My "receiving department" is also much busier than my "shipping department". I loved that. Thanks.  ....I still just do easy tasks and hire out major work. Friends do give me their watches to fix on the same basis. I'll say, "I'll try to fix it but will leave it to my watchmaker if I can't." ...I'm hiring in a college student next week whose main task is to pressure me into parting with and posting more watches.  (Sometimes, I'll see an ad posted and think, "That seller doesn't really want to sell that. He just posted that at that high price to keep his wife happy."

Thank you for the grounded view on the economics of watch repairing vs hobby watch cleaning. I enjoy the cautious fiddling but don't have the time remaining to learn full repairing.
I look forward to watching any new videos, maybe on simple or general servicing, and possibly parts supply.
Thanks from Australia,
Greg

Fantastic information!  Don't want to make money at it but everything else covered is amazing!

Great advice.

For older watches I give the client a fixed price to inspect the watch and create a report that is deducted from the service price if they proceed. You never know what you're going to find in vintage watch and its easy to end up earning $2 an hour if you quote on a guess.

For the 'it's not worth fixing'  comments I  talk about how "yes, you could buy another one on eBay that doesn't run very well, or you could own a watch that's running pretty much as new"....but  as you said fixing memory watches and family watches is the best.

Very good video, I have no desire to fix watches for money, I would actually do it just to pay for the tools so I can learn and have fun doing it.

One of your best videos.  I remember using a loup that was "stuck" into my eye.  I was looking at the pivot on a balance staff.  The loup dropped out of my eye and stuck on the end of the pivot.  So much for starting out cheap.  Excellent advice.

Everything was going so well til I found out you are Canadian. Then it went amazing after that!

Great video JD. Great advice. I took up the hobby four years ago and went through all of the same issues you talk about.  I’m sure this will help anyone getting into the hobby. Reality hits home when you “need” one more tool and it’s 10x the value of the watch you’re working on.

JD, thank you for your advice.  I have been watching for a couple years.  You have saved / cost me a fortune!  I love American pocket watches.  Take care!

Great advice JD ! I took in a watch for a customer, it was purchased on ebay and it dosent work. I knew that going into it and made certain that my client knew that II might not be able to get her running. Long story longer , turns out the watch took a hit and shifted the jewel heights on the balance cock so when you screw down the balance the watch won’t run. Told the customer gave him a price to repair it and he said it just wasn’t worth the price. I spent almost two hours diagnosing it and I won’t get paid for that one… but I learned from it. Point is ,as you said if the watch holds no worth to the customer they won’t pay to fix it.
Thanx for your time and knowledge JD , love your work 👍🍻

Hello, JD! I just came across this video and man I just have to say it is excellent. I relate so much to everything you said. I have been working on watches for almost ten years and I started just like you with an Amazon watch repair kit that rather than helping me fix watches would do the opposite, but that’s how I learned. It’s been a long learning process which I have enjoyed to the top! I love fixing all kinds of watches, and I had bought a lathe a while back and I remember once I texted for advice on something with it and you helped me, and I am sure thankful for that. I started working on the side for a jewelry store this year, and man I have never seen so many different kinds of watches brands and all kinds of problem with watches that have really challenged my knowledge, but at the same time I am thankful because it’s a great learning opportunity to be able to work with all kinds of watches. I totally agree about the clientele part. Most people don’t understand the work that goes in fixing or servicing a watch and don’t want to pay much, but there is always a rewarding feeling when you fix a watch for someone who really appreciates it and who maybe was told by someone else that their watch couldn’t be fixed. That’s the most satisfying part of fixing watches to me. Thank you for taking your time for making these excellent videos and for helping other learn what you know!

Great video.
I wish I had this video several years ago when I started the hobby of restoring and servicing pocket watches. I made a lot of the mistakes you warned about but I learned most of my knowledge from watching your videos.
I hope you keep making them.

Chuck in Texas
Keep making these videos

I have an Illinois 19 jewels pocket watch I would love to get fixed one day

Thank you for this video. I which I could have given you two likes. This is exactly what I needed to hear as I was gearing up for an early retirement and a move from IT to watch repair as a business. I’ve known all along that the issue is that a service costs the same as a replacement and that most consumers will likely change their minds when they hear the quote. Sometimes it requires hearing the truth from a stranger to accept it.

Hi, I'm not a warch repairer or a watch maker. I was a machinist years ago but i''m retired. I find all this so interesting. I just want to say that i never buy cheap tools as they break or fail in some way when you really need them.

I’m just looking to do this as a hobby. As a car mechanic who loves to tinker I find it difficult for me to continually buy and fix cars when it takes up so much space. The idea that I can just use a room in my house and not need an entire garage to tinker on watches sounds right up my alley.

I have a watch that was passed down to me recently that was owned by my great grandfather. He worked at some pharmaceutical company and was given a really nice watch with a mechanical movement after he retired. I have it now, and want to learn how to get it back into working order. Not going to start with that watch, but my Chinese movement will make for great practice. Also trying to get my hands on some older pocket watches to practice on as well.

This is a very insightful video JD.  Worth watching for anyone considering this as a career or side income.  The math on the repair fees is pretty spot on.

Great video!

thanks for the insight you motivate me to continue my watchmaking journey

Great Video.