How to evaluate a watchmaker?

Well, something did not translate correctly: I don't think you reported wrongly. The things those watchmakers told you, however, are "that clocks are somewhat boring and skilled watchmakers usually don't like to service them. Nothing really challenging"? This is wrong.

And "skilled watchmakers", "used WD40 to clean and lubricate " in the same sentence, really? Nothing sounding wrong? I get that the guy dislikes clocks, he may be good at watches, but he should know his limits.

FYI, I am a watch repairman who chose to specialize in watches, vintage ones. The guy who trained me was quite good, both on watches (even on chiming watches back in day) and on clocks. I wish I knew 50% of what he knows... He was one of the guys tasked to bring back this little clock in the 1970s : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passemant_astronomical_clock . He would never talk sh*t about any clock (or watch), however poor and simple it may look, and any "skilled watchmaker" dipping a clock in WD40 before his eyes would get smacked in the face, rightly so. That's not proper work.

I never understood the deep contempt between clock- and watchmakers by the way... some of these guys could bother to learn a little outside of their comfort zone, would do them some good.

Everyone has different skills.

For me, there is a scale issue when working on clocks as, apart from small mantle clocks, the parts don't fit in my cleaner (for example). Bigger clocks mean a lot of hand cleaning so I don't bother with those but know someone who will. Clocks can be interesting to set up but, there are various different skills to those used on watches. Training as a clockmaker involves some different aspects to watchmaking but, there is a lot of overlap and a clock is interesting to work on, occasionally.

Nobody cleans and lubricates clocks with WD40 so, I suspect the watchmaker was making a joke. If they were serious, then I would worry about any work they did on any watch. Anyone working to any standard at all should be looking to preserve the item in front of them so, if they don't care about someone's clock, who knows what they will do to your watch.

Cheers, Chris

Just listen to the ones that say are the best, real busy and raise prices. Take them at their world.