"The Master Watchmaker" - a photo essay
Once upon a time, a fine watch lasted a lifetime—then was handed down to the next generation. Meet Jean-Pierre Bourroux, who has dedicated nearly six decades to maintaining these heirloom timepieces.
Dear Friends,
In our increasingly high-tech, high-speed cities, traditional craftsmanship has become harder and harder to find—perhaps especially here in San Francisco. So it’s a rare joy to encounter a master craftsman such as Jean-Pierre Bourroux, a horologist who has been steadfastly practicing the trade since 1965, when he was an 18-year-old in Nice, France.
This week, we invite you to step into the workshop of this remarkable artisan alongside master photographer Peter Belanger, who captures the essence of Jean-Pierre’s lifelong dedication to his craft. I hope you’ll enjoy our new photo essay, “The Master Watchmaker,” which includes 24 stunning photos by Belanger, and text written by yours truly.
While there is still time, please share your Repair Rants & Raves with us. Tell us about some item you’ve owned, loved, and kept working forever, and why it matters to you. Or tell us about what you’ve bought that should have lasted but turned into another throwaway piece of junk. It only takes a few minutes to fill out our Reader Survey, and we’ll share the best stories throughout this issue.
“The Art of Repair” will continue through early December, thanks in part to our issue sponsor, the Culture of Repair. Each week, we’ll release a feature story, short article, mini-documentary, photo essay, or podcast that relates to our mission—to “create a world built to last.” So please, stay tuned.
In the meantime, I hope you'll always find something intriguing to read, watch, or listen to within our pages. We welcome your thoughts via email, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Thank you for reading and sharing our stories, for donating to our cause as you can, and for being such a loyal part of the Craftsmanship community.
Sincerely,
Todd Oppenheimer
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, Craftsmanship Magazine
Craftsmanship is a reader-supported publication. To help sustain our ad-free, independent journalism, please consider a paid subscription here on Substack.
Fall 2023: The Art of Repair
In a culture addicted to novelty and fast profits, the humble art of repair has declined almost to the point of extinction. But it’s not too late: In this issue, we’ll delve into the history of planned obsolescence, and the reemerging ethos of restoration. From the patient hands of watchmakers, piano restoration experts, and veteran appliance repairmen to the story of a young French woman who got her country to ban planned obsolescence, we’ll explore what it really means to create, maintain—and truly value—a world built to last.
This issue is supported in part by a grant from the Culture of Repair. Interested in sponsoring an upcoming theme or project? Contact us at publisher@craftsmanship.net.
Our Readers Share Their “Repair Rants & Raves”
RAVE: "Our Sunbeam toaster, bought in 1976—repairable and still working."
RANT: "In the last 6 months, we have replaced three appliances due to planned obsolescence: a dishwasher, a dryer, and a refrigerator. The fridge takes the cake. The electronics (in a Samsung side-by-side) told the cooling unit to turn the refrigerator side into a freezer. I found this before the eggs froze. After switching off the circuit breaker, the fridge reset, but it took 4 hours for the fridge section to thaw. Samsung no longer makes the replacement electronic controls, so we bought a new fridge."
- Paula T. (St. Cloud, MN)
This issue is all about "The Art of Repair," and we want to hear about the belongings you love most for their usefulness, beauty, and longevity—and those you love to hate. We'll share the best entries throughout the issue. Submit your entry here.