But now, for various reasons (of which we are all familiar), that’s no longer the case. Sure, there are still millions of clocks in circulation, but most are bland and battery-powered, or novelty items or have LED displays.
Where is the clock that’s a piece of art? Where is the family heirloom? Does a traditional hand-made timepiece still have a place in today’s society? I say “yes”.
As I see it, the art/skill of creating hand-crafted, long-lasting, beautiful timepieces could go the way of the stonemason, the bookbinder and the shoe-maker.
But who’s to blame? Some would argue it’s a lack of consumer demand, which I acknowledge, but equally, I think our industry could be at fault.
Within the horological sector, there are a number of divisions operating separately that confuse the industry … and the consumer.
We have the high street jeweller who sells lots of watches and a small number of clocks; the antique dealer who sells a few old clocks, vintage watches and pocket watches; the clock and watch repairer who only sells his labour; the wholesaler who imports from anywhere; one or two small operations that assemble timepieces from components; the odd specialised clock or watch shop and a handful of true manufacturers.
There is also a small but enthusiastic group of amateurs/non-professionals who produce the odd masterpiece and undertake important restoration projects. Don’t forget the multitude of “two dollar” stores that flood the market with disposable timepieces.
All these operate largely independently with only the Watch and Clock Association (WACA) for professionals, and the Australian Antiquarian Horological Society (AAHS) for non-professionals, to represent the industry. Unfortunately, these associations do not work together.
We need our own Nicolas Hayek (Swatch founder) here in Australia and government initiatives to back up his ideas.
Missing attraction
What is there to attract somebody into the watch or clockmaking industry? As far as training goes there is only an apprenticeship with a watch or clock repairer and a WOSTEP course (Watchmakers Of Switzerland Training and Education Program) if they work for one of the larger watch companies.
This teaches cleaning, oiling and the fitting of spare parts. The AAHS is working towards having the British Horological Institute distance education course up and running by the end of the year, so there is some progress being made. But there is nothing specifically aimed at the retail jeweller to educate the staff in the finer detail of the care and maintenance of timepieces.
Australia has always had a small clock-making industry, most of the activity is happening in Germany and China. I only know of a handful of professional bespoke clockmakers internationally – perhaps 20.
Even though most people don’t need a watch to know what time it is, thanks to smartphones and devices with embedded digital clocks, the wrist watch has a secure place as a fashion accessory. But why don’t people buy beautiful clocks any more?
When you’re out and about your fashion watch is on display. But to show off a magnificent clock you must invite people into your home. Hence, the two markets are significantly different.
Clockmakers have a much more conservative customer, which makes it hard to create a volume-driven market. My business has customers in America, England and Australia; they are engineers, property developers, large companies and businessmen. Many are serious clock collectors, aged from 50 to 70 years old.
It’s not all bad news. I believe there is a future for the bespoke clock-maker. There are only a limited amount of serious clocks available to clock collectors. They are also slowly being absorbed into collections at museums and institutions from which they rarely become available to collectors.
But while the accessibility of clocks might be decreasing, the number of collectors is increasing. More are considering commissioning a clock made to incorporate their particular requirements, and that will hopefully buoy the horological sector.
Deryck Noakes, owner of Buchanan of Chelmsford, Moss Vale NSW. Deryck has been in the industry for 32 years.