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LITITZ, Pa. -- The daughter of an auto mechanic, Brigitte Keesey has a combination of interests that make her a good candidate for working with intricate and beautiful timepieces.
"I used to work in a woodshop, and I was in school for art," Keesey said. "If you combine the two of them, somewhere you find watch repair."
Keesey, 23, is in the first class of students at the Lititz Watch Technicum Swiss manufacturer Rolex's answer to the dearth of skilled watchmakers that has occurred amid the popularity of electronic quartz timepieces.
The school is run by a foundation created by Rolex and is operated under the guidance of a Swiss institution. It opened in September in this Pennsylvania Dutch region that has long ties to clock and watch craftsmanship.
The tuition-free school, which plans to take in 12 artisans a year, is a step toward filling a growing void only 10 watchmaking schools remain in the United States, compared to 44 in the mid '70s, according to the American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute.
An overabundance of watchmakers and the growing popularity of cheaper quartz watches in the 1970s led to tough times in the business as well as a widespread belief...