The Adventures of Alena Diaz
By Kathleen Cardwell
While “pivot” is a common term in the world of watchmaking, it’s also heard frequently in corporate boardrooms and entrepreneurs’ offices, when it refers to an adjustment or a modification that’s needed to adapt to changes, or in some cases, improve end results. This particular word bounced around in my head a few times while I was talking with Alena Diaz, an independent watchmaker located in Seattle, Washington. I decided to explore the word a bit. According to Jacqueline Kirtley of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, “the word ‘pivot’ is evocative,” which I hadn’t really considered. She also said, “You think of basketball players who have planted one foot and changed direction but kept that one foot down…there’s something you keep, but you change your direction very completely.”
Alena’s story has a few substantial pivots, some of which were the result of circumstances out of her control. Other changes in her career direction were fueled by her ambition and her tenacity. With each pivot, she was keenly aware of where she had been, and how she had to adjust.
In some ways, Alena’s destiny began to take shape when she was less than 10 years old.
Flying Fairy Dolls, Cars, and a Discovery
Her intriguing path to watchmaking is partly rooted in her childhood and her upbringing. As a youngster growing up in the late 80s, she was fascinated by toys, but not as you might expect. Alena wasn’t interested in playing with toys—she wanted to know how they worked. “I remember my friend having one of those flying fairy dolls, and when you pulled a string, the doll would fly into the air. I remember thinking, ‘It’s not magic, something else makes it do that.’ I wanted to know how it worked, to take it apart, and figure out what made the doll fly.”
As a young child and even now, as an adult, Alena has also always had a passion for cars. In particular, she easily recalls two 1950s Chevy Coupes. She shared, “As a child, when I played with my friend who lived across the street, I was fascinated by their cars and the tools in their garage. I wanted to know what the tools were, and what her dad was doing.”
The anecdotes from her childhood affirm Alena’s innate nature toward mechanics and working with her hands, which are still an important part of who she is.
Equally important to the person she became was identifying and valuing her sense of self. According to Alena, she learned early how her brain worked, how she learned best, and how she approached things. “It was important to me to realize that there are different types of brains. I wasn’t a good test taker, and shapes have always made more sense to me than words. I’ve discovered what I’m good at, and the way my brain works is perfectly OK with me,” Alena said.
Auto Mechanics, Welding, and the Watch Technology Institute
In discussing the path of her career and what she’s learned over the years, Alena shared how her family has always valued language, culture, and education. Her grandparents, who came to the United States from Mexico, always stressed the importance of education. Both of Alena’s parents have worked in education and now continue to work hard in the community, encouraging further education to students and other family members. Alena proudly talked about her dad and how he didn’t place stereotypical boundaries on her education. When she made the very difficult decision to forego college and attend auto mechanics school, she thought her dad might object. When she shared the news with him, his response was exactly what she had hoped for. “He said, OK, well, tools can be expensive, so let me know if you need help.’ I was so relieved, and it meant so much to me to know he supported my decision,” Alena said.
Soon after finishing her studies, Alena worked as a car mechanic for several years in Arizona, before the long, hot workdays took a toll on her health. With a slight chuckle, Alena explained that while she enjoyed working on cars, she was ready for a job in the air-conditioning.
Alena’s next gig was working as a watch technician for five years, thanks to a connection her significant other had with a local watch repair store. Little did she know this job change would be the impetus for her to fall in love with working on watches. While changing watch batteries and completing other minor repairs in the shop where she worked, Alena became more and more fascinated by the beautiful, complex movements, in need of repair, that would arrive in packages at the store. She voiced her interest in working on the movements, but nothing changed. Later, she declined being promoted to manager of the store, because advanced work on watches was what she was interested in. While continuing to work at the watch repair store, she sought other avenues for her interests, including working as a welder for a custom furniture shop. Alena also continued to pursue other learning opportunities, including being an apprentice with a silversmith.
Deciding to leave her job as a watch technician and going to watch school would be the first pivot in Alena’s career journey. She applied to the Watch Technology Institute (WTI) at North Seattle College and was accepted. Her next step was to sell everything and move to Washington State. “At the time, it broke my heart to empty my garage and part with all my tools. My passion for cars had not gone away, but I was ready to pursue watchmaking. I had to make a choice. Seeing this big change in front of me was stressful, but I was ready to move on,” Alena said.
The program at WTI was not what Alena expected. She explained, “There were so many new things to learn. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but also one of the best things I’ve ever done.” Alena wanted to develop other skills around horology and her instructor suggested she take a local engine-turning class taught by Brittany Cox. It was during Brittany’s course that Alena came to know AWCI President David Lindlow, who continues to be a valued mentor. Alena and Brittany developed a friendship and Alena continues to learn from her. “It has been such a blessing to work with and watch inspiring women in the industry, such as Brittany and another friend and watchmaker, Lisa Tam, who also taught courses at WTI. Both are incredibly talented women that I look up to. A huge reason that I wanted to stay in Seattle after school was these two women being in the same city.”
