Little announcement

[kilyung]

Originally Posted by FremStar

My journey began with a simple Mickey Mouse Lorus watch my Mom purchased from me when I had a bad day in the 2nd grade (crazy how I still remember that).

Hey Sam! I had a Mickey Mouse Lorus watch also back in the 70s! Mine was Mickey (arms were hands) on a white dial with black case and rubber strap. Was your's the stainless steel case with same dial in the 80s?

[dbelle7]

So very cool!

[dbelle7]

Originally Posted by kilyung

Hey Sam! I had a Mickey Mouse Lorus watch also back in the 70s! Mine was Mickey (arms were hands) on a white dial with black case and rubber strap. Was your's the stainless steel case with same dial in the 80s?

I had that watch, too! Only I'm pretty sure mine had a black leather strap?
But the arms were hands and the fingers pointed? I think.

[Grissom]

Congratulations, Carl!

35 or so years ago, I learned clock repair from an old fellow, who was a master at his trade. I restored many a clock under his guidance, including a beautiful English Bracket clock made in 1730. He taught me to make my own wheels, bushings, and pretty much anything and everything, if one could not easily source it. I really enjoyed restoring and buying and selling clocks and watches, and had the opportunity to totally switch directions, as you are doing, as I was offered the opportunity to purchase an ongoing repair and sales business, in Los Angeles. Unlike you, I chickened out.....afraid that I might not be able to make a living, and thus continued my association with watches and clocks, as an avocation, versus a vocation.

I have always had a little regret, in not having had the courage or "faith" to follow my dream, back then (although one never knows how things may have turned out).....

I applaud you on finding your direction, on your faith, and on following your dreams!! As will many of your friends here on TRF, I will be rooting for you!!!

Again, congratulations, and do keep us posted!

[ducatidoc]

I like the old saying that if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life.

Best of luck to you, Carl. I hope you get the opportunity to study in Switzerland. I magine how cool it would be to become a master watchmaker and work for P-P, V-C, etc, or better yet, start your own line like Kobold.

[MoBe]

There`s no doubt you`re interested in horology and TRF,you`ve got over 5000 posts since last September,that`s amazing!

Good luck with your new career.

[FeelingTheBlues]

N.B.: Perhaps another long post, please be aware!

I would like to thank everybody who gave me great advice as well as kind comments about my career change. Obviously I'm really excited about it because I can finally say I'm going to study and work with something I really enjoy and have a true passion for but I prefer to remain calm and somewhat smart about it so I can avoid any bad mistakes due to a possible over excitement, I'm going to read and study that big whole subject a lot more and will make sure that I'm heading to something I truly know (I already read a big amount of information prior to the decision I made but I know it's always better to read more and sometimes repeat myself than hit a wall).

Mike: I did read about l'École Nationale d'Horlogerie du Canada in Trois-rivières and am actually looking forward to subscribe in this very school! I know it has a great reputation and it will give me a great formation as well as a lot of knowledge on watchmaking. Of course, if I ever get the chance to study in Switzerland I'll give it a good thought!

Again, thank you all for your great words! I'll keep everybody who wishes so updated and you'll probably get some news from me on the subject from times to times!

P.S.: Whoever wants to send me a watch for a service, a repair or a regulation is more than welcome to do so but be aware that your timepiece may get back to you with a battery in it, just saying!

[FeelingTheBlues]

Originally Posted by MoBe

There`s no doubt you`re interested in horology and TRF,you`ve got over 5000 posts since last September,that`s amazing!

Good luck with your new career.

Oh, those? Don't mind them! About 3 956 of them are just goofy thoughts and replies to Craig's more goofy thoughts!

[Andad]

Yeah...5017 posts since Sept 2011.

Get a job.......

[FeelingTheBlues]

Originally Posted by directioneng

Yeah...5017 posts since Sept 2011.

Get a job.......

Talking about a job...

