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The first pendulum clocks were invented by Galileo Galilei in the 16th century. The device was improved, and already in the 19th century, watches became the most common occurrence. Then first pocket watches appeared, and then wrist watches.
A watch is not only a useful device for measuring time, but also a stylish accessory, chosen to emphasize the individuality and delicate taste of the owner, or an exquisite piece of jewelry, or an expensive item, which is a sign of the high status of its wearer.
There are three types of modern watches: mechanical, electromechanical (quartz) and electronic. All these types have one property in common: even the best watches can break, and then the owner is forced to go to the watch repair shop.
If you decide to start a watch repair business, then you first need to find a suitable place, that is, one where a large number of people pass through every day. This could be a small space in a mall, market, or busy street. It should be convenient for your customers to stop by on their way to work or during their daily shopping. A watch workshop does not need a large area. It is enough that the master is comfortable there, so that he can place the entire tool and invite at least one client to sit down.
Since the master spends a long time repairing and the work requires utmost concentration, you should take a responsible attitude to the equipment of the workplace. The table should be located approximately at chest level, otherwise the person will stoop and get tired quickly. The surface of the table should be light in order to clearly see the small parts of the clock mechanism. For lighting, it is recommended to use fluorescent lamps, as they create less shadow.The set of tools for the watchmaker includes screwdrivers of various sizes and thicknesses, various tweezers, keys, stands of different diameters, brushes, oil dispensers, pears for drying and blowing. In general, the entire tool can be divided into several groups: for opening and closing covers, for disassembling and assembling the clockwork, for cleaning the mechanism, for lubricating the mechanism, for repairing parts and components of the clockwork, for checking the accuracy of movement. All necessary tools can be ordered online. The price depends on the manufacturer. Tool kits from China are relatively inexpensive, but you may have to wait several months for them to arrive by mail. In general, you will have to spend at least 10 thousand rubles on tools.
Devices for diagnosing watches can cost significantly more. Modern devices allow diagnosing the accuracy of movement and self-winding, testing for magnetization and tightness by placing the watch in a vacuum and observing the deformation of the case. Some devices allow you to simulate intense watch wear.
The price of modern diagnostic equipment can reach up to 100,000 rubles, and as a rule, ordinary watch shops do not buy such expensive devices, although this could significantly improve the quality of repairs.
A watch repair shop will need regular purchases of watch oil (about 2000 rubles capacity), leather and urethane rubber bracelets (1500-2500 thousand pieces), batteries, as well as glasses, cases, buttons, transfer heads, shafts, studs, pins. Parts catalogs are available on sites that supply equipment and tools for watch repair.
The most common reason for a watch to stop is contamination of the clockwork. Cleaning and lubricating the device is sufficient for repairs. If one of the pins of the balance axis is broken, then the axis of the balance assembly or the entire assembly must be replaced.
Often customers bring watches with broken glass, then the master cleans the mechanism and replaces the damaged parts. In the case when the hands are in contact with each other, with the dial, glass or the balance spiral touches the rim or bridge of the balance, the hands are simply aligned parallel to the dial, and the spiral is parallel to the rim.
Another common problem is that when shaken, the watch stops. This is due to the ellipse jumping over the horns of the anchor fork, because the fork has a short spear or a large axial clearance of the balance unit. To eliminate the problem, the spear is lengthened or the gaps are reduced. The reason for the watch to stop 5-8 hours after winding is the slippage of the spring. The one-sidedness of the stroke is eliminated by turning the spiral around the balance axis.
As you can see, the usual set of tools is enough to repair common breakdowns, expensive devices are not required. If a breakdown occurs that the master cannot diagnose, then the owners of well-known brands turn to the manufacturer, and the owners of more modest watches prefer to purchase a new device.
The cost of watch repair in the capital and regions varies significantly. Quartz watches made in Russia or Southeast Asia are taken to be repaired for 300-800 rubles, the price of repairing watches made in Japan or Switzerland starts from 1000 rubles. Replacing the battery costs customers from 100 rubles, replacing the strap from 150 rubles, installing new glass – from 200 rubles.
The profit of the workshop can be 1000-2000 per day, depending on the location and experience of the master.
When opening a watch repair business, do not forget about advertising. Try to make sure that all the inhabitants of the area in which the workshop is located know about it.
Any person may need an hourly repair at any time, so the entire population is among your potential customers. Let not everyone wear a wrist watch, but there are desktop, floor or wall watches in every apartment. Order an advertising stand, put it on a crowded street next to the workshop, hang a pointer, distribute leaflets to mailboxes, place information about your workshop in product and service directories.
If the business turns out to be successful and starts to bring a stable high income, you can think about developing the business: opening a network of workshops.
To open a watch repair shop, you need to register as an individual entrepreneur by selecting the OKVED code 52.73 (watch and jewelry repair). For this type of entrepreneurial activity, a simplified taxation system is suitable.
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