Bidding at the Horological Society of New York’s 2019 Gala & Charity Auction. Photo credit Monica Schipper.
With the support of its sponsors, benefactors and donors, the Horological Society of New York (HSNY) is pleased to announce that it has fulfilled its Matching Donation Program campaign goal, raising $30,000 to advance the art and science of horology.
With the cancellation of HSNY’s 2020 Gala & Charity Auction, the Society lost more than $40,000 in revenue, not including proceeds from its most highly anticipated auction lot items to date. All proceeds from HSNY’s biggest night of the year assist the nonprofit organization in funding its multiple financial aid initiatives, including the Henry B. Fried Scholarship for Watchmaking Students and the Howard Robbins Award for Watchmaking Schools.
In June, two benefactors made a joint donation of $10,000 and pledged to match future donations dollar to dollar up to $10,000 until the end of the month. In just one week, two HSNY sponsors, Grand Seiko and Vacheron Constantin, and 23 individual donors made HSNY’s Matching Donation Program goal a reality. Grand Seiko and Vacheron Constantin have been HSNY sponsors since January 2019 and October 2019 respectively, supporting America’s oldest watchmaking guild in its endeavor to continue upholding the interests of the horological community.
Spring Drive: A True Expression of Nature and Time, by Joseph Kirk.
Born in 1960 and launched internationally in 2010, Grand Seiko has long had a loyal following in Japan - and now worldwide - and is one of few fully integrated watchmakers in the world, with complete in-house capabilities in every area of watchmaking, from the development of component materials through design and manufacture to assembly and adjustment. Grand Seiko’s June 2019 lecture at HSNY, titled “Spring Drive: A True Expression of Nature and Time”, was given by Brand Curator and National Trainer for Grand Seiko Corporation of America Joseph Kirk and featured special guests Kazunori Hoshino, Seiko Epson manufacturer, (Shiojiri, Nagano Prefecture, Japan) and Akio Naito, Deputy Chief Operating Officer at Seiko Watch Corporation.
Founded in 1755 in Geneva, Vacheron Constantin is one of the oldest watchmaking manufacturers in the world, with 262 years of uninterrupted activity. The men and women of Vacheron Constantin continue to design, develop and produce exceptional timekeepers, remaining close to the three fundamentals of the Maison: perfectly precise methods, harmonious and inspired aesthetics and the highest level of finishing touches. One of HSNY’s newest sponsors, Vacheron Constantin is currently planning a special project with the Society slated for 2021.
HSNY sponsors Grand Seiko and Vacheron Constantin helped make the Matching Donation Program goal a reality.
“The importance of horology has only grown during HSNY’s existence and yet is often misunderstood or taken for granted,” said one of the anonymous benefactors. “Just imagine not knowing the time for more than a couple of days. Time and time keeping are among the most universal languages and the Horological Society of New York has a prominent place in furthering its understanding and advancement. I encourage other like-minded people to join us in supporting HSNY.”
HSNY wishes to thank the benefactors, sponsors and donors who helped make the Matching Donation Program a reality and a success. All donations directly aid HSNY’s mission of Advancing the Art and Science of Horology. All donations are tax-deductible. The Horological Society of New York is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, federal tax identification number 13-6139887. To donate, please visit https://hs-ny.org/donate.