OUR WATCHMAKERS

"Originally a carpenter, I trained at the Glashuette Original Watchmaking School, graduating in 2006 with the German Watchmaking and WOSTEP certificates. I joined Laings in August 2022, and have become a mentor to new watchmakers and technicians joining the Laings Service Centre. Vintage and complicated watches catch my eye - there's a story in every timepiece waiting to be uncovered".

"For me, watches are little puzzles that need solving. I trained at the Finnish School of Watchmaking, graduating in 2021 and joined Laings a year later. We have a very special team in the workshop, so it's a delight to come to work every morning. My heart lies with vintage watches; seeing the life they've had and I often wonder what the watch has seen over time. If only they could talk!".

"When visiting Gdansk on holiday I heard about the restoration of one of their historical clocks which led me down a rabbit hole of horological career options, taking me to fine watchmaking. I like the honesty of watchmaking; things either work or they don't and it's down to you to identify and correct any faults. To take a broken machine and return it to a state of both running smoothly and looking great takes a wide variety of skills and it feels good when it all comes together.".

"To put it simply; I love watches. I knew I wanted to become a watchmaker and studied at the British School of Watchmaking, graduating in 2022. Laings felt like a natural progression, plus their outstanding commitment to their people is second to none. I enjoy servicing watches, Rolex in particular and during my time with Laings I have been graced with a wide variety of different brands".

"As a watch collector for over 10 years, I started at Laings working in both the Glasgow and Edinburgh showrooms specifically with Rolex and OMEGA watches. In the workshop the team have helped a great deal with teaching, training and any other pointers. The environment is nice and relaxed, which is perfect for focusing on what's in front of you whilst the feeling of satisfaction finishing a timepiece is one that never expires".

"I have accumulated many years of polishing experience in Ukraine and when I came to Scotland to work with Laings, I was mentored by the Lead Watchmaker – a 30-year veteran and expert in all things Rolex. From there, I successfully completed Rolex Level 40 polishing accreditation at their training facility in London. I enjoy working alongside such a fantastic team of Watchmakers and Technicians, hearing about their experiences in the world of watchmaking".

"I had no experience in watches or jewellery before I started at Laings in 2022, however the scale of resources and depth of training Laings provides were vital in my learning. Ian, who has over 30 years within the business, has been a fountain of knowledge as such, helping me hone my skills and confidence with watches.Witnessing the transformation that a watch goes through and knowing that the client will be ecstatic once their watch comes back definitely makes my role special!".

"My career has spanned English Language and Liguistics from Glasgow to China, with supply chain experience and a keen horology hobby mixed in. My specialist skill is systems/workflow development; creating applications and processes that ultimately give the best possible experience to our clients. I love interacting with our watchmakers and seeing all of the fantastic timepieces they get to work on – I am constantly in awe of the dexterity and skill of watchmakers and feel very proud to be able to work alongside them".