Policies & IssuesFeb 03, 2026
Tariff Relief on Horizon for India as Trump, Modi Make DealPresident Trump said he has reached a trade deal with India, which, when made official, will bring relief to the country’s diamond industry.
WatchesAug 08, 2017
Veterans Watchmaker Initiative to Launch in September
Operating for now in a temporary facility in Odessa, Delaware, the school will teach watchmaking skills to disabled veterans.
The Veterans Watchmaker Initiative is kicking off its first class on Sept. 5 in Odessa, Delaware.
Odessa, Del.--It’s been five years in the making, but a program designed to offer free classes on watchmaking to disabled veterans is ready to launch.
Right after Labor Day, the Veterans Watchmaker Initiative will hold its first class.
The idea for the school started in 2012 with Sam Cannan, a retired police officer from Baltimore who trained in Switzerland and has been a watchmaker for the past 30 years. He also has served as the director of the National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors School of Horology.
Cannan designed the school to mirror the one Bulova opened in 1945 to train disabled servicemen at no cost. It closed in the late 1990s.
There will be no cost to students of the Veterans Watchmaker Initiative either; all costs are and will continue to be underwritten largely by the watchmaking industry, grants and private donations.
Once their education is finished, the veterans then aim to find a job in some aspect of watchmaking. In fact, there’s a place on the Veterans Watchmaking Initiative website for retailers or watch service centers who are interested in hiring a graduate of the initiative.
The program is dedicated to honorably discharged veterans, specifically those who have been disabled. The watchmaking skills they gain from the school give them a chance to provide for themselves and their families, Cannan said.
“For the first time in a long time, they have control over their lives,” he said, adding that the actual work of watchmaking also is therapeutic for many of them, as it is a skill that can be worked in the quiet and at their own pace.
Right now, the school is operating out of a facility in Odessa, Delaware called The Odessa Center for Horological Excellence. Cannan cut a deal to rent the space, the former county paramedic station, from the New Castle County government for $1 per year after learning they were going to tear it down.
Fittingly, the town has a long history in the clock-making business, according to the Historic Odessa Foundation. The organization told the Middletown Transcript the craftsmen who made clocks and clock cases in the area date back to the 1700s.
A CAD rendering of what the final facility housing the Veterans Watchmaker Initiative in Middletown, Delaware will look like
The classroom in the Odessa facility
But four acres have been donated to the initiative in nearby Middletown, which will be the permanent site of the school once enough money is raised to fund construction.
It will be a 28,000-square-foot facility, serving
54 students at a time and include not only classrooms but also administrative offices, a gym, a dining hall and more.
The Odessa facility then will become a full-time service center for those veterans who have finished their training but did not want to work in the public arena. Cannan said the building would be able to hold about 20 employees doing service and repairs for customers like a “for profit” business.
The first class to kick off the initiative is a watch technician course, starting Sept. 5. It will have six students.
Currently, there are more than 300 people waiting to join the program, Cannan said. Instructors will all be volunteering their time.
Its curriculum includes a full Professional Veterans Watchmaker Training Program, which requires students to take a total of 1,840 class hours (about 14 months). There also will be a six-week (260 hours) watch technician option.
On Wednesday, Sept. 13, there will be a grand opening event at the center in Odessa, celebrating the launch of a project that took five years to build but which will benefit many.
“When people ask me, ‘What’s in it for you?’ I tell them: If you don’t understand when you see that change that comes over them when they’ve learned something like this, you’ll never understand,” Cannan said.
The Odessa facility then will become a full-time service center for those veterans who have finished their training but did not want to work in the public arena. Cannan said the building would be able to hold about 20 employees doing service and repairs for customers like a “for profit” business.
The first class to kick off the initiative is a watch technician course, starting Sept. 5. It will have six students.
Currently, there are more than 300 people waiting to join the program, Cannan said. Instructors will all be volunteering their time.
Its curriculum includes a full Professional Veterans Watchmaker Training Program, which requires students to take a total of 1,840 class hours (about 14 months). There also will be a six-week (260 hours) watch technician option.
On Wednesday, Sept. 13, there will be a grand opening event at the center in Odessa, celebrating the launch of a project that took five years to build but which will benefit many.
“When people ask me, ‘What’s in it for you?’ I tell them: If you don’t understand when you see that change that comes over them when they’ve learned something like this, you’ll never understand,” Cannan said.
More on Watches
The Latest
CollectionsFeb 03, 2026
Jade Trau Releases New Charms, Introduces RondellesThe designer’s latest collection takes inspiration from her classic designs, reimagining the motifs in new forms.
SourcingFeb 03, 2026
Nivoda Reveals Upgraded Gemstone MarketplaceThe company also announced a new partnership with GemGuide and the pending launch of an education-focused membership program.
