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A business that stands the test of time...

Brien K. Dews CC21 AWCI began learning his craft at his father’s knee, literally. After completing an apprenticeship with a clockmaker in North Muskegon, Michigan, Larry Dews opened “It’s About Time,” a clock repair business in the converted garage of the family home. Brien was age 6 at the time and soon was spending several hours per week in the shop watching his father and other repair persons employed there. By the age of 18, he was the primary bench technician in the family owned and operated business, then called “Clock Doctors.” Upon graduation from high school, Brien worked his way through college repairing clocks for the family business, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Anthropology from Grand Valley State University.

When Brien’s father retired from the bench in 1992, Brien assumed the responsibilities of General Manager of Clock Doctors. He ran the day-to-day business operations and performed repairs until December 1996 when the decision to sell Clock Doctors was made.

After Brien ensured the smooth transition of Clock Doctors and trained the new owner, he spent two years at “Klingman’s,” what was at the time, Michigan’s largest retail clock shop. His passion for “the bench” could not be shaken, however, and in 1997 started “All Good Time Clock Service” from the smallest room of a two bedroom apartment. “All Good Time” grew quickly and in 1999 Brien left his “day job” at Klingman’s and got back to full time repair. The apartment was long outgrown, as were two homes, so All Good Time Clock Service eventually settled into a building in downtown Rockford, Michigan.

In 2000, Brien earned and received his Certified Clockmakers certificate from the American Watchmakers – Clockmakers Institute (AWCI), to which he is a lifetime member. Brien is a graduate of Laurie Penman’s clock making course and several specialty courses offered by the AWCI, Mr. Steven Conover and other clock repair mentors. These courses include the Atmos Clock by Jaeger LeCoultre and studies of both the deadbeat escapement and platform escapements, pocket watch repair and the AWCI gear cutting course.

In 2003 Brien was appointed to the Education Committee of the AWCI and assisted in the drafting of the 21st Century standards for clockmakers. In addition, Brien has served on the editorial committee of the Horological Times, the official trade publication of the AWCI. He also belongs to the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) and their local chapters.

Today, Brien’s shop, Third Coast Clock Service, is located just outside of downtown Rockford, still serving the entire state of Michigan and the northern areas of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois with mobile repair service.