Featured Alumni

Sarah Hong

Saint Paul College Watchmaking and Micro Mechanical Technology Program

Sarah Hong was so intrigued with what she heard about watchmaking courses at Saint Paul College that she quit her job at a Minneapolis investment firm and enrolled in the College's program. Today she is a watchmaker, certified by both Saint Paul College and the American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute, and is happily plying her trade at Wixon Jewelers in Bloomington.

"'I heard about the watchmaking program on Minnesota Public Radio," says Hong, who also had earned a BA degree from Carleton College in 1995. "'At the time, MPR highlighted watchmaking as one of the few bright spots in the economy and a little-known career with almost limitless opportunities. I became interested immediately, not because of potential financial rewards, but because I knew I would enjoy the challenges of working on mechanical watches."

She's not alone. Others have found the same appeal in the College's Micro Mechanical Technology/Watchmaking Program, a two-year program that is so well respected it attracted a $1 million grant from Rolex in 2004. That funding helped it earn accreditation from the Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Education Program (WOSTEP), making it one of only five such programs in the country. Joe Juaire, an instructor in the College's Micro Mechanical Technology/Watchmaking Program, is an alumnus of WOSTEP in Switzerland and is justifiably proud of Saint Paul College's program. Enrollment is limited to 12 students per class, with each potential student required to pass several entrance tests and an intense interview process.

"'We get 170 inquiries every year and 40 firm applications," Juaire says, noting that many students come from out of state and have included displaced airline mechanics and computer engineers. The average age in the program is 37, he adds, and many have bachelor's or master's degrees but want to make a career change. "'We even have a young medical doctor who decided she wanted to do something else."

Rich with opportunity

Citing the aging of the watchmaking industry's workforce, Juaire says the field is rich with opportunities these days. "'There is a desperate need for watchmakers," he notes. "'I have 50 job opportunities for every class of 12 that graduates. Most of them are in major metropolitan areas throughout the country, but we're also seeing high demand from Asian and European countries." First-year salaries, he adds, generally range from $45,000 to $55,000, although he occasionally sees opportunities at the $60,000 level.

Many of those students, including Hong, are offered positions before they complete the program. "'I never anticipated my career would take off this quickly," she says. "'I started working for Wixon Jewelers in 2004 as I was finishing my second semester at the College. We service everything from vintage timepieces to modern, ultrasophisticated wristwatches from the most prestigious brands. I would not be in my position without Saint Paul College."

Also helping to drive the need for watchmakers is the increasing popularity of high-end watches in the United States. "'We're the number one consumers of high-grade timepieces from Switzerland," Juaire says. "'[U.S. consumers] purchase about 750,000 timepieces annually at a retail price of $1,500 or more. I believe there has been a dressing down of corporate America in recent years, so the way to differentiate yourself is through accessories, including high-grade watches. Men who won't wear a necklace will wear a $5,000 Rolex. I think Americans in general are fascinated by small mechanical miracles."

So are the students who enroll in Saint Paul College's watchmaking program, many of whom regularly continue their training, as did Hong. "'My education has continued since I left Saint Paul College," she says. "'I have been lucky to have had opportunities for factory training at Rolex and [luxury watch manufacturer] Breitling and to work with several other highly skilled watchmakers. But I owe much of my success to my beginnings at Saint Paul College."

Vicki Stavig is a Bloomington-based freelance writer.