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In Seoul, master watchmakers carry on legacy

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Watch craftsman Jang Chung-rak holds an escapement and balance wheel of a watch. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
Watch craftsman Jang Chung-rak holds an escapement and balance wheel of a watch. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

By Kwak Yeon-soo

"Fancy and extravagant watches catch most people's attention these days, but sometimes gazing at simple, yet classic timepieces can be just as enchanting," said Yoon Hyung-sik, a vintage watch collector and a regular visitor to the backstreet of Yeji-dong, a narrow alley lined with watchmakers' workrooms and vintage boutiques.

Yoon said that he's fascinated by the color, history and individuality of vintage watches, and these factors arouse nostalgia in him. "They bring back memories of when I was in my 20s and 30s, so it's a nice feeling. It's all associated with memories that are important to me. Trends come and go, but I can't help but smile any time a classic watch gets a revamp," he said.

While many people such as Yoon in Korea relish their mechanical watches, getting them fixed may become difficult in the coming years: The older generation of watch craftsmen, skilled in repairs, is retiring, and few of the younger generations are taking their places.

In addition, many have left the alley since it was earmarked for redevelopment in 2006. The proposed urban development of Seun District 4 will see the razing of today's Yeji-dong, a dense neighborhood in Jongno-gu of low-rise buildings and narrow streets. The district has traditionally been a low-income area where it stood at the forefront of the country's electronics, jewelry and watch industries for decades.

Nonetheless, watch craftsmen with more than 30 years of experience in repairing heirloom grandfather timepieces and fob watches still work around the clock to keep their legacy.

Watch craftsmanship

Park Jong-hyun, 73, opened his workroom "Youngsinsa" in the backstreet of Yeji-dong in 1986, and since then is keeping the craft of watchmaking alive.

Craftsman Park Jong-hyun closely examines a watch. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
Craftsman Park Jong-hyun closely examines a watch. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
Having lost both his parents during the 1950-53 Korean War, the war orphan moved to Seoul to make a living in 1962. "I worked as a farmhand, but later began my apprentice at a watchmaker's shop," said Park. There were few manufacturers that boomed in the 1960s, such as the electronic wave, textile and watch industries, but he accidentally entered into the watchmaking business.
And thus Park has become one of the country's few masters of watchmaking, a career he began when he was 17.

Before opening his own workroom, Park worked at an independent clock repair department at a company named "Hwashin" for seven years.
"By the time I arrived here, the clock repair market was in decline due to the emergence of digital and LED time displays. But I was confident about my techniques, ranging from simple battery replacement to a complete restructuring of a watch," he said.

His passion lies in quartz watches (in analog and digital forms). "Pieces like that, they are beautiful to work on. They are often heirlooms, something special you get for your spouse, inherit from your parents and they all need service," Park said. "Anything mechanical I like, but I don't fix wall clocks."

Lee Hyang-sook, 60, is a regular customer who comes by Youngsinsa once in awhile. She asked him to replace the batteries for seven wristwatches owned by her family. "I've been coming to this place since the early 1990s when I was a newlywed," Lee said. "My daughters love to wear wristwatches as fashion accessories, and they have several watches of different styles and sizes. So I told them to put out their broken watches before I came here."

While replacing batteries for Lee's bundle of watches, Park shared his most memorable time working on a golden timepiece with Kim Ku's face embedded on it. Kim Ku was the president of the Provisional Government of Korea, which was established in China after the March 1st Movement in 1919. "The man who brought it to me said that the watch had belonged to Chang Taek-sang," he said. Chang was an independence activist who served as the first foreign minister in the late 1940s and the third prime minister in the 1950s. Park added that timepieces with presidents' signatures are fairly common, unlike the watch with Kim Ku's face on it.

When asked about his determination to pass on his skills to the next generation, he flatly declined, saying that young people should look for more profitable jobs.
"Repairing a watch is not something you can make a lot of money at. It's also labor intensive, so I don't recommend it to anybody," he said.

Despite his age, Park has no plans to retire but might consider it in 10 years. "In the past, I was so busy that I never had the breadth of mind to look back. As I grew older, I came to appreciate restoring watches because I can live by this profession as long as my eyes and hands are good."

Clocks with stories

Seoul _ where tradition often blends with the modern _ is one of the best places in the world to hunt for classic timepieces, according to Lee Jong-hoon, the owner of "Haesigae." "Most of the pre-owned timepieces on sale are in immaculate condition," he said.

Lee, who opened his workroom five years ago, recounts that it all started as a hobby. "Clock repairing was my hobby. When I was in another profession, I came to Yeji-dong on the weekends to learn techniques from several watch craftsmen."
A Soviet-era submarine clock, which weighs about 2 kilograms and is believed to be manufactured between 1965 and 1970, is Lee's favorite clock among his vintage collection. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
A Soviet-era submarine clock, which weighs about 2 kilograms and is believed to be manufactured between 1965 and 1970, is Lee's favorite clock among his vintage collection. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

He mentioned that his interests extend to collecting vintage watches, showing off some of his own in wooden cases. Of them, a Soviet-era submarine clock is his favorite. "I bought this from a friend of mine who lives in Busan. He told me he exchanged it with a Russian mariner for a pair of binoculars," he said.

Lee went on to explain that the submarine clock weighs about 2 kilograms and the winding key unlatches the heavy frame holding the crystal in the center. It's believed to have been made between 1965 and 1970, when many German and Swiss watch craftsmen moved to Russia. The clock is available for around $1,300, according to him.

"My goal is to create a social hub where people can talk and exchange information about vintage watches. That's why I recently opened a Naver Band page titled 'Clock Stories,'" he said.

On the topic of why he chose to enter into a fading industry, where established craftsmen are trying to leave, he said "I'm filling a niche. I heard they are going to redevelop this area, but I hope they don't. People still come here because of sentimentality."

Jang shows off a clock he restored recently. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
Jang shows off a clock he restored recently. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Another renowned craftsman Jang Chung-rak also spent a lifetime repairing clocks and watches. To him, clock repair is tedious work and the cost of the labor is usually more than the worth of an antique clock. But he never thought about quitting. "I'm willing to do more detailed repairs after I close the shutter if I can satisfy my customers," he added.

He started his career as an employee at a digital watch maker and then opened his workroom "Samsungsa" in Yeji-dong in 1977. Since then, Jang has repaired tons of electronic watches and digital clocks with LED or LCD displays. "The 1970s was a turning point for local watchmakers, and I benefited from this transformation as I was the only one who knew how to repair digital watches," he said.

He also disclosed his secrets to attracting more repeat customers. "When people come by and ask if the repair is worth it, I tell them 'only if it's worth it to you.' Eight in 10 think for a moment and leave their valuables with me. But there are times when the owner does not pick up his or her watch," he said.

Jang has regular customers who have been coming to see him for more than 40 years _ some are collectors, while others treasure the clocks and watches that have been with their families for generations. "I hear a lot of old family stories behind the time pieces," he said. "Sometimes they're really elaborate, but I'm a good listener because they are my customers."

Kim Hyo-sung, a regular customer at "Samsungsa," showed off his 80-year-old wristwatch that he got from his father. Kim said he intends to pass it down to his son because in that way, he wants his family to feel somewhat connected to their ancestors. Unsure how long his wristwatch will last, Kim hinted at his desire to keep on repairing the watch until craftsman Jang says it's not worth it anymore.

Meanwhile, Jang noted that this narrow alley is like a place for a consolation match. Those who failed in their businesses came here to get a second chance. The same applies to vintage watches, as this is a second-hand market, too."


Kwak Yeon-soo yeons.kwak@koreatimes.co.kr


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