4.

Employment, Watch Movement Production and Output
Per Employee Jeweled-Lever Watch Industry:
1936-1956...

23

5.

Estimated Over-all Manpower Requirements and
Number of Workers in Key Occupational Cate-
gories Needed in 3 Year Phased Mobilization
Program for the Jeweled-Lever Watch Industry.....

24

6.

Estimates of Training Times Involved in
Transferring Workers to Jeweled-Lever

Industry....

52

Manpower and Skill Study

of the

Jeweled-Lever Watch Industry

Introduction

This report made at the request of the Office of Defense Mobilization provides information on:

1.

The number of workers in key watchmaking
skills now employed in the jeweled-lever
watch industry and employed in previous
periods.

2. A projection of the manpower requirements
for the jeweled-lever watch industry in
a mobilization period, particularly for
workers with key skills.

3. The transferability of skills from other
industries to the key skills in the

jeweled-lever watch industry with a min-
imum of additional training.

Summary of Findings

1. Employment in the jeweled-lever watch industry has been declining since the high level of 1948. This trend was reversed for the period of the Korean conflict but again turned down after 1954. The 7,524 employees in the industry in September 1956 was about 47 percent below the 12,265 workers in the industry in September 1948. The decline in employment in the last few years can be related to both the decrease in defense production in the industry, and to increased watch output per employee.

Despite declining employment in the industry, the production of jeweled-lever watch movements in 1956 was higher than in 1955 or 1954. The 2,112,000 watch movements produced in 1956 was 23 percent above the 1,716,000 output in 1954, and much above the 420,000 watch movements reported as needed in the peak year of a mobilization period by the ODM. 2. It is estimated that to produce the volume of goods allocated to the jeweled-lever watch industry by the Department of Defense in mobilisation and to meet essential civilian needs would require 8,000 workers at the peak production year of the mobilization period. This production volume is primarily made up of ordnance items and consequently, only 750 of these workers would be employed in the manufacture of jeweledlever watch movements. In the peak year of the mobilization period about 1,540 key technical and skilled horological workers would be required in the industry. This compares with 2,139 such workers that were employed in the industry in September, 1956. Generally the estimated mobilization needs for workers in key occupations could be

satisfied by workers in the industry in 1956. Foremen is the one important occupation in which the mobilization need is moderately greater than the number in the industry in 1956.

3. Many of the key workers now employed in the industry could be used directly in the production of the items which the industry will be called upon to make in a mobilization period. For example, the workers employed in machine shop work in watchmaking would be directly transferable to ordnance work. On the other hand, in the mobilization period the industry would require only a fraction of the number of watch assemblers, adjusters and inspectors that are currently employed. However, many of these skilled horological workers could be utilized in ordnance production, but would not be using their specialized horological skills. This study is primarily concerned with the need for key technical and skilled workers. But, firms in the industry must also be considered as highly specialized operating units carrying on a unique technology. It is recognized that such manufacturing units are difficult to replace.

4. Based on an analysis of nine jobs (See Table 6) considered representative of unique skills in the jeweled-lever industry, it is concluded that counterparts exist in the pin-lever segment of the clock and watch industry.

This appears true, at least, for eight of the nine jobs.
The ninth job, Diamond-Tool Maker, is not found in the
pin-lever industry which utilizes carbide rather than
diamond tools. With respect to plants outside the clock
and watch industry, four of the nine sample jobs were
identified as counterparts to those occurring in the

jeweled-lever industry. These are the types of jobs which
generally cut across industrial lines, and include
Automatic Screw-Machine Set-Up Man; Diamond-Tool Maker;
Methods Engineer; and Tool-and-Die Maker, The remaining
five jobs were not identified in the plants surveyed
outside of the clock and watch industry, This was to
be expected since many industries develop techniques and
methods that are specific to a product unique to that
industry. The jobs found only in the clock and watch

industry include Final Inspector; Hairspring Truer; Model
Maker; Watch Adjuster; and Watchmaker.

The appearance of

the job of Model Maker in the latter list should be qualified somewhat.

That part of the job of Model Maker in

volved in machining miniature parts to close tolerances is
found outside of the clock and watch industry. The job
duties and work techniques, however, involved in assembling
the parts, into a finished movement and bringing the movement
to a specific standard of time were found only in the clock
and watch industry. Outside of the clock and watch industry,
Model Makers assemble components unique to their industry,
such as precision aircraft instruments.

(b) Technology and Tolerances:

For the most part, jobs identified as counterparts to one
of the nine, sample jeweled-lever jobs, utilize the same
methods and techniques; require the use of comparable tools
and machines; draw on comparable skills and knowledges; and
require adherence to comparable tolerances. The range of

workpiece dimensions dealt with in the jeweled-lever industry