A1 CLASSIC CLOCKS MELBOURNE is a small family business at the heart of which is Mr Geoffrey James Robinson, known to friends and clients as James or Jim. Jim is a fully qualified Watch and Clock Maker with more than fifty years experience. He was born in Manchester, England , into a family where there has been at least five generations of Watch and Clockmakers. Some of his earliest childhood memories are of being allowed in his uncle's horological workroom and he was always fascinated with what he found there. He became apprenticed to his uncle. In those days, the Watch & Clockmaking Apprenticeship was of seven years. Jim also attended a Polytech College and graduated with City and Guilds (engineering). He was granted membership of the British Horological Institute, the oldest learned institute, later being elected a Craft Member (CMBHI) and finally, made a Fellow (FBHI), the highest qualification.   The Amorial bearing you see above is the official Armorial bearing of British Horological Institute.

Married, with two sons, Jim brought his family to Australia and became a member of the Horological Guild of Australasia. He initially worked  as a Watchmaker for Precision Watches, then Australian Agent for Omega Watches, before being recruited by The Myer Emporium  as foreman of the Watch and Clock Department Work Shop, overseeing eight tradesmen.

For the last forty years, Jim and his wife Souzanna have run their own Watch and Clockmaking business, firstly under the name of G.J. & S. Robinson Pty. Ltd. and later, incorporating the trading name of A1 Classic Clocks Melbourne . Souzanna helps in the workroom, looks after paper work etc. and is always there to make coffee for a customer for whom Jim may be doing a small ‘while you wait job'.
 
 

 

 

During his long experience, Jim has worked on every sort of time piece, from the smallest watch to the largest of clocks. His high skill enables him to make any part and whilst he says that some jobs can still be challenging, he has never failed to complete a satisfactory repair, no matter how bad a condition a clock or watch has been in when it came to him

Jim is now perhaps the most senior watch and clockmaker in Australia and if asked why is he still doing it after all those years, he simply would say because he still loves the work and still loves to see the smiles on clients' faces when they see their favourite watch or clock rejuvenated.

Jim and Souzanna now have three children, including a daughter who was born in Australia . Their two sons are both married to Australian girls and each has presented two Grandchildren. It may not have been our intention to stay permanently when we first came to Australia says Jim “.... but I think now, that we may stay a little longer!” he says.