Henry B. Fried teaching a watchmaking class.

The Horological Society of New York’s Henry B. Fried Scholarship was established in early 2017, with a goal of increasing the number of students studying at full-time watchmaking schools in the USA. Most watchmaking schools in the USA are free, but the cost of living while attending school can be a large barrier for prospective students. Additionally, many watchmaking schools are not accredited, meaning student loans are not possible. At the same time, watchmakers are more in-demand than ever. The popularity of mechanical watches continues to increase, but more watchmakers are retiring than graduating. With the Henry B. Fried Scholarship, the Horological Society of New York (HSNY) is working diligently to reverse that trend, by offering significant financial assistance to American watchmaking students.

The dramatic expansion of the Henry B. Fried Scholarship was made possible by an incredibly generous and anonymous donation of $100,000, shortly after Roger W. Smith’s lecture in December 2017. For 2018, the Henry B. Fried Scholarship will quadruple from one award of $5,000 to two awards of $10,000 each. The application period is open now through March 1, 2018, and the scholarships will be awarded at HSNY’s annual Gala & Charity Auction on April 18, 2018. Students who are either studying at or have been accepted to a full-time watchmaking school in the USA are eligible. To apply, students should write a letter to HSNY that includes a brief biography and explanation of their motivation to study watchmaking.