Rob Wulz has been standing on the market in Zoetermeer with his watch stall for more than thirty years. He hardly has time for his thick cigar, because people come from far and wide with a broken watch or defective clock. After more than 50 years of work, he and his partner Natali intend to leave for good to their home in Spain. “I want freedom, sit on terraces and work in my garden.”
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He started in the market with old batches of jeans, pickles and a few watches. First he sold his goods from a car, then he bought a bus with a folding table. He just had to get down on his knees too often to look for fallen parts. “It was time for a trailer.”
Studio at home
Rob followed the watchmaker’s training and the clockmaker’s trade in Rotterdam. His work experience grew in practice: “I did an internship at a jeweler with antique clocks in The Hague. I take the watches and clocks, which customers bring to my stall, to my workshop at home for repair. I spend three days at the market in Zoetermeer and on the other days I work on repairs.”
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Emotional value
Mainly Zoetermeer residents, but also other Dutch people, come especially to Rob and Natali’s stall. “I am honest and my customers appreciate that,” says Rob. “For expensive watches you pay ridiculous amounts for a repair or a new battery.”
Often there is an emotional value to a watch or antique clock. In confidence, customers hand over their valuables to Rob, who repairs a broken watch glass, cleans dirty watches, replaces a battery or watch strap. Even jewelry stores send customers to Rob. “I look for a solution for every problem,” says Rob. “I’m disappointed if I don’t succeed, but with some creativity I usually come up with something to solve it.”
With a little creativity I often come up with a solution
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Petroleum stove on fire
Nowadays you see Rob with his red Hummer and self-built trailer on the market. “Before this I had a converted spice truck with a kerosene heater in it. One day it caught fire and I quickly brought the watches in the car to safety,” says Rob. Fifteen years ago he bought his last, hull, trailer. He furnished it with a work table, storage compartments, lighting, electricity and heating. Carpet was placed on the ceiling and he turned it into a chic tent with golden accessories.
Love at first sight
For years, Rob stood with his ex-girlfriend in his watch stall on the market in Zoetermeer. After he was actually done with the women for a while, he met his current partner Natali through mutual Russian friends. “It was love at first sight.” Natali came to the Netherlands for good after a number of years and started to help him. She got to know the language, the profession and the customers better and better. “Natali and I are never grumpy and we never argue,” Rob confesses. “There is always laughter and fun in the stall. But I am very serious in my work.”
Enjoy in Spain
After a working life of fifty years, Rob thinks it’s enough. “I haven’t found a successor yet, unfortunately, but I want to enjoy my home in Spain. We hardly ever go on holiday, so we have been able to save a lot for a wonderful place near Valencia. I want to use my free time on my koi carp, the garden, grabbing terraces and other fun things. If I find a successor, I can still be found on the market for a while. I want to have them well trained before I stop permanently.”
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