Learn to service and repair vintage mechanical watches
A complete watchmaking course not limited to one or two movements. Learn how to work on any movement, across many movement types — from simple manual-wind to automatics, pocket watches, and chronographs.
Taught by trusted watchmaker Alex Hamilton in the same calm step-by-step style as he is known for on YouTube.
Built for the home bench
This is for you if…
- You’re a beginner who wants to service a mechanical watch properly
- You are a hobbyist who has outgrown entertainment videos
- You enjoy Alex’s YouTube lessons and want the full method
It’s not for you if…
- You need a formal watchmaking certification
- You want quick fixes, not a sequenced method
- You’re only after quartz battery swaps
Why most free videos and forums leave gaps
No sequence
Videos and threads jump around. You never know what to learn next or what you’re missing. And you never know who you’re learning from.
Missing steps
The small details that make a service work are often skipped or assumed. Many videos rush past what’s actually being done, and some are staged, with nothing real happening at all. And many repairs have no video anywhere online, with very little written about them at all.
Costly mistakes
Watch repair has a steep learning curve, and one wrong move can bend a hairspring or ruin a movement. Replacement parts can be very expensive, and some can’t be bought at all, so a single mistake can leave a watch that never runs again. Practise safely with a proven order.
The Watch Repair Tutorials Courseby Alex Hamilton
I want to make you a better watchmaker.
Watch the free lessons
See how Alex teaches. Each lesson has its own page with the video and key steps.
Enroll in the Journeyman course
Journeyman: modules 1–20.
Meet Alex Hamilton
“I attended the Emily Griffith Technical College in Denver CO in the early 1980s and studied watchmaking under the great Archie Perkins for 2 years before his retirement. After school I worked under a watchmaker for 8 years before buying his business in 1990 when he retired. I continued working as an independent watchmaker until my retirement in 2020.”
“My main area of work was in restoration of both Swiss and American watches. Archie taught me the value of giving back by teaching and mentoring others who share our same passion. Over the next 30 years I mentored 10 different apprentices.”
“I found myself on watch repair forums answering the same questions over and over again. So I made a video and another and another… I decided to start a repair channel to cover material that others were not.”
- Trained Emily Griffith Technical College, under Archie Perkins
- Independent watchmaker 1990 to 2020
- Mentor 10 apprentices over 30 years
- Specialty Swiss and American watch restoration
My approach to teaching watch repair
“My goal is to make watchmaking approachable for students at all levels, from beginners to those looking to refine advanced skills.”
- Structured, step-by-step learningFoundational skills before advanced techniques, so you build confidence without feeling overwhelmed.
- Clear, visual instructionVideos, annotated diagrams and real watches, to connect theory with practice.
- Focus on problem-solvingReal scenarios, your questions, and explaining why, not just how.
- Quality on a budgetProfessional results without the priciest tools, built for the home hobbyist.
- Precision and patienceWork methodically, respect components, be patient with progress.
- Lifelong learning and communityBooks, tools and resources, a community to share with, and new lessons added.
- Accessible languageNo overly technical jargon, and no question is too basic.
- Respect for craftsmanshipThe history of timekeeping, and repairs done to the highest standards.
A modest starter bench
You don't need a full workshop to begin. These nine basics cover your first service.
Questions, answered
Are there online watch repair classes?
Yes. If you’re looking for online watchmaker classes, Watch Repair Tutorials is an online watch repair course. You watch a step-by-step video lesson, then you do the work at your own bench, at your own pace. It is not a watchmaking school program. The Journeyman course covers modules 1 to 20. The modules page shows which lessons are published today. The course is $299, the current early-access price while the course is rebuilt. When you get stuck, you can ask in the student Reddit group.
How do I become a watchmaker, and can an online course replace a school?
To become a professional watchmaker, ask the watchmaking schools directly. Watch Repair Tutorials is an online course that teaches you to service and repair watches at your own bench, and it doesn’t replace a watchmaking school. You follow the lessons at your own pace, one step at a time. That way you can try the work and see if it’s for you.
What tools do I need to start repairing watches?
You don’t need a full workshop on day one. You need nine basic tools: screwdrivers, tweezers, a cannon pinion remover, a sharpening stone, a screwdriver sharpening holder, a parts tray, a loupe, a movement holder and a dust blower. That’s enough for your first service. Spend your money on good screwdrivers and good tweezers, and add other tools as your skills grow.
How long does it take to learn watch repair?
It really depends on how much time you spend at the bench and how far you want to go. What doesn’t change is the order you learn in. You start with your bench, your tools and how a watch works. Then you do a full service on a practice movement. Escapement, regulation and hairspring work come after that. You move through the 20 modules at your own pace. The modules page shows which lessons are published today.
How much do the tools cost?
It depends on how you start. The nine basics above cover your first service, and you can add tools as you progress. See the tools and supplies list.
How hard is it?
The course starts from zero and builds step by step, so you learn each skill before you need it.
How much time does it take?
Go at your own pace. Lessons are in order, and you can rewatch any of them as often as you like.
Will I damage my watch?
You can if you don't know what you're doing. That's the whole point of the course: every lesson shows you exactly what to do and what to avoid, so you know what you're doing before you touch a movement.
How long do I have access?
Lifetime access.