Hi All,

I recently had a revelation of sorts, and the repercussions of that will be of some interest to you guys. This may get a little drawn out and may even be a little overly personal, but try to be patient with me as this could potentially be a monumental, life-changing decision and I want to put things in the proper context. As some of you know and can see from my avatar, I am a professional cellist. I started playing the cello at age 7, attended The Juilliard School for my Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Cello Performance, and I've been working as a cello teacher in New York while travelling around the world to perform. Recently, it seemed like it was time for me settle down and have a more steady job, so I decided to go for an orchestra job, and over this past summer, I won a position with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

Let me backtrack here just for a moment. All of my life, I grew up around classical music. I lived and breathed it since I was a kid. In high school, however, what was once an almost chore-like part of my life grew to be, what can only be described as, a fiery passion, and attending conservatory and being around more like-minded individuals only served to grow that passion even further. While still in school, I joined a professional string quartet, and after graduation I had assumed that the quartet would be my career path, but we dissolved the group soon after because of personal differences. What followed was a lifestyle that I wasn't quite ready for and wasn't one that I had envisioned for myself, but I worked my ass off everyday to grow within my profession. The nature of my business doesn't allow for weekends or vacations and it not only takes an enormous commitment of time, but an emotional and psychological one as well. My point being, if one loses that passion, it would be close to impossible to continue. After grinding it out for a handful of years, I had some very surprising thoughts in a moment of introspection. I don't love this anymore and secondly, I don't want to do this anymore. It was some of the scariest and most depressing thoughts that I have ever had in my life, but I continued to operate as though those thoughts hadn't crept into my mind and taken root. Over the course of the last few years, I slowly came to realize that that is truly how I felt. I suppose auditioning for Sydney was my final act of denial in many ways. That brings us to present day.

After counsel from family and friends, I decided to quit my musical career or more accurately, put it on hold and consider a career in watchmaking. I have done some research on this by myself, so I am certainly aware that it is not an easy profession to succeed in, but I believe that my mental make-up and diligence along with my dexterity will at the very least give me a decent chance. I can definitely talk more on this subject, but I'll turn it over to you guys here. Please feel free to share your thoughts in any capacity, but advices in the matter of which schools I should consider or what I can do now even before receiving any training are especially welcome. Any words of discouragement are fine as well . Thank you guys in advance.

 

You are not the first person on tnis board to float the idea of becoming a watchmaker.

But, i can imagine a musician is the right sort of person. Detailed. Determined. Works with their hands and understands how small movements can have major impacts.

 

Courageous move. I applaud you. Godspeed!

 

Why not pursue both in parallel? You could teach music, and learn watchmaking as you do so. You might rekindle your passion for music, and indulge in your new one. Maybe you would even discover another on the way. Love what you do. Love is a verb in this context.

 

That is definitely under consideration as well. The overriding feeling, however, is that I feel very burnt out on music and I need some time away from it completely.

 

If this is how you feel, then putting your musical career on hold seems like a wise decision. For sure it's a damn bold move (and a risky one as well), but life's too short to be doing something when you no longer have the drive to do it. And it does not need to be permanent, give it a go, see how you like it and take it from there. Best of luck!

PS: While reading your post, I was thinking about this article https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/i...tz-anthrax-guitarist-turned-master-watchmaker. Will this become a trend among musicians?

 

Oh, I misread at first. I thought the Sydney gig was going to cut down on travel and give you enough free time to work on watchmaking on the side. Of course I know nothing about the orchestra business. Maybe it would have been just as demanding as before.

Best of luck. I can't advise on the watchmaking question.

 

Definitely less time consuming, but not enough to pursue something else on the side

 

Assuming you do not have a wife and three kids dependant upon your income then go for it, such a change may become impossible when you have greater financial responsibilities. And I have heard comments that there are more retiring than joining the watchmaking field (though this is purely hearsay).

 

so you're looking to go back to school to do micro engineering along with design?

Or do you not really know what you want to do?

 

I would most likely try to enroll at a WOSTEP or SAWTA school. My understanding is that most of the curriculum is micro-mechanics, learning how to put different parts of the movements together, and theoretical training. I suppose studying design could be useful down the line, but it's not my primary concern.

 

I certainly will! I hear that they won't take applications for a while though.

 

every luxury watch brand's career sight has an open watchmaker position. You'll be ok with work! good luck!

