School of
Watchmaking (BSOW) is training the
next generation of watchmakers.
It was founded in 2006 following the
recognition of a shortage of qualified
watchmakers to service the growing
number of fine and complicated
mechanical watches in the UK.
The school specialises in high-end
watches over the value of £1,000. The
aim is to produce graduates that can be
counted amongst the world’s finest
young watchmakers to serve the UK
market and the wider world.
For the first few years, the school
welcomed six students each year onto
its two-year programme. Twelve years
on, the British School of Watchmaking
became the first school in Europe to
offer a one-year intensive route into
watchmaking. With two courses, the
school now recruits 24 students every
two years.
When walking into the school it
becomes clear that it takes a certain
kind of character to be a watchmaker:
calm, clean and methodical.
Each of the students sits at their
workbench and is responsible for
keeping it neat and tidy.
They are working on various projects
- taking watches apart, finding faulty
parts, putting them back together,
making the tools they will use to fix the
watches, carefully cleaning the parts - incredibly delicate work with
impossibly tiny pieces. It is fascinating
Time-served students
keeping watches alive
to watch and gives you a real
appreciation of the level of skill and
dedication required to work as a
watchmaker.
The institution is registered not as a
British school, but rather in the
homeland of horology, Switzerland.
As an affiliate of the Watchmakers of
Switzerland Training and Educational
Program, all full-time courses at the
British School of Watchmaking are
recognised as being equivalent to the
Swiss Certificat Fédéral de Capacité.
It is the only education provider in
the UK offering CP recognised courses- Convention Patronale from the
institute of Swiss horology - a
prerequisite for employment with
many employers.
The high demand for quality
watchmaking means students find it
easy to gain employment and the
school has a 100% retention record
within the industry, for its 72 graduates
to date.
Jon Weston, Managing Director of
Rudell The Jewellers and President of
the British School of Watchmaking
said: “I’m immensely proud and
passionate to support the British
school of Watchmaking.
“This essential establishment is
critical to produce the finest skilled
graduate watchmakers here in the UK.
“With the continued development of
standards, both myself, the board andindeed all the supporters common aim
is to meet with the needs of the
industry both today and long into the
future.
“Without the BSoW, the skill gap for
Watchmakers would be increasing
each year, so it is imperative to attract
new skilled talent into this area of our
growing industry”.
The school is a non-profit making,
independent institution which receives
no government funding and is financed
entirely by the contributions of its
founders and partners including luxury
watch brands, Patek Phillipe and Rolex.
Mark Hearn, Managing Director for
Patek Philippe UK said: “The British
School of Watchmaking is a non profit
organisation, so it is important we keep
supporting its projects.
“We are still working really hard on
developing the School as the need for
qualified watchmakers is growing and
will continue to grow for many years to
come.”
Gerard Kerr, Head of After-Sales for
Rolex UK said: “Rolex has a long and
proud history in watchmaker training
and understands the importance in
nurturing and sustaining the essential
technical and personal skills to support
our products and customers.
“Through our investment in the
British School of Watchmaking, Rolex
perpetuates watchmaking expertise
and a passion for the profession by
encouraging and investing in
excellence”.Written by Maya BlackStudents at the British
School of Watchmaking