Employee Spotlight - Louise Duffield, Watchmaker

I joined the Watches of Switzerland Group exactly 5 years ago after being medically discharged from the army. I started as a maintenance technician at Goldsmiths in Middlesbrough where I worked alongside my work colleague and friend.

A few months after joining WoSG, I was put forward to be the first person in our company to attend a training course with Rolex which was named the “Rolex After Sales Service Watchmaker Training programme”.??This course was designed to train someone (like myself) with little to no knowledge of repairing watches and transition them into a fully certified Watchmaker. In order to attend this course I had to relocate to Kent for the duration of the course which was estimated to be 16 months but unfortunately due to the covid pandemic, it was extended.

During this time I underwent training that involved micro-mechanics, quartz, and mechanical services, similar to the Watches of Switzerland Training and Education Programme (WOSTEP). I completed the course and passed my exam and became an official Level 30 Rolex Accredited Watchmaker.

Now I’m located at the National Watch Service Centre in Manchester where I contribute to the production of our watch repairs and wait eagerly for further training to become level 40 and above accredited watchmaker or develop my knowledge with other luxury brands. At the National Watch Service Centre we all work as a team and for me personally I believe the support we all give to each other is what makes our team special.?

A little fun fact about me: I like to go for runs in my free time. I recently completed the Manchester half marathon in October 2023 and will be attending the 2024 Manchester marathon to raise money and awareness for the Alzheimer’s society.?