Another Pivot and Another Path
After graduating from WTI, Alena began working for a local jeweler and really enjoyed working on modern men’s luxury and tool watches. In fact, she was now working on those beautiful, complex movements that arrived for repair…it was a dream come true. And then, COVID-19 hit and everyone’s world changed. Eventually, Alena and other watchmakers were furloughed. Once again, Alena knew that a tough decision was in her near future. She had started to build a professional network in Seattle, and she liked living there. She explained, “During the pandemic, I knew I couldn’t just sit around and do nothing, but I wasn’t in a financial position to move again. I had to find some source of income,” she said.
Although she was unsure what she would do next, Alena was certain of one thing: She would not repeat what she done earlier when she emptied her garage and moved. She explained, “At that point, I was settled in Seattle. I just needed to figure out what my options were.” And so, Alena managed the next pivot in her career.
She started her own business, which involved putting feelers out in her network, as well as setting up a workbench and tools in her home. Last year, she worked with two companies in Seattle and one in Arizona, and she also taught a few private lessons in her workshop. And later this month, Alena will travel to Vancouver, Canada, to visit another friend’s watch shop. She’s excited about building her business. She’s also grateful for her mentors, who according to Alena, “…have a knack for coaxing me into new opportunities.” She’s also appreciative of the many others who have offered guidance and support. “It’s been challenging running my own business, and there’s definitely a learning curve, but some incredible people have helped me along the way,” Alena said.
Lately, she’s also been expanding her view of watchmaking and pursuing new skills, including CNC machining. “I’ve always performed my work with my hands…repairing cars, soldering, welding, repairing watches. I’m really interested in learning about machining, how it differs from hand work, and how it’s causing shifts in the watchmaking industry. It’s amazing to me that the methods can be so different but share a common end goal,” Alena said.
She recently visited a friend of hers, Darren Tiffany, at his workshop in Phoenix, Arizona, during the holidays. Together, they created some brass dials, while Darren helped Alena learn about CNC machines. She was thrilled. “I was able to engrave dials we made on the rose engine machine that Darren made himself. It was so exciting to see it in person,” she said. Alena plans on visiting other friends and colleagues in the months ahead, as she also enjoys seeing their workshops. “They are superstars to me…so talented but also so humble. It’s inspiring to me to see how they’ve set up their tools and machines. Plus, they share ideas for setting up my own workshop one day,” she stated.
Alena’s perspective on her many pivots is both positive and shrewd. She said, “The world surprises you, but I’ve learned that you can make choices. Every hard thing I’ve endured has turned into an opportunity, a new direction in front of me.”
Moving on and Giving Back
Alena has a solid sense of where she’s headed in her career. She also has a solid sense of how she hopes to give back to the industry, and not surprisingly, her focus is education and advocacy, especially for other younger females who are interested in a career in watchmaking. Last year, she organized a screening of the film, Keeper of Time in Seattle. The film, from director Michael Culyba, “features the stories of four of the best independent watchmakers in the world—Philippe Dufour, Roger W. Smith, François-Paul Journe, and Maximilian Büsser,” and includes “interviews from cutting-edge scholars in the fields of theoretical physics, physiology, and philosophy.” Her efforts in organizing the film screening included working with RedBar, a local watch collectors group she is a part of, to rent a theater and secure donations so the watchmaking students at WTI could attend free of charge. Part of the reason Alena wanted to support the screening was because her friend, Brittany Cox, was also featured in the film.
This year, Alena also filmed a commercial with the website watchcrunch.com, which touts itself as “a home for watch nerds.” The commercial was made by Alena’s friend, Max, who founded Watchcrunch. He created the website to show that there are places online for watch enthusiasts to meet and talk with each other and find a community. There’s also a corresponding YouTube channel, @WatchCrunchOfficial.
There’s surely more to come from Alena, as she’s passionate about “learning what you can and then teaching others.” Some of her ideas include being part of a platform for women in horology as well as working with industry associations like AWCI to establish scholarships for the newer generations of watchmaking students, including women. She explained, “I don’t think you ever quit learning. But at some point, I think it’s a person’s duty to give back, to reach out and mentor others in their learning and in their careers.” She’s putting this goal into action very soon. Alena will be visiting AWCI headquarters in February and sitting in on the Introduction to Watchmaking class. She then hopes to continue collaborating with David Lindlow to become an adjunct instructor for AWCI.
When she’s not busy growing her business, working on watches, teaching, or visiting her friends in their workshops, Alena is likely kayaking or attending a car show. She recently purchased a 1970 80cc Batavus motorbike, so she can learn to ride it and learn about its two-stroke engine, which is considered more powerful and easier to repair due to its simplified design. Alena also took a class in jewelry making a few months ago, and hopes to continue practicing her skills in the months ahead.
Afterall, she’s a pro at making pivots that lead to new adventures.
Sources
https://www.keeperoftimemovie.com/
https://www.watchcrunch.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@WatchCrunchOfficial
https://www.instagram.com/alenagracediaz/
If you have a story to tell or you want to recommend a friend, colleague, or family member for the Traditions & Transitions series, email us at editor@awci.com.
Kathleen Cardwell is a freelance writer/editor based in Cincinnati, Ohio, US. Prior to freelancing, she spent 30 years working in higher education and corporate communications.
