by Ken Henderson
3/31/2019

Our town is famous for many things but did you know we have a renowned horologist in our midst?  John Losch of Washington St. is one who understands the inner workings of fine time pieces and clocks. A “clock whisperer” if you will. It all started with a mechanically inquisitive boy growing up in Auburndale, on the edge of Waltham.   Yes, the city of famous clock makers.  Part time jobs during college with different clock shops would pave the way of John’s professional life.  Life led him to Howard Clocks and then to the renowned H.J. Olsen Clock Company where John’s skills were further refined before going out on his own. 

Before long, John’s reputation as one of the 'go to' clock shops connected him with serious clock and watch collectors. Oftentimes the work entailed fabricating parts and restoring the inner workings of clocks and scientific instruments from Harvard University, the Smithsonian, and other museums.  At this point, John turned to writing for trade magazines about techniques and approaches for helping others in the field solve the myriad of challenges clocks present.  He often shared his mantra “you can’t fix a clock until you know how it was built.”  Being a trustee of Willard Clock Museum of Grafton, Ma, the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, the American Watch and Clock Museum and the British Horological Institute put him in touch with serious collectors. Collectors of valuable time pieces needed talented artisans to restore their investments.  Again, John was the go to guy for these high end projects. 

Retirement time allows John the opportunity to pass his breadth of experience on to others by speaking at conventions and continuing his love of writing about what else, clocks. When we find something we love doing and get paid to do it, we have found the best of both worlds. Now you know another reason Holliston is a special place.

Article by Ken Henderson in collaboration with John Losch.