In this activity each student will learn about the design and construction of a mechanical watch. The student will take apart a watch movement and put it back together, with practical instruction from Stan McMahan (a watchmaking instructor), with help from Jack Kurdzionak and Steve Boynton (professional watchmakers), and Prof. Jerry Sussman (an amateur watchmaker).  The entire exercise will take 4 hours.  Each session will be limited to 8 students. Students need no prior experience, and all tools and materials will be provided by the instructors, as needed.

Limited enrollment:

We can have only 32 students for this activity. Each student will attend only one 4-hour session with seven other students. We will give preference to undergraduate students who have not participated in this activity in previous years. Participants will get a confirmation email with the location of the worskshop after registration closes. 

You must sign up for exactly one of the 4-hour sessions:

Saturday, 24 January 2026, 9AM-1PM
Saturday, 24 January 2026, 2:30PM-6:30PM
Sunday, 25 January 2026, 9AM-1PM
Sunday, 25 January 2026, 2:30PM-6:30PM

Registration is now closed.

As part of this activity, Professor Sussman will give a lecture on the theory of the mechanical watch and its
relationship to an electronic impulse-driven oscillator. There will be a discussion of friction (resistance) and its effect on Q and timing precision.  The lecture will explain why it is essential for the impulse to be supplied to the oscillator at the zero crossings of the angle, and why the oscillator will enter a limit cycle of a known amplitude.

The lecture is open to the MIT community.  It will be at 11:30 AM-12:30PM in 32-155 on Friday, 23 January 2026.