"This Swiss Watchmaker is Teaching Apprentices For Free
The U.S. desperately needs new watchmakers. Will a new generations save the industry?"

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/...ee-180956891/?no-ist

next enrollment 2017

Thanks Peter
Severely under-appreciated skill.
Even if you bump the curve, No future unless you really committ. Starving artist syndrome...

I have to disagree with you on that one there is and will be huge demand for watchmakers and the pay is not that bad.

Good to know. Maybe in a few years I can gain skills to support the hobby/passion.
I do hope the smart young take this as a career.
Much cleaner life to be a micro-machinist, the macro machinist gets dirty!

Watchmaking is an art form, we would all like to be able to play an instrument , paint a picture etc, but when tested very few are considered good enough to produce the goods above armature hobbyist level consistently. Just look at the number of people "having a go" and taking payment for it, I get the end results passing over my bench daily and sad to see the often irreversible results of quick and cheap repairs by unqualified people. The 300 people who applied resulted in six they are prepared to invest tuition time in is an indication. To make it worse the few people who graduate are lured away to other industries, their skills are in great demand and can get six figure salaries. I know a good few people left the watch repair centers in Dallas to take such roles.