 

I can relate and applaud your courage. We only live once, better to get aligned and be happy

 

About five years ago, after 20 years in journalism, I got to the same point you are today. I was getting on alright career-wise, but it suddenly dawned on me that I didn't enjoy what I was doing, and that there are very few reasons to continue to stagger through life dreading every morning. I quit. It was easier for me than many in that I didn't have children to support or a massive mortgage, but still scary. I shifted into banking for three years, and then into the NGO sector, and I can't remember the last time I was this happy. It isn't that I'm saving the world, just that I'm exercising my talents in a new and much more fulfilling way. The sheer joy of self-reinvention is rejuvenating in itself, and if the identity of jordn-the-watchmaker doesn't fit, there can always be something else. Go for it.

 

Had a major career change at 30 and have never looked back. In a job now that I love going to work each day and have enjoyed it for the last 15 years. Would never have picked it a month before I started as I didn't even know what the new job involved let alone that I would be doing it..

Good luck in all your endeavours

 

Jordn,
I've had similar thoughts and put in some extensive time researching watchmaking certifications and schools.

As you know, I've had various career pursuits, be it journalism, commercial real estate, investment management, and now medicine. While the first three challenged me from an intellectual standpoint, there's something to be said for physical labor and the rewards of tangible accomplishment, something that doesn't involve starring at a computer screen all day every day. In college, I recall frequently looking up longingly at the construction workers across the quad and wishing that I could find someone to switch places with me for a day. Novelty is good for everyone. And indeed, back then, I spent my summers working as a handyman, reading Hemingway and plotting how I was going to write the "next great American novel" while doing cabinetry or woodworking.

It took me 3 years into my latest pursuit to realize that there were fields where I could combine intellectual stimulus with physical accomplishment--surgery. I was fortunate enough to land in one of the sub specialties; I've never worked harder, longer hours than I am now, but I've never been more satisfied with what I do with my newly expanded waking hours.

For me, the watchmaking pursuits, as well as the photography, investing, and to a much lesser extent, writing, will all go on in the background. I've got too many hobbies, dammit. In retrospect--and through the lens of your query--I don't think that watchmaking would have done it for me either. It's too much time in isolation, for one, and perhaps more importantly, it's the absolute love and thrill for a watch that brings me pleasure. Repairing it and servicing it (to the limited extent of my abilities) is great fun, but only because of the first ingredient. If I were simply working on someone else's watch to pay the bills, I don't think that I'd have the passion to justly perform what is an incredibly physically and mentally taxing vocation (read: intense concentration) day in and day out. I'd still love to acquire the knowledge, and a WOSTEP program or apprenticeship would certainly accomplish that, but there are just barely enough resources out there to teach yourself watch repair (if not watchmaking, in time) that it's not altogether necessary.

Be warned though, that it's one helluva rabbit hole to chase down. Lot's of specialized tools and equipment, for which I've easily spent in excess of $15-20k before even getting into the micro mechanical machining bits of kit.

Throw yourself into it, if only as a hobby pursuit and see how it suits you. You have a great number of skills and talents; this period of introspection will be good for you despite the discomfort. We only get a short time on this planet; I've never understood the folks who work simply to make money and not out of passion.

If you can catch me, feel free to shoot a text message and we can talk sometime.

 

Here's an article and other commentaries that you may find interesting...

https://omegaforums.net/threads/per...he-swiss-watchmaking-craft.23628/#post-258815

 

I'd think about what @woodwkr2 said. Try it as a hobby first. There are a few of us here who do that and its a nice hobby (I have too many as well..) but to do it every day and to timescales would be a different thing.

You may find that it isn't for you as a full time job. I'm sure that with proper training, it would be easier than it is for me but being from an Engineering background has helped as I can see how things should be - doesn't always mean I can get that hairspring just right but I know what I'm aiming for.

The costs are high as a hobby but go to another level if you're doing this professionally. I'd look at the business case as there must be some years before you reach a break even. For example, I use a $500 wet tester for water resistance but the pro dry testers are closer to $5000.

Good luck if you decide to do it. If you try it as a hobby, pick up an ETA 6497/6498, some basic tools and a couple of books and then post plenty of pictures here of your work. You'll get good advice. It really is quite fiddly but it sounds as if your music background would stand you in good stead for that.

Cheers, Chris