These Are The Best Classes You Can Take To Sharpen Your Watchmaking Knowledge

My watch story isn't a typical one. I don't come from a family of collectors, and I didn't grow up with much interest in watches other than my very cool older cousin's G-SHOCK Baby G. I fell into the industry in my first job out of college, and like many of you may have discovered along your collecting journey, once you get a taste of how intriguing these little mechanical marvels can be, it's hard not to dive in headfirst.

Still, it wasn't until my first trip to Switzerland and what would be the first of many manufacture tours that I'd develop a real reverence for timepieces. They say once you know how the sausage is made, you might become a vegetarian, but I find getting under the hood of a watch has the opposite effect. After experiencing the craftsmanship firsthand, you will never look at a watch the same way again. Here are eight classes that will forever change your understanding and relationship with your collection.

The Horological Society of New York

In New York City, there are (unsurprisingly) some heavy-hitting classes available. Our friends at the HSNY have been at the forefront of watchmaking education for years, and their ever-evolving roster of offerings is hard to beat. Their bread-and-butter spans from Horology 101 to Horology 104. As you might guess, 101 is a prerequisite for all subsequent classes, starting with the basics of disassembling and reassembling a mechanical movement. Horology 102 takes an in-depth look at the gear train, 103 covers winding and setting, and 104 the escapement. In addition to these staples, you'll find guest lecture classes taught by experts in artistic crafts like guilloche and other modalities.

IWC

Brands have also been getting into the educational sphere by expanding their boutiques to include class settings. If you're a die-hard fan of a particular Maison, this is the perfect way to take your obsession to the next level. IWC is one of the standouts in NYC, providing a chance to notch the basics of how a watch ticks. This class is a great jumping-off point to start your horological education with the opportunity to have a master watchmaker guide you through the assembly of a movement. You'll leave with a certificate in hand to commemorate the accomplishment.

Jaeger-LeCoultre

Stroll down a few blocks south on Madison Avenue to the Jaeger-LeCoultre flagship and continue your watchmaking journey. At present, there are two signature offerings available at the Atelier d'Antoine, which takes its name from the brand's founder, Antoine LeCoultre. Lovers of the Reverso rejoice: there's a dedicated workshop centered around the iconic model. In addition, there's a standard masterclass with a more straightforward assembly of a mechanical movement. Petition for the brand to add a metiers d'art offering delving into the Maison's expertise in enamel work, ahem, JLC, please make this happen!

Hampden Watch

Our first stop in the Midwest lands us in the heart of Chicago, home to one of America's oldest watchmakers: Hampden. After several decades of operation, the Wein family picked up the torch and became the steward of Hampden's legacy in 1958. This year marks Hampden's renaissance under Daniel Wein, the family's fourth-generation leader, and education is just one pillar of his plans for expansion. With this comes the Hampden Watchmaking Workshop. Here, you don't just get to assemble your own movement (and toast your first tick with a celebratory scotch). You actually get to place the caliber you built in a Hampden watch and walk out with the custom piece on your wrist following an intimate meal at the Maison's neighboring restaurant while its watchmakers perform a quality check on your work.

Bill Brinker

As we move west, things start to get a bit more niche. If you find yourself in Colorado, you can train with one of the foremost guilloche and enamel artists in the country. For those who don't know, I fell in love with the art of enamel during a private workshop hosted for a small group of journalists in Switzerland a few years ago. Since then, I've completed three apprenticeships in the motherland but have long been looking for someone a bit more local. Last year, a Denver-based independent brand specializing in enamel dials, called 5280 (named after the Mile High City), came to my radar, and I had the pleasure of a lengthy call with its resident artisan, Bill Brinker. Brinker's resume spans more than four decades, including work with Andreas von Zadora-Gerlof, who is sometimes called 'America's Faberge.' He told me he taught both private and small group classes, and my ears perked up. If you want a crash course in guilloche or enameling Stateside, this is your chance.

Memoria Technica

Make your way to the west coast to take your knowledge of metiers d'art to the next level. Brittany Nicole Cox is one of the leading horological conservation and restoration specialists in the world, and her Seattle-based studio Memoria Technica has become a haven for artistic craft education. Here, you can gain access to the rare machinery and tools Cox has been acquiring for a decade and go hands-on with an array of watchmaking techniques. Engine turning is Cox's specialty, with three levels of classes available. She also offers workshops covering the art of enameling and other advanced modalities

Minutes + Hours 

Our last stop is for our Los Angeles friends, hosted by Minutes + Hours. What started as a multi-brand tradeshow dedicated to independents and microbrands has expanded into the realm of education with its own watchmaking academy in partnership with the Holstein-based brand Cimier. In this day-long experience, you get the choice of building two watches from the ground up: a classic small seconds model or a skeletonized variation. The morning begins with movement assembly, and after a lunch break, you'll move on to composing the watch, placing the dial and hands, and securing the movement you built in the case. You'll leave the class with a brand-new watch on your wrist and a certificate of achievement.

For those looking for a more flexible option to bolster their horological knowledge without going hands-on, the Foundation Haute Horlogerie has you covered (and then some). While you lose the invaluable benefit of human touch, the FHH has the most expansive catalog of educational offerings, all available online. With nearly 40 different courses offered in 10 languages, you can learn everything your heart desires about the world of watchmaking, from the basics to advanced complications and finishing techniques, as well as broader industry topics like auctions and sustainability.