Serbia's only female watchmaker maintains a century old family shop

Ljiljana Tošić, an 80 year old woman in Niša, Serbia, continues to work as the country's only female watchmaker.

She has practiced the craft for 55 years in a shop that her father purchased 120 years ago. Tošić works alongside her son, who chose to join the family business after completing his studies at the Faculty of Political Sciences. Tošić explains that while customers frequently bring in modern wristwatches, many still seek repairs for antique wall clocks and alarm clocks.

She notes that mechanical watches require specialized knowledge to repair, whereas modern electronic watches often only function with a new battery. She observes that manual winding watches remain the most durable, noting that Switzerland continues to produce the highest quality timepieces. The trade faces challenges as spare parts for mechanical watches are becoming harder to source. Tošić currently relies on a colleague who worked in Germany to acquire necessary components.

The number of watch repair shops in Niša has also declined, dropping from 20 to just five in recent years.