ColumnistsFeb 20, 2024
Squirrel Spotting: Life After Rolex WatchesFeb 23, 2024
Rolex to Open New Watchmaking School in Dallas
The Rolex Watchmaking Training Center will welcome its first class this fall.
This fall, Rolex will welcome the first class of students to the Rolex Watchmaking Training Center, its new, tuition-free school in Dallas. Students will learn to make and repair Rolex watches, like the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 pictured here, during the 18-month course.
Dallas—Rolex is set to open a new watchmaking school in Dallas this fall in an effort to address the worldwide shortage of watchmakers.
The Rolex Watchmaking Training Center (RWTC) is located within the Rolex Service Center on North Harwood Street in Uptown Dallas.
The brand said the school, which is currently under construction, will occupy the fourth floor of the building.
It will accept 15 students for the inaugural class, set to commence in September, and 15 in each class thereafter beginning in March and September annually.
RWTC is a tuition-free school that will offer an 18-month program during which students will receive technical training alongside more conceptual education.
Six months of the program will be spent focusing on the repair and service of Rolex watches. It is the only program in the United States to offer this, according to Rolex.
“For decades, mechanical watchmaking has been experiencing a resurgence as new customers learn to appreciate the tradition and craftsmanship that goes into making these special timekeepers. But crucially, there aren’t enough watchmakers to keep up,” the brand states on the school’s newly launched website.
“The goal of the Rolex Watchmaking Training Center is to play a vital role in preserving the art and heritage of watchmaking while equipping a new generation of watchmakers with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in the industry. We expect employment opportunities to continue to be plentiful across North America and beyond.”
The center is not Rolex’s first watchmaking school in the United States.
The brand has operated the Lititz Watch Technicum in Lititz, Pennsylvania, since 2001. Like the RWTC in Dallas, the school shares space with one of the brand’s service centers.
Rolex confirmed that the Lititz school is still open but declined to comment when asked what the opening of RWTC will mean for its future.
The brand also has a training center in Geneva, Switzerland.
Related stories will be right here …
The Rolex Watchmaking Training Center (RWTC) is located within the Rolex Service Center on North Harwood Street in Uptown Dallas.
The brand said the school, which is currently under construction, will occupy the fourth floor of the building.
It will accept 15 students for the inaugural class, set to commence in September, and 15 in each class thereafter beginning in March and September annually.
RWTC is a tuition-free school that will offer an 18-month program during which students will receive technical training alongside more conceptual education.
Six months of the program will be spent focusing on the repair and service of Rolex watches. It is the only program in the United States to offer this, according to Rolex.
“For decades, mechanical watchmaking has been experiencing a resurgence as new customers learn to appreciate the tradition and craftsmanship that goes into making these special timekeepers. But crucially, there aren’t enough watchmakers to keep up,” the brand states on the school’s newly launched website.
“The goal of the Rolex Watchmaking Training Center is to play a vital role in preserving the art and heritage of watchmaking while equipping a new generation of watchmakers with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in the industry. We expect employment opportunities to continue to be plentiful across North America and beyond.”
The center is not Rolex’s first watchmaking school in the United States.
The brand has operated the Lititz Watch Technicum in Lititz, Pennsylvania, since 2001. Like the RWTC in Dallas, the school shares space with one of the brand’s service centers.
Rolex confirmed that the Lititz school is still open but declined to comment when asked what the opening of RWTC will mean for its future.
The brand also has a training center in Geneva, Switzerland.
RWTC also is not the only watch school in the Dallas area.
The Neuchâtel, Switzerland-based Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Educational Program, or WOSTEP, operates the North American Institute of Swiss Watchmaking in Fort Worth.
WOSTEP has schools worldwide that are operated in partnership with brands; its partner in Fort Worth is the Richemont Group, which owns Jaeger-LeCoultre, Piaget, Baume & Mercier, and Cartier, among others.
(WOSTEP also has a school in Miami it operates in partnership with Swatch Group, the Nicolas G. Hayek Watchmaking School.)
Those interested in applying to become members of RWTC’s inaugural class can do so on the center’s website.
The deadline to apply for the program is April 15. Prospective students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
There is no cost to attend RWTC, and students receive an $1,800 month stipend for living expenses.
Rolex also covers the cost of flying to its headquarters in Geneva to take the final exam.
Watchmaking is not the only facet of the jewelry industry in need of skilled manpower.
There is also a need for bench jewelers, a problem myriad organizations are trying to address including MJSA and the Black in Jewelry Coalition.
Late last year, BIJC announced plans for a new bench jeweler education program aimed at high school students.
The program is taking place this school year, and the curriculum focuses on gem-setting, laser repair, casting, and molding.
“Our collective goal is to make it known that these jobs exist and there’s a real need for new bench jeweler talent in the industry,” Annie Doresca, BIJC past president, said at the time the program was announced in September.
There is also a need for bench jewelers, a problem myriad organizations are trying to address including MJSA and the Black in Jewelry Coalition.
Late last year, BIJC announced plans for a new bench jeweler education program aimed at high school students.
The program is taking place this school year, and the curriculum focuses on gem-setting, laser repair, casting, and molding.
“Our collective goal is to make it known that these jobs exist and there’s a real need for new bench jeweler talent in the industry,” Annie Doresca, BIJC past president, said at the time the program was announced in September.