[Andad]

Originally Posted by Grissom

Congratulations, Carl!

35 or so years ago, I learned clock repair from an old fellow, who was a master at his trade. I restored many a clock under his guidance, including a beautiful English Bracket clock made in 1730. He taught me to make my own wheels, bushings, and pretty much anything and everything, if one could not easily source it. I really enjoyed restoring and buying and selling clocks and watches, and had the opportunity to totally switch directions, as you are doing, as I was offered the opportunity to purchase an ongoing repair and sales business, in Los Angeles. Unlike you, I chickened out.....afraid that I might not be able to make a living, and thus continued my association with watches and clocks, as an avocation, versus a vocation.

I have always had a little regret, in not having had the courage or "faith" to follow my dream, back then (although one never knows how things may have turned out).....

I applaud you on finding your direction, on your faith, and on following your dreams!! As will many of your friends here on TRF, I will be rooting for you!!!

Again, congratulations, and do keep us posted!

Yes...I agree N.

BTW we don't say 'rooting' in OZ.

[cruvon]

All the best with your newfound direction, do what your heart tells you to do:)...
and this tuning fork Accutron of mine is humbled by your statement about it's vintage siblings being an inspiration, not always that it gets thrown into the limelight;)!

Keep us updated about the type of subject matter you study, know very little about watchmaking!

[FeelingTheBlues]

Originally Posted by cruvon

All the best with your newfound direction, do what your heart tells you to do:)...
and this tuning fork Accutron of mine is humbled by your statement about it's vintage siblings being an inspiration, not always that it gets thrown into the limelight;)!

Stop it stop it! I can't stand watching this piece without having one anymore!

Thank you my friend! Here's a mug shot of the guilty ol' lady!

[cruvon]

Originally Posted by FeelingTheBlues

Stop it stop it! I can't stand watching this piece without having one anymore!

Thank you my friend! Here's a mug shot of the guilty ol' lady!

very nice, am sure one of the watches to treasure for steering you in your newfound direction!

[Andad]

Did someone call me?

[Puffy]

that's excellent!

[kilyung]

Originally Posted by FeelingTheBlues

I did read about l'École Nationale d'Horlogerie du Canada in Trois-rivières and am actually looking forward to subscribe in this very school! I know it has a great reputation and it will give me a great formation as well as a lot of knowledge on watchmaking. Of course, if I ever get the chance to study in Switzerland I'll give it a good thought!

Just keep in mind that if ENH is WOSTEP affiliated you won't be able to transfer or apply to any WOSTEP schools elsewhere but there are a couple of good non-WOSTEP programs in Switzerland you can still look at.

[z32turbo]

Congrats on making a change for the better Carl. Good luck, I hope you are very successful.

[wantonebad]

Hey Carl, I'm sure you've seen it but in case you haven't here is LordNija's (Chris) story so far. Pretty interesting read!

Chris' Journey

[mjclark32]

Best of luck Carl!!

[azguy]

How long does one study to replace batteries in watches

[subtona]

do you think you'll being using AA, AAA or 9 volt to power your wrist clocks?


congratulations, there is nothing like pursuing something your passionate about

[Oldwilsonian]

Best of luck in your future endeavours,

[SPARTAN2161]

Congrats Carl! I have had similar feelings. Glad some people act on them!

[mfer]

I love the passion and enthusiasm, but I would seriously talk to several watchmakers before making the decision final.

Best of luck.

[Cru Jones]

good luck!

[threemonkeys]

Originally Posted by FeelingTheBlues

Oh, those? Don't mind them! About 3 956 of them are just goofy thoughts and replies to Craig's more goofy thoughts!

Hey, I heard that!

[cedargrove]

Originally Posted by directioneng

BTW we don't say 'rooting' in OZ.

Here it means to give encouragement. Had to look up the Australian meaning. I can now see why it might jump out at you.

