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Rolex will pay you to become a watchmaker at new class in Dallas office
Now's your chance to go to Rolex watch school.
Luxury watch company Rolex is opening a unique watchmaking school in Dallas at its Rolex Service Center at 2601 N. Harwood St., one that ends with a possible job offer from Rolex.
According to a release on its website, Rolex is launching the six-month program, similar to one it operates in Lititz, Pennsylvania, in response to a worldwide shortage of watchmakers.
The class will be offered twice a year, every March and September, and ends with a final exam at Rolex's headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Graduating students become eligible for jobs in Rolex’s service network at locations across the U.S.
Interested parties must apply by 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 monthly stipend for living expenses. Rolex also covers the cost of flying to its headquarters in Geneva to take the final exam. Sweet.
“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 release says.
“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.”
As National Jeweler notes, RWTC also is not the only watch school in the Dallas area: The Neuchâtel, Switzerland-based Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Educational Program (WOSTEP) operates the North American Institute of Swiss Watchmaking in Fort Worth, in a partnership with the Richemont Group, which owns names such as Piaget, Cartier, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Baume & Mercier.
The Rolex class size will be limited to 15 students. It's an 18-month program that incorporates both classroom time and technical training, with six months dedicated specifically to the repair and service of Rolex watches.
