Title: The Watch Repairer's Manual
Author: Hans Jendritzki (Reprint1953)
ISBN: 978-3-941539-50-1 / 978-3941539501
Facts: 1953, Reprint Berlin 2012, 192p, approx. 165 Illustrations, Format 21 x 27 cm, Paperback (Perfect Binding)
Language: English
Watch book for watchmakers: The Watch Repairer's Manual
The book “The Watch Repairer's Manual” is a literary standard for watchmakers or watch lovers wishing to try their hand at repairing or maintaining their own (collector’s) items, and has appeared in a total of five editions. For the 100th anniversary of the birth of Hans Jendritzki, the second edition of the watch book was, unsurprisingly, selected for reprint.
Table of contents and sample pages
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Watch repair book for watchmakers
The book is especially valuable for the repair of old pocket and wrist watches. In particular because it describes the repair work on the pocket watch case, as well as the lathe work for the manufacture of spare parts and of electronic wrist watches.
As such, the watchmaker book represents an important addition to the range of the publishing house Historical clocks
How to repair a watch
Hans Jendritzki has incorporated his findings from the field of clock repair and clock service in the watchmaker book,however he retains the much appreciated layout, easy readability and practical use typical of all his books.
The many tips and tricks, both greater and lesser, which the author collected during his long years of teaching, and which he passes on to the interested reader in the watchmaker book, are second to none.
Contents “The Watch Repairer's Manual”
“The Watch Repairer's Manual” is divided into 25 chapters, the first of which deals with the terminology, tools and workshop equipment. The following chapters deal very conscientiously with (almost) every issue pertaining to clock repair, whereby Hans Jendritzki addresses the needs of his target audience, namely clockmakers, from the point of view of labour economics and taking the general costs issues into account.
The chapters of the watchmaker book give, alongside theoretical basics where necessary, very specific instructions as to the work process, the use of tools and procedure to adopt in case of frequently recurring problems.
Hans Jendritzkis’ explanations are supplemented and highlighted by a variety of excellent illustrations. Indeed, it is these very pictures that greatly increase the practical value of this book.
Watchmaker book about the repair of wrist watches
Another excellent feature of this book is the troubleshooting aid it provides. This includes very good graphical and textual support in identifying problem areas in wrist watches, and and it names the most common mistakes. The 25th chapter completes the watchmaker book with various charts.
Review of the watchmaker book
Referring to a later edition of “The modern watchmaker”, the critic “glb” wrote in “Old Watches”, 1/84, P.96:
“Having, in previous years, brought his wrist watches for repair or routine overhaul to his local watchmaker, then, after a few disappointments, entrusted renowned manufacturers with this work, only to have similarly unpleasant surprises, he began to question the handiwork and at times even the commitment of the watch repairmen.
However, upon reading Hans Jendritzkis watchmaker book, he was delighted to discover that the causes for unsatisfactory work are not the result of technical incompetence.
Much was simply not known, which is why such watchmaker books are so important as technical literature. Not merely displayed on the shop counter, or sitting on a shelf in the clock workshop, No! it should be on the worktable, and its content firmly in the mind of the watchmaker. In any case many thanks to Hans Jendritzki for his practical writing and for this watchmakers’ book.”
