Seiko Champion

I’m a big fan of smaller independent watchmakers, it’s a great introduction of fresh air, new concepts, and bright ideas into the industry. It also provides a direction and goal (either short or long term) for many potential new entrants into the industry that might otherwise just pass at the idea of becoming a “watchmaker, which can really help bring new people to the industry in general.

These are the sort of people (and jobs) I’d love to be able to talk about happening here, however North America has always been challenged compared to Europe in having good apprenticeship programs. I can speak from personal and family experience, there is a definite perceived push to “go to university” and a related “look down on” feeling about trades on this side of the pond.

We’ve fallen so far behind the rest of the world when it comes to skilled trades as a result, there is a real shortage … I know of several technology firms in Ontario who have to recruit from SouthEast Asia for skilled technical trades, and some service firms for basic stuff like printer and photocopier repair, simply because of the lack of potentials here in their own back yard. And we’re not talking low paying jobs either!

Okay, off my soapbox and onto some selected sites I recommend…

Review of Peter Speake-Marin’s Piccadilly

Tempered – Artisan Watchmakers

AHCI etcetera on Horomudi

Seiko Instruments – art watches