The Watchmaker
In about 1818, Johann Friedrich Heitz was born in the Kingdom of Hanover (today, his birthplace lies in the German state of Lower Saxony). Obeying the wishes of his father, as a youth he diligently studied to become a Lutheran minister. He acquired an excellent education, and - as he neared his seventeenth birthday - he also acquired something else: the realization that he had no calling for the ministry. Once he acknowledged that, he changed course, and decided to become a watchmaker.
Young Johann was not one to make rash decisions. After completing a four-year apprenticeship, he traveled across Europe, working at his new craft as he went, learning different techniques. It was a well-planned entry into his chosen career, which is not surprising. The demands of making timepieces would appeal only to a man who was patient and methodical - after all, one does not spend hours making each little gear or ratchet without knowing in advance how they are to fit and function together. When he returned home from his journeyman travels and set up shop, Heitz was no novice. He possessed a well-rounded knowledge of his craft; he was skilled at it, and he was self-confident.
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