We’ve mentioned Canada quite a bit in regards to different aspects of watchmaking history lately. Due to its colonial relations with Great Britain, Canada has always been home to a wide array of different watch and clock brands – most of which were imported. Like most countries Canada has a long history with clocks, with the first often being town clocks or other ‘public’ clocks. The oldest surviving of such clocks is that of Montréal’s St. Sulpice Seminary from 1705, with many other younger ones scattered around the country. However, one aspect of horology that is particularly important to the watch sector’s development in a country is having successful watchmaking schools. These schools not only pass on new and old information but also train the next generation of watchmakers, repairmen, and dealers.
In Canada, the first of such institutions was The Canadian Horological institute, a short-lived watchmaking school founded in Toronto in 1890. Before the Institute’s founding, watchmakers in Canada were either foreign-trained immigrants, Canadians who trained abroad and returned to work in their home country, or those who learned as apprentices in shops. The school was founded by Henry R. Playtner (1865-1943), who was of German descent from Preston Ontario, and Edward Beeton. It would’ve been a hub of sorts for all things or studies horological in Canada as the only watchmaking school in the country. Toronto was the natural choice of cities, as it was then and is still the most populous and cosmopolitan city in the country. Regarding school operations, Playtner and Beeton were partners, but the latter left after only two months. This left Playtner to operate the school and its diploma program, that lasted up to two years.
Henry R. Playtner’s school picture / Credit: WURM Hastings
As is often the case with watchmaking schools, The Canadian Horological Institute closed in 1913, supposedly due to a lack of enrollment. Playtner wrote a book about the school in 1904 before moving on to work at Elgin’s Watchmaking College. Extensive research into the subject of The Canadian Horological Institute has been done by Gary Fox, who wrote the book Canada's Master Watchmaker Henry R. Playtner and the Canadian Horological Institute in 2012. Henry Playtner himself was a skilled watchmaker and is also known for his lecture titled An analysis of the lever escapement, that he delivered in front of the Canadian Watchmakers’ and Retail Jewelers’ Association that was printed circa 1910.
Keyless Hunter-case tourbillon pocket watch dated to 1899, that according to Bonhams comes from Clarence K. Weaver, a student at the Canadian Horological Institute. / Credit: Bonhams
This may have been one of the masterpieces that certain graduates of the third and highest level of the Institute made as a project. / Credit: Bonhams
Another such old watchmaking school in Canada is the École nationale de l'horlogerie à Trois-Rivières. Currently, Canada’s only surviving watchmaking school. The École nationale de l'horlogerie à Trois-Rivières held its first class on March 4th, 1946 with 16 students in Trois-Rivières, with an emphasis and training WWII veterans in an effort to provide skills and employments after the conflict had ended. This school was founded by Jacques Giroux who as a watchmaker and teacher and still operates today on Rue Saint Paul near the St. Lawrence river in Trois-Rivières.
By: Andres Ibarguen
Read more:
Lavoie, Paul & C. Brooks, Randall. “Clocks and Watches.” The Canadian Encyclopedia, https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/clocks-and-watches.
The Canadian Clock Museum/Fox, Gary. “The Canadian Horological Institute (Toronto 1890-1913).” The Canadian Clock Museum, http://www.canclockmuseum.ca/links/Horological_Organizations/2040.html#:~:text=THE%20CANADIAN%20HOROLOGICAL%20INSTITUTE%20was,States%20as%20well%20as%20Canada. (Fox has notably done much work on the subject.)
A copy of Playtner’s book is available online at Canadiana/the Canadian Research Knowledge Network (at the time of writing).
“Histoire de l’école nationale de l’horlogerie de Trois-Rivières.” École nationale de l'horlogerie à Trois-Rivières.
Peritz, Ingrid. “Time is running out for Canada’s last watchmaking school.” The Globe and Mail, November 2nd, 2012, https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/time-is-running-out-for-canadas-last-watchmaking-school/article4899835/.