Sam's Odyssey 101

March 17, 2026

I was the only student in the room.

When I arrived at Initium for a three-hour watchmaking course, I thought I’d be in a small group. Instead, it turned into something like a private lesson, which made the whole experience feel more focused and a lot more personal.

After a short introduction to the history of watches and how they work, I got to start working on a real movement. I had to take it apart piece by piece, which was harder than I expected. The parts were tiny, and even using the tools properly took some getting used to. But as I kept going, I started to see how everything connected—how the gears, springs, and small components all worked together to keep time.

Putting it back together was even better. It was satisfying to see everything slowly come back into place and actually work again. It made me realize how precise and detailed watchmaking really is.

Being the only participant also meant I could ask as many questions as I wanted. The watchmaker explained things step by step, not just what to do, but why it worked that way. That made a big difference, because it felt like I was actually understanding the mechanism instead of just following instructions.

The atmosphere was also really nice. The watchmakers were friendly and clearly enjoyed what they were doing, which made it easier to stay interested the whole time.

By the end of the course, I wasn’t just learning about watches—I actually started to appreciate the craftsmanship behind them. It also made me think that working in the watch industry could be something I’d want to try in the future. If I get the chance, I’d definitely go back and take a longer, more advanced course.