Mendota Heights Specialist Fixes Clocks While Losing Track of Time

At the top of every hour, Wes Cutter's basement workroom becomes a nuanced blend of chimes, bells and buzzes, with a faint cuckoo bird tweeting from somewhere in the mix.

The sound is beautiful to Cutter, who runs his own watch and clock repair company, , from his home. The space is filled with every type of timepiece, sent to him from across the country. In one corner, a stately grandfather clock from South Carolina needs to be able to chime again, while on the workbench, a tiny watch from the 1930s requires a few tweaks to be able to run at all. A clock with wooden gears and hand-painted numbers nestles next to an elaborately decorated, classic clock, and shelves of old alarm clocks wait to be dismantled for parts.

The room's equipment, miscellaneous clock workings and precise instruments represent a haven for Cutter, who said that when his wife goes to work, there's nothing he loves more than heading downstairs and, ironically, losing track of time.

"The variety can be amazing, and there's always a challenge," he said. "It's like a constant puzzle, putting these things back together. Every day is different."

Cutter became interested in timepieces when he was 10 years old. Both of his parents were engineers, and he thought they'd be understanding if he took a shot at dismantling a clock once owned by his grandmother. They weren't, but Cutter took it on as a hobby anyway.

During a career as a litigator, his interest grew and eventually he "fired himself" from his corporate job in 2001 and became a full-time clock and watch repair professional. He earned recognition as a "21st Century Certified Clockmaker," a designation that's so difficult to earn in the industry that only five other individuals in the U.S. hold the certification.

Watch repair education courses at places like St. Paul College offer 100 percent placement, said Cutter, due to the high demand for repair and the low number of specialists.

As a result of the knowledge gap, Cutter has plenty to keep him busy in the workroom. He receives timepieces from individuals, jewelers, museums and collectors. He's even taken on a part-time apprentice, a retired police officer who once worked in the bomb squad. The range of requests spans the breadth of innovation in the timepiece industry, from the latest digital clocks to pocket watches from the Revolutionary War era.

"Every so often, I get a treasure," he said. "Part of the service that I provide is to tell the customer about the watch or clock, let them know where it probably came from, and how old it might be, then give an estimate on its worth."

Sometimes, that information surprises people, and he enjoys that "Antiques Roadshow" kind of moment when he can tell someone about an heirloom that turns out to be quite valuable.

In the small amount of free time he has, Cutter also fixes jewelry, makes some rings of his own, and grows orchids. "I always have to keep moving," he said.

One of his greatest accomplishments was eventually getting a chance to repair his grandmother's clock, which he'd broken so long before. "That brought it full circle," he said with a smile.