| Clockmakers were originally artisans who made | | | | factories and parts were interchangeable. |
| clocks. I say originally, because most are now made | | | | Clockmakers at this point were primarily involved in |
| by machine in factories, although a few are still made | | | | repair. |
| by clockmakers. | | | | Today, clock makers are primarily involved in repair, |
| The term clockmaker first appeared around 1390. | | | | very often antique clocks. A skilled clockmaker can |
| Clocks, at least mechanical ones, had already existed | | | | actually reproduce any missing or broken piece |
| for about a century at that point. Up until around | | | | without any directions or blueprint, a pretty amazing |
| 1800, they were handmade by clockmakers. From | | | | feat considering how complicated clocks, including |
| the 1400s to the 1600s clockmakers were considered | | | | antique ones, can be! Many mass produced clocks are |
| cutting edge artisans and extremely technically | | | | very cheap however and essentially not worth fixing |
| advanced. Some also built other precision instruments, | | | | should they break. |
| for example for scientific use. A clockmaker in a | | | | Since clocks have existed for centuries, there are |
| single shop would produce each one including all its | | | | many antique ones which occasionally need repair, |
| components. Nothing was mass produced or | | | | keeping clockmakers busy. Antique clocks of all type |
| produced elsewhere. Starting approximately 1800, | | | | are popular, including grandfather clocks, cuckoo |
| some parts were made in factories, although clocks | | | | clocks, and mantel clocks, and can be very valuable. |
| were still design and produced by clockmakers. By | | | | There is a thriving market in antique clocks, with |
| the 1900s they were being mass produced in | | | | some worth literally millions of dollars. |