Experience
How I Began/Liars
Taught Me
Since
1982, I (Ernest Tope) have been restoring watches. A fellow
watchmaker suggested that if I learned to repair watches I could
have a rewarding career. I have always been interested in
mechanical things and often, as a child, (to my parent's consternation)
I dismantled my toys to see what made them work. After acquiring
a pair of tweezers and some tiny screw drivers I began "working"
on the family's discarded watches. It was apparent right
away that it was not going to be easy.
It occurs to me as I am writing this that
I have received a lot of encouragement throughout the years from
liars. They would helpfully say, "There is nothing to
it.", "Oh that's easy.", "Don't worry
you'll get it right next time.". I can truly say that if it
were not for these encouraging liars I would never have become a
watchmaker. Had I really known what was involved I would have
quit before I started. Yet, like any great journey, with each
step, it has been a rewarding experience.
I
Learned
From Others
Gone Before
Having
studied science and engineering in college, I found it relatively
easy to comprehend the various books on the subject of watch repair.
These were available first from the public library, then through
loans and purchases.
Although my formal training is in science
and engineering, I learned the skill of Watchmaking from many of
the worlds most respected watchmakers. After joining the American
Watchmakers Institute in 1984, as well as my local guild and state
association, my contacts began to grow. There are many wonderful
people who have shared their knowledge with me over the years.
This knowledge goes beyond Watchmaking itself and into the area
of my personal growth. I owe these people a sincere debt of
gratitude.
One of the most rewarding experiences I
have had was meeting the late Henry B. Fried, the author of "The
Watch Repairers Manual". That was the very first book
I checked out of the library and to this day one of the best.
He asked, "So, who taught you Watchmaking?". I replied,
"You did.", he said, "I don't remember you.
Were you one of my students?" (Referring to The New York School
of Horology where he instructed.) "Not exactly" I answered,
"You write. I read.". He grinned and the conversation
went on to other subjects.
Rolex® Technician
Certified
Master Watchmaker
For
approximately 12 years, I worked in a jewelry store. The first
6 years were spent learning and doing watch repair, complicated
watch repair and jewelry repair. The second six years were
spent doing watch repair as a "Factory Trained Rolex Technician"
for an authorized Rolex® dealership. During that time
I repaired thousands of Rolex watches as well as Patek Philippe,
Vacheron, Audemars, Piaget, and many, many others.
About 20 years ago I joined the National
Association of Watch and Clock Collectors. Through my contacts
in this organization, and in particular Dr. Ted Crom, I began working
on unusual watches. These watches often required that certain
parts be custom made in order to repair the watch. I had found
my niche. There is little, more satisfying, than restoring
life to a mechanical marvel of the past.
I received the original Certified Master Watchmaker Certification
April 15, 1991
My certification was upgraded Nov. 2, 2006 to the new 21st Century
Standard after completion of testing in compliance with the Official
Standards and Practices for the Preparation, Education, and Certification
of Twenty First Century Watchmakers in Harrison, Ohio. This
is the most advanced certification available in this country.
You can be certain that anyone who has earned the Twenty First Century
CMW title has been thoroughly tested in the skills of watch repair.
Take a look at some of the "Restorations
I have Done".
