Apprentice from Sinn Spezialuhren wins national watchmaking competition

The winner of the national watchmaking competition has been announced: Johannes Boenkendorf, watchmaker at Sinn Spezialuhren, took first place in the national competition in Würzburg and now officially holds the title of ‘National Watchmaking Champion.

Every year, Germany's best young watchmakers compete against each other at this event. Beforehand, they undergo a demanding qualification process: first, the trainees with the best final grades are identified at regional level. In the national competition, these regional winners compete for the title of national champion. Participation is voluntary.

Eight hour examination task with demanding requirements

As part of this year’s national competition, the finalists were required to produce a model of a motion work in an eight hour practical examination. The motion work is an assembly within a mechanical watch and consists of the following components: the cannon pinion which carries the minute hand and rotates once per hour, and the hour wheel with hour pipe, which carries the hour hand and rotates once every 12 hours. The hour wheel and the cannon pinion are connected via the intermediate wheel or pinion, which transmits the motion. The hour wheel and hour pipe themselves were not included in the manufactured model.

The candidates were provided with technical drawings and the necessary raw materials; they were permitted to use their own tools. Particular emphasis was placed on ensuring smooth functionality and adherence to very tight tolerances. The application of specific surface finishes also required a high level of skill. Despite the challenging task and the strict time limit, Johannes Boenkendorf completed the work on time. The examination took place at the Franz Oberthür School in Würzburg, the vocational school attended by apprentices from Sinn Spezialuhren.

“Pendulum Wall Clock” project as a key success factor

Johannes Boenkendorf regards the in-house training project “Pendulum Wall Clock” as an important foundation of his success. “In this project, all apprentices independently manufacture a complete pendulum wall clock under the guidance of our training manager, Jessica Schmitt from the movement and the case through to the hands and the pendulum. This gives us comprehensive knowledge in work preparation and production coordination,” he explains. In addition, apprentices gain intensive practical experience in manufacturing complex movement components. Johannes Boenkendorf was able to apply all of these skills directly in the national competition.

Award presented by the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks, ZDH)

This outstanding achievement was honoured by the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (ZDH) at a formal ceremony held on 5 December in Frankfurt am Main. Together with other young craftspeople from around 130 professions who also emerged as national champions in their respective competitions, Johannes Boenkendorf received his certificate and a trophy.

High importance of training at Sinn Spezialuhren

The training of young watchmakers has traditionally been of great importance at Sinn Spezialuhren. The craft demands a broad range of skills from historical to electronic timepieces, from theoretical foundations to specialised expertise in maintenance and restoration. The promotion of traditional craft techniques is one of six firmly established company´s goals.

We have been training watchmakers for many years and supporting their further education and qualification right through to the master craftsman level,” explains owner Lothar Schmidt. “This commitment makes a significant contribution to securing the future of our company.”

Training manager Jessica Schmitt emphasises the high quality of the training provided: “The repeated successes of our apprentices from chamber and state awards through to national titles are based on high training standards. These include a modern, well equipped training workshop and a dedicated workstation for every apprentice.”

About the company

The name Sinn Spezialuhren stands for highly functional mechanical timepieces used by pilots, divers, firefighters, emergency doctors, rescue workers, special units of the German police force such as the GSG 9, Germany’s commando frogman force KSM (Kommando Spezialkräfte der Marine) and the special unit of the German Central Customs Support Group ZUZ (Zentrale Unterstützungsgruppe Zoll). In particular, it is with technologies like DIAPAL, Ar-Dehumidifying Technology, HYDRO, TEGIMENT and Magnetic Field Protection that SINN watches continually show their durability, longevity, quality and precision both in everyday life and in extreme situations. During the development process, SINN Spezialuhren bases the design of its watches firmly on the required functionality.

For more information, please visit sinn.de