Brought to you by
The MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program: Attracting & Training the Next Generation of Bench JewelersLaunched in 2023, the program will help the passing of knowledge between generations and alleviate the shortage of bench jewelers.
GradingFeb 02, 2026
IGI to Acquire American Gemological Laboratories IGI is buying the colored gemstone grading laboratory through IGI USA, and AGL will continue to operate as its own brand.
Weekly QuizJan 29, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CrimeFeb 02, 2026
Ylang 23’s Dallas Store BurglarizedThe Texas jeweler said its team is “incredibly resilient” and thanked its community for showing support.
EditorsFeb 02, 2026
Stars Choose Chokers, Elongated Earrings at 2026 GrammysFrom cool-toned metal to ring stacks, Associate Editor Natalie Francisco highlights the jewelry trends she spotted at the Grammy Awards.
Brought to you by
How Jewelers Can Fight Back Against Cell JammersCriminals are using cell jammers to disable alarms, but new technology like JamAlert™ can stop them.
CollectionsFeb 02, 2026
2026 Winter Olympic Medal Design Symbolizes UnityThe medals feature a split-texture design highlighting the fact that the 2026 Olympics are taking place in two different cities.
SurveysJan 30, 2026
These Are the Top Brands of 2026, Says YouGovFrom tech platforms to candy companies, here’s how some of the highest-ranking brands earned their spot on the list.
CollectionsJan 30, 2026
Follow the Beat With Etiq’s ‘Khol’ RingThe “Khol” ring, our Piece of the Week, transforms the traditional Indian Khol drum into playful jewelry through hand-carved lapis.
MajorsJan 30, 2026
Arch Crown’s 2026 ‘Tag & Label’ Catalog Is HereThe catalog includes more than 100 styles of stock, pre-printed, and custom tags and labels, as well as bar code technology products.
CollectionsJan 29, 2026
Ghirardelli’s ‘Chocolocket’ Returns for Valentine’s DayThe chocolatier is bringing back its chocolate-inspired locket, offering sets of two to celebrate “perfect pairs.”
AuctionsJan 29, 2026
These Were Bonhams’ Top 10 Jewelry Lots in 2025The top lot of the year was a 1930s Cartier tiara owned by Nancy, Viscountess Astor, which sold for $1.2 million in London last summer.
SourcingJan 29, 2026
Stuller Website to Mark AGTA-Sourced GemstonesAny gemstones on Stuller.com that were sourced by an AGTA vendor member will now bear the association’s logo.
SourcingJan 28, 2026
Ethical Gem Fair to Debut Designer Showcase in TucsonThe new addition will feature finished jewelry created using “consciously sourced” gemstones.
ColumnistsJan 28, 2026
Peter Smith: Setting the Next Generation Up for SuccessIn his new column, Smith advises playing to your successor's strengths and resisting the urge to become a backseat driver.
SurveysJan 28, 2026
Consumer Confidence Falls Below Pandemic Lows in JanuaryThe index fell to its lowest level since May 2014 amid concerns about the present and the future.
IndependentsJan 28, 2026
Foundrae Heads to Aspen for Latest Store OpeningThe new store in Aspen, Colorado, takes inspiration from a stately library for its intimate yet elevated interior design.
FinancialsJan 28, 2026
Tiffany & Co., Bulgari Sales Resilient as LVMH’s 2025 Sales SlipThe brands’ high jewelry collections performed especially well last year despite a challenging environment.
CollectionsJan 27, 2026
De Beers London, GemFair Debut New Collection Highlighting Artisanal DiamondsThe collection marks the first time GemFair’s artisanal diamonds will be brought directly to consumers.
SourcingJan 27, 2026
GemGuide Launches Pricing for Montana SapphiresThe initial charts are for blue, teal, and green material, each grouped into three charts categorized as good, fine, and extra fine.
TechnologyJan 27, 2026
Clientbook Launches Appointment Booking ToolThe new tool can assign the appropriate associate based on the client or appointment type and automate personalized text message follow-ups.
SourcingJan 26, 2026
Tucson Preview 2026: Earthy Tones and Innovative Shapes Buyers are expected to gravitate toward gemstones that have a little something special, just like last year.
SourcingJan 26, 2026
Angolan Diamond Cos. Join NDC as Rio Tinto, Murowa Exit Endiama and Sodiam will contribute money to the marketing of natural diamonds as new members of the Natural Diamond Council.
MajorsJan 26, 2026
Francesca’s To Close All StoresThe retailer operates more than 450 boutiques across 45 states, according to its website.
MajorsJan 26, 2026
BIJC Names 5 New Board MembersThe new members’ skills span communications, business development, advocacy, and industry leadership.
