About the Course

This is a complete course of instruction for amateur watchmakers covering the maintenance and adjustment of the Valjoux (ETA) 7750 and 7751 chronographs. The goal of the course is to enable a watchmaker to adjust and maintain a personal collection of chronographs at chronometer standards. The prerequisites for success are experience in maintaining other ETA calibres, including one with a calendar function (say the ETA 2836-2, or 2892-A2).

WHAT THIS COURSE IS: A means to gain an intimate understanding of, and ability to maintain, one’s own watches.

WHAT THIS COURSE IS NOT: A means to function as a professional watchmaker. To obtain that goal, one is urged to seek out professional courses at certified watchmaker schools. The responsibility inherent in servicing others’ watches should only be borne by a qualified watchmaker.

The course consists of 284 pages of PDFs at 8.5 x 11 inches, which are meant to be printed on double-sided leaves, so as to be placed in a three-ring binder for ease of reference. The PDFs may also be fit to an A4 sheet.  Of course, one may also view the PDFs on screen. The step-by-step watchmaking processes are illustrated with nearly 400 newly-made color technical drawings, including over 100 drawings of the individual parts themselves, many with two or more views (see the accompanying sample pages). For the disassembly and assembly instructions, facing pages show, on the left, the parts along with a description of the work, and, on the right, two images of the main plate, top and bottom, before and after the action of the particular step (click here for a YouTube video showing the kinetic sequence of the disassembly and assembly steps).

As seen in the Table of Contents (see sample pages), the course is in four parts: (1) Introduction and Parts List (including an explanation of the functions of the motion, keyless, chronograph, automatic winding, and calendar works), (2) Dissassembly, (3) Assembly and Oiling (including regulation), and (4) Completion (including settings for adding the dial and hands as well as casing). The calendar functions of the 7750 and 7751 are treated separately.

For a perspective on the watch industry in general and as an invitation to this course in particular, I invite you to read the accompanying essay: The Quintessential Inessential Thing: Thoughts on the Watch Industry and an Invitation to an Amateur Watch Course.

Although the Swatch Group has disallowed the sale of parts for ETA calibres, the movements, especially the 7750, are used in an astonishingly wide variety of brands. Movements themselves and complete watches from various brands may be purchased new or used from eBay and other sites. Parts are also often available from the same sources. One may begin the learning process with a used movement or watch and, as skills progress, graduate to higher-end new or used watches of your choosing. For instance, the Omega calibre 1164, used in certain Seamaster and Speedmaster watches, is a modification of the Valjoux 7750.

An earlier form of the course, concentrating on the 7751 calibre, has been available on the TimeZone Watch School website since 2016, as Level 4 of the TZ Watch School, moderated by Machiel Kalf (the 7751 has never been covered by ETA’s online materials, which, in any case, have now been restricted from public access). In this newly revised, corrected, and expanded version, both the 7750 and 7751 calibres are included. In addition to purchasing this course, one could also subscribe to the TZ Watch Course, Level 4 (for $75) and enjoy the benefits of individual instruction by Machiel Kalf (via the Level 4 Forum). The mission of the TimeZone Watch School is to offer to the general public an introduction to the world of horology and the chance to gain hands-on knowledge of the micro-mechanics of the wristwatch. The first two courses are by Walt Odets and cover, in the first course, basic principles of disassembly and re-assembly, using the hand-wound ETA calibre 2801-2; and in the second, the cleaning and oiling of the automatic ETA 2836-2, with day/date calendar. The third course—written by Tai Williams and Bob Frei with contributions from Machiel Kalf and Louis Biagi—addresses timing and adjustment with focus on the ETA-Chron system. Through these three excellent courses one builds up both a store of knowledge and the basic watchmaking tools necessary for amateur work (more advanced work with jeweling or staking tools, or with the lathe, however, is not covered). Bob Frei, at the watchmaker and jewelry supplier Otto Frei, Oakland, Calif., provides watchmakers’ kits and tools for the various levels, so that one can work on and eventually case one’s movement. In addition, Machiel Kalf acts as online instructor and forum moderator for all four of the TimeZone Watch School courses. Machiel is a master watchmaker who has been teaching watchmaking in Amsterdam for over 30 years. He received his formal training at the Horlogemakersvakschool in Hoorn, and, after graduation, went to work for Heuer in Switzerland and Holland. He subsequently worked for Electrotime and then for JPC as the head of after-sales service, the latter being one of the largest watch importers in the Netherlands. Machiel has also completed numerous advanced watchmaking courses in Switzerland; he was among the first group of graduates of the WOSTEP ‘Train the Trainers’ course.

The cost to purchase the Valjoux 7750/7751 course is $200.00, payable via credit card or PayPal. After payment, the PDFs may be downloaded from a link. (Note that since the PDFs may be updated and corrected, it is hoped that participants will send corrections and suggestions for improvement or further explanation.)