Watchmaker in 1511: Nuremberg's portable watches

It depends heavily on country and level. US watch and clock repairers earned a median of roughly $55,000 in 2023 (BLS); experienced watchmakers at Swiss manufactures typically sit in the CHF 75,000–100,000 band. Complications specialists and successful independents earn well above that — a single watch from an elite independent maker can sell for six figures — while entry-level service work pays modestly everywhere.

Why does a watch service cost so much? A full service means completely disassembling the movement — often more than a hundred parts — cleaning everything, replacing worn components, re-oiling with several different lubricants in doses smaller than a pinhead, then reassembling, regulating in multiple positions and testing for days. That is several hours of skilled bench time even for a simple watch, and far more for chronographs or vintage pieces with no spare parts available.

Can you learn watchmaking self-taught? Partially, and there is a famous precedent: George Daniels, arguably the greatest watchmaker of the twentieth century, was largely self-taught. The British Horological Institute runs a respected distance-learning course with formal exams, and hobbyists can learn servicing on cheap movements. But brand service centers and insurers generally require recognized credentials such as WOSTEP or the AWCI's CW21, so most professionals still pass through a school.