More on Watches
The Latest
MajorsAug 26, 2024
Longtime Industry Sales Trainer Lenny Zell Dies at 97Said to be the first to write a jewelry sales manual for the industry, Zell is remembered for his zest for life.
AuctionsAug 23, 2024
Abernethy Pearl Tops Estimates at Auction A buyer paid more than $100,000 for the gemstone known as “Little Willie,” setting a new auction record for a Scottish freshwater pearl.
CollectionsAug 23, 2024
Piece of the Week: Gumuchian’s Colorful ‘Spectrum’ NecklaceAnita Gumuchian created the 18-karat yellow gold necklace using 189 carats of colored gemstones she spent the last 40 years collecting.
Brought to you by
Watch: Natural Diamonds: A Great (but Often Untold) Geology StorySupplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA.
SourcingAug 22, 2024
2,492-Carat Diamond Recovered From Botswana Diamond MineThe giant gem came from Karowe, the same mine that yielded the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona and the 1,758-carat Sewelô diamond.
Weekly QuizAug 23, 2024
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
TrendsAug 22, 2024
Kaley Cuoco Has a Three-Stone Engagement Ring With a TwistThe three-stone ring was designed by Shahla Karimi Jewelry and represents Cuoco, her fiancé Tom Pelphrey, and their child.
CollectionsAug 22, 2024
Greenwich St. Jewelers Collabs with TikTok Jewelry Content CreatorThe Manhattan jewelry store has partnered with Xarissa B. of Jewel Boxing on a necklace capsule collection.
Brought to you by
Watch: Forging the Next Generation of Skilled Bench Jewelers at GIASupplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA
TechnologyAug 21, 2024
Instagram’s Notes Feature Expands to Posts, ReelsActing as temporary virtual Post-it notes, Notes are designed to help strengthen mutual connections, not reach new audiences.
TrendsAug 21, 2024
Carol Woolton To Release New BookThe jewelry historian discusses the history and cultural significance of jewelry throughout time and across the globe.
TrendsAug 21, 2024
Amanda’s Style File: Shimmy and ShakeFrom fringe and tassels to pieces that give the illusion they are in motion, jewelry with movement is trending.
IndependentsAug 20, 2024
Mixed-Media Jewelry Artist Jan Yager Dies at 72The designer and maker found community around her Philadelphia studio and creative inspiration on the sidewalks below it.
ColumnistsAug 20, 2024
Google Ads Payment Policy Change: What It Means For YouThe change to accepted payment methods for Google Ads might seem like an irritation but actually is an opportunity, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
IndependentsAug 20, 2024
Pat Henneberry Releases MemoirThe industry consultant’s new book focuses on what she learned as an athlete recovering from a broken back.
Events & AwardsAug 20, 2024
The Ethical Gem Fair Is Going to CaliforniaThe fair will take place on the West Coast for the first time, hosted by Altana Fine Jewelry in Oakland, California.
MajorsAug 20, 2024
Kathy Hillelson Joins Board of WJA Foundation Hillelson is a second-generation diamantaire and CEO of Owl Financial Group.
Events & AwardsAug 19, 2024
Nominations Are Open for the 2025 Gem AwardsSubmissions in the categories of Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Excellence will be accepted through this Friday, Aug. 23.
AuctionsAug 19, 2024
Scotland’s Famed Abernethy Pearl Is Up for Sale Known as “Little Willie,” it’s the largest freshwater pearl found in recent history in Scotland and is notable for its shape and color.
IndependentsAug 19, 2024
Kentucky Jeweler Closing After 89 YearsClements Jewelers in Madisonville cited competition from larger retailers and online sellers as the driving factor.
SourcingAug 19, 2024
A&C Gem Trading Corp. Relocates, Opens Wholesale ShowroomThe gemstone company is moving to the Ross Metal Exchange in New York City’s Diamond District.
CrimeAug 16, 2024
Jewels Stolen During Green Vault Heist Back on DisplayMost of the 18th century royal jewelry taken from the Green Vault Museum in Dresden, Germany, in 2019 went back on display this week.
IndependentsAug 16, 2024
Louis Anthony Jewelers Announces First Resort StoreThe Pittsburgh jeweler has opened a store in the nearby Nemacolin resort.
CollectionsAug 16, 2024
Piece of the Week: Jonne Amaya’s ‘Cat Claw’ NecklaceWith a 40-carat cabochon emerald, this necklace is as powerful and elegant as a cat.
Events & AwardsAug 16, 2024
IJO Names Jewel-Craft as VIP Vendor of the YearThe Erlanger, Kentucky-based company was recognized for its reliability when it comes to repairs and fast turnaround times.
SourcingAug 15, 2024
Greenland Ruby Is Up For SaleUnable to pay its debts, the ruby and sapphire miner is looking to restructure and become a “competitive and attractive” company.
TrendsAug 15, 2024
Paola De Luca to Debut Trendbook 2026+ at VicenzaoroThe trend forecaster’s latest guide has intel on upcoming trends in the jewelry market.
Events & AwardsAug 15, 2024
Heather Ingraham Awarded WJA Helene Fortunoff Scholarship Ingraham said she’ll use the scholarship funds to attend the Women’s Leadership Program at the Yale School of Management.
