Follow in her footsteps
Prince Charles supports a new free website that will offer aspiring watchmakers a chance to learn. By Emma Hughes
As well as being expensive, potentially risky to pursue, and with relatively few training courses offered, watchmaking can be a lonely profession – particularly in the independent sector. Hoping to change that is Dr Rebecca Struthers, half of the husband-and-wife team behind Struthers and the only UK watchmaker to have earned a PHD in horology.
Last month she won the 2021
HCA President’s Award for Endangered Craft, which includes a £3,000 bursary. Dr Struthers intends to use the prize, which was presented to her by the Heritage Crafts Association’s president HRH The Prince of Wales, to fund a freeto-use website for anyone interested in learning watchmaking.
As well as listing training opportunities and facilities, alongside technical information and instructional videos, it will allow users to share their current projects and get advice from their peers.
“In watchmaking it’s a challenge when you’re faced with something new and you’d like a second opinion, but have no one there to ask,” says Dr Struthers, who with her husband Craig uses traditional methods in the restoration of vintage watches, as well as creating timepieces.
“I regularly receive messages from people who would love to pursue a career in watchmaking, but moving to train is out of the question. This will allow people to learn remotely. The President’s Award has provided us with the foundation to share what we do for free.” strutherswatchmakers.co.uk