Professionals of Time – 80 Years of Traditional Education in Craftsmanship and Future Technology

The 80-year-old Finnish School of Watchmaking is an internationally respected institution, producing watchmakers, micromechanics, and artisans. The school was founded in Lahti in 1944, but has been operating in Espoo since 1959, first in Tapiola and since 2007 in Leppävaara. Micromechanics use traditional watchmaking craftsmanship to create future technologies. The demand for micromechanics is growing. Watchmakers find employment in specialty stores in Finland or Central Europe, with many starting their own businesses. Graduates also include sales professionals for the watch- and jewelry industry.

Watchmaking and micromechanics are best learned through hands-on work. Thus, craftsmanship is emphasized in the Watchmaking School's curriculum. Students first make their own tools and gradually move on to more precise work at the level of one hundredth of a millimeter. Annually, about 30 professionals graduate from the school. The school's most famous student is Grandmaster Kari Voutilainen, whose watches are highly sought after worldwide. He has won ten Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève awards, which are among the most prestigious in the watchmaking world.