I had a great time learning about the 6497, technique for reassembling the going train and bridge, and tools of the professional watch maker. My son, who is 16 and had some experience in building watches was able to follow along and enjoyed the class as well. I would recommend the experience to anyone who enjoys building things, and will be returning for more instruction when available!

Truly an incredible experience for any watch enthusiast unlike anything else in the market. It covers watch culture, horology, and components. Everything is perfectly curated to help you understand and then get you assembling and testing a watch. At the end of the experience you also get to take home your custom Swiss watch that you assembled to remember the experience.

Hampden’s watchmaking workshop was everything I hoped for. The day was designed to be an experience beyond making a watch and it was curated well. There were nice pastries, coffees, and energy drinks available in the morning, a very nice lunch, and a great offering of drinks after we finished testing our watches. Joe, the third-generation owner of Hampden, gave a very personal over view of the watch industry and Hampden. That made it real and not just a recitation of facts. Joe’s cousin, Mitchell, happened to be in Chicago and dropped by so we learned a little about his company, Marathon Watches in Canada, too.

The six of us represented a good mix of neophyte to expert collectors from across the country. The equipment we used was designed and made to guide us through the process. We used microscopes instead of a loupe, which was much easier to use. The ratio of participants to workshop experts was 2 to 1, so there was always someone next to me who could answer a question or offer advice. When I needed a little help, I always got just enough. Someone would help me place a screw or show me how to hold the tweezers, and allowed me to screw it in.

In the past few days I have had several people ask me about my new watch, which gave me a chance to show it off. Everyone is impressed with its style and quality and they are amazed that I built it. Hampden has a little extra special meaning to me because my grandfather and aunt had Hampden pocket watches. When my youngest…

I had the opportunity to enjoy Hampden’s watch building class with my two teenage sons earlier this month. What a fun experience! One watch professional per two students was the perfect ratio. My boys and I left with matching watches that look great, keep time better then some watches that cost 100x, and have sentimental value greater then all but one watch I own (Tag Heuer HS graduation 1993). The lunch was great. The scotch was great. The building has a great historic warehouse vibe. I really can’t say enough good things about the experience. Admittedly I’m a big watch nerd so getting to play around with movements is right up my alley. But even for someone with only a passing interest in watches it could be a fun day. The other classmates were interesting with varied life stories and watch interests. I enjoyed meeting them as did my older son in particular. A++++ Marc and team. Sincere gratitude for a cool experience!