Will clockmakers be replaced by AI?
Updated
Clockmakers score 13 of 100 for AI exposure. 79% of their task time still needs a person. AI speeds up the other 21%.
- 21% AI helps
- 79% Needs a person
Low exposure
Lower than 92% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 17 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can't do any of them end to end yet. It speeds up 3 and leaves 14 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Review blueprints, sketches, or work orders to gather information about tasks to be completed. AI can extract specs and summarize blueprints and work orders. | 45% AI helps |
| Observe operation of timepiece parts and subassemblies to determine accuracy of movement, and to diagnose causes of defects. Timegrapher readings can be interpreted by AI, but observation stays hands-on. | 22% AI helps |
| Test operation and fit of timepiece parts and subassemblies, using electronic testing equipment, tweezers, watchmakers' tools, and loupes. AI can analyze electronic test data; physical fit testing stays manual. | 20% AI helps |
| Examine components of timepieces such as watches, clocks, or chronometers for defects, using loupes or microscopes. Visual defect inspection through optics; AI adds little. | 10% Needs a person |
| Assemble and install components of timepieces to complete mechanisms, using watchmakers' tools and loupes. Fine manual assembly of tiny parts with tweezers and loupes. | 4% Needs a person |
| Replace specified parts to repair malfunctioning timepieces, using watchmakers' tools, loupes, and holding fixtures. Physically replacing tiny parts with holding fixtures and tools. | 4% Needs a person |
| Adjust sizes or positioning of timepiece parts to achieve specified fit or function, using calipers, fixtures, and loupes. Hands-on resizing and repositioning of parts with calipers. | 4% Needs a person |
| Estimate spaces between collets and first inner coils to determine if spaces are within acceptable limits. Visual estimate of coil spacing requires skilled hands and eyes. | 4% Needs a person |
| Disassemble timepieces such as watches, clocks, and chronometers so that repairs can be made. Physical disassembly of delicate timepieces requires dexterity. | 3% Needs a person |
| Clean and lubricate timepiece parts and assemblies, using solvents, buff sticks, and oil. Manual cleaning and oiling of parts with solvents and buff sticks. | 3% Needs a person |
Show the other 7 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Turn wheels of calipers and examine springs, using loupes, to determine if center coils appear as perfect circles. Turning calipers and judging coil shape by eye and loupe. | 3% Needs a person |
| Examine and adjust hairspring assemblies to ensure horizontal and circular alignment of hairsprings, using calipers, loupes, and watchmakers' tools. Physical hairspring alignment adjustment needs tactile skill. | 3% Needs a person |
| Bend parts, such as hairsprings, pallets, barrel covers, and bridges, to correct deficiencies in truing or endshake, using tweezers. Bending hairsprings and bridges with tweezers is a physical skill. | 2% Needs a person |
| Change timing weights on balance wheels to correct deficient timing. Changing balance wheel timing weights is a physical task done with hands. | 2% Needs a person |
| Mount hairsprings and balance wheel assemblies between jaws of truing calipers. Physically mounting hairsprings into truing calipers. | 2% Needs a person |
| Bend inner coils of springs away from or toward collets, using tweezers, to locate centers of collets in centers of springs, and to correct errors resulting from faulty colleting of coils. Hand bending of spring coils with tweezers. | 2% Needs a person |
| Tighten or replace loose jewels, using watchmakers' tools. Physically tightening or replacing jewels with watchmakers tools. | 2% Needs a person |
How clockmakers compare
All occupations (923)
Production (107)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $62,620 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 250 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- -6.1% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Observe movement accuracy with a timegrapher and hand judgment
- Replace jewels and hairsprings with watchmakers' tools and loupes
- Interpret electronic test data from timing equipment in Maple
- Write work orders and inventory records in At Your Service Repair
- Disassemble and reassemble delicate timepieces under loupe magnification
Safer roles nearby
2 related occupations with lower scores.
Questions about clockmakers and AI
Will AI replace clockmakers?
Partly. About 1 in 10 working hours of a clockmaker's job go to tasks AI can already do, mostly reviewing blueprints and work orders and interpreting electronic test data. Hands-on assembly, adjusting tiny parts with tweezers, and visual inspection through loupes stay with people because they need a skilled hand at the bench.
Which clockmaker tasks is AI taking over?
Reviewing blueprints, sketches, and work orders scores 45 on exposure, the highest in this job, because AI can extract specs and summarize them quickly. Analyzing electronic test data from timing equipment, scored 20, is also moving to software that flags out-of-tolerance readings for the clockmaker to confirm.
Which clockmaker tasks stay human?
Bending hairsprings, changing balance wheel timing weights, and tightening jewels score 2 on exposure, the lowest in this job. Each one needs a person to move tweezers on parts too small to handle by machine, so the work stays at the bench under a loupe.
Which clockmaker tasks stay human?
Bending hairsprings, changing balance wheel timing weights, and tightening jewels score 2 on exposure, the lowest in this job. Each one needs a person to move tweezers on parts too small for machines to handle, so the work stays at the bench under a loupe.
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