Watchmaking in Morocco: A Quiet Craft Finding Its Time
And How Vingtsecondes Is Helping Shape a New Generation
Watchmaking has always been associated with faraway places—Swiss valleys, European workshops, century-old maisons. Morocco is rarely mentioned in that conversation. Yet, quietly and steadily, something is changing.
Across cities like Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech, and Tangier, a new curiosity is growing around mechanical watches. Not just wearing them—but understanding them, opening them, restoring them, and preserving their stories. Watchmaking in Morocco may not have a long institutional history, but it has something just as powerful: patience, craftsmanship, and a deep respect for objects that last.
A Culture That Understands Repair, Not Replacement
In Morocco, repair has always been part of daily life. Shoes are resoled, radios are fixed, furniture is restored. Watches followed the same path. For decades, local horlogers worked quietly in small shops, changing crystals, regulating movements, replacing worn parts—often with limited tools but remarkable skill.
These craftsmen rarely called themselves “watchmakers” in the European sense, yet they kept countless watches alive. Mechanical watches passed from father to son, worn daily, repaired repeatedly. Timepieces weren’t disposable; they were companions.
What was missing wasn’t talent—it was access. Access to proper tools, structured learning, quality parts, and a modern bridge between tradition and today’s watch culture.
The Rise of a New Generation of Watch Enthusiasts
In recent years, Morocco has seen a shift. Social media, global watch communities, and vintage markets have sparked curiosity among younger enthusiasts. People want to know:
- How does a movement actually work?
- What’s inside this vintage Seiko or Omega
- Can I restore a watch myself instead of just polishing it?
But enthusiasm alone isn’t enough. Opening a watch without the right tools can do more harm than good. Learning watchmaking requires guidance, patience, and equipment designed for precision—not improvisation.
This is where Vingtsecondes enters the picture.
Vingtsecondes: A Moroccan Brand Built on Respect for Time
Vingtsecondes is not just selling watches or tools. It’s building confidence in Moroccan watch enthusiasts.
As a Moroccan brand, Vingtsecondes understands the local reality:
- Beginners want to learn but don’t know where to start
- Tools are often hard to find or overpriced
- Information exists online, but it’s scattered and intimidating
Instead of copying foreign models, Vingtsecondes focuses on accessibility and education. The goal is simple but ambitious:
Make watchmaking less mysterious and more approachable.
Through curated vintage watches, restoration content, and practical kits like the First Movement Kit, the brand encourages people to go beyond cleaning—to actually open a watch, handle a movement, and understand the mechanics behind timekeeping.
Contributing to the Industry, One Beginner at a Time
Vingtsecondes’ contribution isn’t about mass production or industrial scale. It’s about planting seeds.
Every beginner who safely opens their first watch, every person who learns hand–eye control with real tools, every enthusiast who chooses to restore instead of discard—this is how an industry grows organically.
By providing:
- Proper watchmaking tools
- Educational content in a relatable, non-elitist tone
- A Moroccan perspective rooted in local culture
Vingtsecondes helps create something Morocco has long needed: a community around watchmaking, not just watch selling.
Looking Forward: Morocco’s Place in Watchmaking
Morocco may never compete with Switzerland in volume, but it doesn’t need to. What it can offer is a new voice—one based on restoration, sustainability, and respect for mechanical heritage.
Watchmaking here is still young, still informal, still learning. And that’s exactly what makes it exciting.
With brands like Vingtsecondes supporting education and curiosity, Morocco’s watch culture is no longer just about wearing time—it’s about understanding it.
And sometimes, that’s where the most meaningful craftsmanship begins.