[FNFZ4]

Originally Posted by FeelingTheBlues

Greetings TRF,

I've been doing a lot of thinking these past months and I decided to make a little change in my life. I've been studying history for a couple of semesters now and must admit that through the classes I found it harder and harder to convince me it was the career made for me and especially my future job. I do enjoy history and have a passion for it but I got to realize that this passion was more of a student's than a possible worker's in this domain. Therefore I came to the conclusion that it was useless to try to convince myself otherwise and try to work in an environment in which I won't be happy and may not be as good as I'm supposed to be.

In the meantime (which may sound very recent but keep in mind that I thought about this for a long time) I came to another conclusion: I've always loved watches and I always will. Whether I was 7 and admiring digital watches full of gadgets, 15 and imagining myself walking around with a gold watch full of diamonds or 19 and getting to learn more and more about what's actually inside the case, I always found it hard to walk around without having a reminder of the actual time on my wrist (cellphone's clocks just don't do it for me).

Perhaps my Accutron is responsible for it! After all, had I bought a gold quartz watch instead of a tuning fork movement I wouldn't have realized there was so many different things that could tell us the time. It was this little problem of accuracy of hers that made me realize for a rather long time that a quartz watch was much better, it was also this problem that made me realize (although it took me a bit longer to actually buy a mechanical timepiece) that the inside of a clock, a watch or any time displaying instrument was such an amazing piece of art and craftsmanship. Furthermore, I also realized I needed to do something with my hands, I need my dexterity to be used (and perhaps developped) with the help of tools and knowledge to put something up.

I do realize the irony of such a statement coming from me but to mark my 5 000th post on this forum I would like to officially share my decision and my life change with the forum:

Ladies and gentlemen, I have the intention to study and find myself a job as a watchmaker.

I do not wish to sound like I'm pushing it but after such a long time of stressful thinking I'm very happy to say I came to this conclusion and am working on making it a concrete project. I am currently reading around a lot about the job itself, the studies and the schools that offer such a formation and am reading some useful advice from people who work in the domain. This decision of mine shall come with its load of efforts and sacrifices but I must say I'm much more happy now that I know I will get to be something I really want to be.

Thank you for reading such a long post, quartz jokes are more than welcome to celebrate!

Carl, My friend. I will be your first client! Everything is possible in life. Dont let fear or anyone tell you what you can and can not do. Only you have the power to dictate your future. The secret is... Just do it! I have seen people where they dream and dream but do nothing about it... Dream my friend for dreaming is for free. But stay awake and make your dreams come true. Life is pretty simple really. Pay now and play later or play now and pay later. sadly most of us (including me) chose the play now and play it later. If I went serious with Law School I would have been a Lawyer already lol

[FeelingTheBlues]

Thank you again guys! I really appreciate it!

Originally Posted by azguy

How long does one study to replace batteries in watches

My guess is that it takes quite a long time! I mean, it's the power source of the watch after all, it's not just like installing a lousy tourbillon or stuff like that...

Originally Posted by subtona

do you think you'll being using AA, AAA or 9 volt to power your wrist clocks?

congratulations, there is nothing like pursuing something your passionate about

Oh please! I would most probably work on non electronic timepieces, therefore it is a must that I find a non electronic source of power...

Originally Posted by FNFZ4

Carl, My friend. I will be your first client! Everything is possible in life. Dont let fear or anyone tell you what you can and can not do. Only you have the power to dictate your future. The secret is... Just do it! I have seen people where they dream and dream but do nothing about it... Dream my friend for dreaming is for free. But stay awake and make your dreams come true. Life is pretty simple really. Pay now and play later or play now and pay later. sadly most of us (including me) chose the play now and play it later. If I went serious with Law School I would have been a Lawyer already lol

Thank you my friend! Still I need to avoid dreaming too much because I need to concentrate on making everything work just fine! I'm excited but still thinking seriously about it so I can avoid bad surprises!