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The Encyclopedia of Horology

School · Chichester, United Kingdom

West Dean College

Conservation of clocks and related objects.

Overview

West Dean College is a school based in Chichester, United Kingdom. Conservation of clocks and related objects.

As a teaching institution, its contribution is the training of watchmakers and clockmakers — the people who keep historical mechanisms serviceable.

Training programmes of this kind typically combine bench skills (turning, filing, finishing, servicing) with theory of escapements, gearing and regulation.

Diagram

12345let downstripcleanoilregulateorder of work; never skip letting down the mainspring
Schematic: order of work at the bench. An outline schematic drawn to show the arrangement of the parts discussed here. It is not a dimensioned working drawing and does not depict a particular maker's calibre.

Using it for research

  • School libraries and alumni records can help trace the training of a named individual maker.
  • Course content and entry requirements change over time; consult the institution for current programmes.

Before you visit

  • Schools are working environments; visits and open days should be arranged in advance.