Analogue Automotive Clock Restoration Course
Online 300 h course in analogue automotive clock restoration. 6 modules covering ISO 3159 (wristwatch chronographs with balance-wheel escapement), ISO 764 (watchmaking: magnetic resistance) and Watch-O-Scope. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Analogue Automotive Clock Restoration Course — studying from New Zealand
Vehicle restoration and classic engine work in New Zealand is supported by an active enthusiast community and a well-established network of specialist workshops, particularly around the main centres. Historic vehicle registration and compliance fall under the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, and the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand promotes preservation of historic vehicles. Restoration professionals often combine fabrication, engineering and heritage conservation skills.
Fees for New Zealand: NZ$1,470 (New Zealand dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in New Zealand
Typical roles
Questions from New Zealand
Is restoration engineering recognised by a professional body in New Zealand?
There is no specific statutory register for classic vehicle or heritage restoration engineers in New Zealand. Heritage matters can involve Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, and vehicle roadworthiness is governed by the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so their value depends on the employer or client.
Where do classic restoration specialists work in New Zealand?
Work is found in independent restoration workshops, classic car dealers, museums, and specialist fabrication businesses, many clustered around the main centres. Clients and employers usually judge by workmanship and a portfolio of completed restorations. A private qualification may complement that evidence but is rarely a deciding factor on its own.
Can I study this while running or working in a workshop here?
Yes. The course is fully online and taught in English, so you can study from home in New Zealand without a student visa. Specialist courses total 300 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and master's programmes 1,900 hours. An assigned technical tutor supports you, and fees can be paid in instalments.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Classify on-board clocks by technology and period.
Explain how the mechanical movement, escapement and balance wheel work.
Diagnose automatic-winding electric and quartz clocks.
Clean, lubricate and repair movements using watchmaking techniques.
Restore dials, hands and cases while respecting their original appearance.
Regulate the rate with a timing machine and verify its operation.
Document the service carried out and its warranty.
Who it's for
- Automotive clock restorer who wants to specialise in Analogue Automotive Clock Restoration.
- Watchmaker specialising in on-board instruments who wants to specialise in Analogue Automotive Clock Restoration.
- Vehicle instrumentation technician for classic vehicles who wants to specialise in Analogue Automotive Clock Restoration.
- Restorer of dials and hands who wants to specialise in Analogue Automotive Clock Restoration.
- Service provider for collections who wants to specialise in Analogue Automotive Clock Restoration.
- Odometer and clock repair technician who wants to specialise in Analogue Automotive Clock Restoration.
- Graduates in engineering or science looking to enter vehicle instrumentation restoration.
What you'll work with
- ISO 3159 (wristwatch chronographs with balance-wheel escapement)
- ISO 764 (watchmaking: magnetic resistance)
- ISO 1413 (shock-resistant watches)
- ISO 6426-1 (watchmaking vocabulary)
- NIHS standards (Swiss watch industry)
- Directive 2006/66/EC (batteries and accumulators)
- Turin Charter (FIVA, 2013)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Dashboard and glovebox clocks1.2Manually wound clocks1.3Solenoid-recharged electric clocks1.4Early quartz clocks1.5Common makes and calibres1.6Identifying the calibre1.7Documentation and exploded diagrams1.8Necessary watchmaking tools1.9Clean and tidy workstation1.10Workshop: identifying a calibre
2.1Mainspring and barrel2.2Train and gears2.3Escapement and anchor wheel2.4Balance wheel, hairspring and their regulation2.5Jewels and bearings2.6End-shake and side-shake2.7Lubrication: points and products2.8Efficiency and power reserve2.9Causes of movement stoppage2.10Practice: stripping and reassembling a movement
3.1Recharge solenoid and contacts3.2Capacitors and spark suppression3.3Power supply from the vehicle's system3.4Consumption and battery discharge3.5Quartz movements and their battery3.6Coil repair3.7Contact corrosion3.8Diagnosing a clock that does not work3.9Compatibility with vehicle voltage3.10Practice: repairing an electric clock
4.1Movement cleaning and products4.2Ultrasonic cleaning in watchmaking: judgement4.3Repairing pivots and arbors4.4Replacing jewels4.5Broken mainsprings and their replacement4.6Manufacturing small parts4.7Donor parts and their ethics4.8Cleaning check before assembly4.9Drying and final lubrication4.10Practice: complete cleaning and lubrication
5.1Cleaning delicate dials5.2Dial reproduction and judgement5.3Hands: straightening and repainting5.4Acrylic and mineral glass5.5Polishing glass5.6Cases, bezels and finishes5.7Gaskets and dust sealing5.8Clock illumination5.9Fitting into the dashboard5.10Practice: dial and hand restoration
6.1Measuring the clock's rate6.2Fine regulation and its method6.3Reasonable tolerances in a period clock6.4Endurance tests6.5Recommended periodic maintenance6.6Customer service and quotations6.7Conservation of the original movement6.8Common errors and irreversible damage6.9Documented real cases6.10Final project: documented restoration of an automotive clock
How you'll learn
100 % online training on the SEIUM Institute campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetable: students progress at their own pace within the intake, making it possible to combine with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Watch-O-Scope, Advanced Excel, Fusion 360, Adobe Illustrator, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real regulation procedures with a timing machine, a movement stripping workshop, and verification of the clock fitted in the dashboard. Assessment is continuous per module plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Classify on-board clocks by technology and period.
Explain how the mechanical movement, escapement and balance wheel work.
Diagnose automatic-winding electric and quartz clocks.
Clean, lubricate and repair movements using watchmaking techniques.
Restore dials, hands and cases while respecting their original appearance.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish to follow technical regulatory reading.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
The course uses Watch-O-Scope, Advanced Excel, Fusion 360 and Adobe Illustrator. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An SEIUM Institute diploma on passing the continuous assessment and the integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official Ministry qualification.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area can be credited towards the advanced programme. Check the credit transfer policy when you enrol.
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