Sydney watchmaker Mountains Engraving shuts door as smartwatches kill industry

A watchmaker has closed its doors for good with an expert’s warning that the entire industry is struggling to survive in a rapidly evolving world.

Mountains Engraving closed in May after 30 years of doing business in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney.

The shop repaired watches and clocks and offered services such as key cutting, jewelry repair and engraving.

Watches were originally made by artisans who built them by hand, but demand has fallen due to the rising popularity of smartwatches.

Now watchmakers mainly work as repairmen who struggle to source the right parts as demand for analog watches declines in favor of their digital counterparts.

There are also fewer students entering the industry, making the profession a niche market.

A fellow watchmaker, who wishes to remain anonymous, told Daily Mail Australia the industry was on its last legs.

He said fewer customers came to the store because of online retailers and they chose to buy from abroad because it was cheaper than in Australia.

“The internet has had a big impact,” he said.

‘People buy from webshops abroad because it’s cheaper, Australia is very expensive and I can’t compete with those prices.

“I buy wholesale and then I sell it at the retail price, but when you go online, to places like Amazon, it’s a lot cheaper and this has taken business away from retailers and moved it online.”

The watchmaker said that even when people buy online and come to him for repairs, there is a long wait due to the increased difficulty in finding the right parts.

“Watch makers are still repairing, so it shows there’s still demand,” he said.

“We have a three-year waiting list for clock repairs, and even with watches you have to wait a few months before we can get them repaired.

“The reason it’s taking so long is because all the big companies are trying to weed out independentsbecause I distance myself from their service industry.

“So in about 10 years you’ll probably find that independent watchmakers like me can’t get parts because the manufacturers are restricting them.”

Fewer Australians are choosing a watchmaking career because of the challenges the industry faces.

There is only one watchmaking course that offers certification, and in the class of 2022, only six graduates entered the workforce before struggling to find a job.

One student said it was getting harder and harder to find a job.

“I’m the only apprentice in my state and I had to call 118 shops before someone hired me,” he told Daily Mail Australia.

“I have to commute an hour and twenty minutes to and from work, but I knew I wanted to do it and that couldn’t stop me.”

“We always get the question “do people still wear watches?” but I don’t see us going anywhere anytime soon.’

The watchmaker and apprentice said smartwatches may be impressive, but they have significant drawbacks.

Limited lifespan and their bulkiness are among the main problems.

The master watchmaker admitted to owning a smartwatch and said it was useful, but it wasn’t the first one he owned.

“The rise of phones and smartwatches, they’re killing themselves,” he said.

Smartwatches are cool. I’m not a fan, but I have one, because they monitor your heart rate and all that stuff, but in the long run you have to replace it like everything else.

“Ask anyone how many smartwatches or phones they’ve had since they first bought one, they barely last 12 months before people just buy another one.

“The watches we repair are over 100 years old and have been passed down through generations.

The grace and style of classic watches will always beat smartwatches too, said the apprentice.

“In terms of clothes to impress, you might enjoy a smartwatch for convenience and efficiency, but at the end of the day you have a piece of computer with a big screen on your wrist.

“In my opinion, people will remain unique and want to make themselves appear unique.”