New York City - January 5, 2021
The Horological Society of New York (HSNY) was founded in 1866 by a small group of German emigres answering the call for a need for watchmakers in the USA. They formed a library, offered lectures, and provided their members with benefits. Today, HSNY continues its spirit of expansion and inclusivity with two new scholarships - the Benjamin Banneker Scholarship for Black Watchmaking Students and the Oscar Waldan Scholarship for Jewish Watchmaking Students.
Time does not discriminate, but Black and Jewish watchmakers are underrepresented both in the historic and modern watchmaking industries. The goal of the Benjamin Banneker Scholarship for Black Watchmaking Students and the Oscar Waldan Scholarship for Jewish Watchmaking Students is to encourage a stronger and more diverse industry with a broad range of backgrounds and experiences, and in turn, advance the art and science of horology.
Benjamin Banneker depicted on a 1943 mural by Maxime Seelbinder in the Washington D.C. Recorder of Deeds Building.
About Benjamin Banneker
Those who studied American history might recall the name Benjamin Banneker but may not know of his incredible horological achievements. Banneker (1731-1806) was a renaissance man of many talents - a self-taught mathematician, astronomer, and horologist - who built one of the first wooden mechanical clocks in North America in 1753. Modeled after an imported pocket watch that he disassembled and studied, the hour-striking clock kept precise time and ran for 50 years before it was destroyed by fire. Banneker is also credited with corresponding with Thomas Jefferson on the issue of slavery, and his messages were promoted by abolitionists and supporters of racial equality.
Today, Banneker is honored with many schools, streets, recreational and cultural facilities named after him. In 1980, the U.S. Postal Service honored Banneker with a postage stamp.
“I'm proud of HSNY's newest step towards building legacy,” said actor, horologist, and HSNY Trustee Aldis Hodge. “I believe, with the establishment of the Benjamin Banneker Scholarship, we’ll be able to open doors of opportunity and light fires in the souls of the next generation of brilliant minds who’ll carry horology to its greatest potential.”
About Oscar Waldan
Oscar Waldan (1923-2018) was a Polish-born, Jewish watchmaker and the founder and former President of Waldan International. Waldan learned the basics of watchmaking during his imprisonment in the Buchenwald Concentration Camp during World War II, where he befriended a watchmaker in the camp who took him on as his apprentice and subsequently, that skill saved his life. Upon liberation, Waldan continued to pursue a life of horology with training in Switzerland and Germany.
Oscar Waldan (1923-2018), Founder and former President of Waldan International
Following a prestigious career having held senior positions in both sales and design at Tissot, Universal Geneve and the Holzer Watch Company from the 1950s to 1970s, as well as independent consulting for entities like IWC and Rolex in the 1980s, Waldan founded Waldan International in 1979. He went on to produce various private label collections of timeless wristwatches for companies like Tiffany & Co., Tourneau and Neiman Marcus before designing and launching his own line of Waldan Watches, a collection of high-grade chronographs and chronometers capturing the best of his eye and career of high-end craft and design.
“It brings me great pride to launch this scholarship with the Horological Society of New York, in honor of my late father, Oscar Waldan,” said Andrew L. Waldan, CEO and President of Waldan International. “Education was one of my father's greatest passions in life, he worked to enrich his own life with knowledge, and by offering this opportunity supporting talent where merited, we will contribute to the current and next generations of this great art form that connects so many around the world.”
Application Process
The application period for the Benjamin Banneker Scholarship and the Oscar Waldan Scholarship is January 1 to March 1 of every year. Additional financial aid opportunities include HSNY’s Henry B. Fried Scholarship for Watchmaking Students and the Howard Robbins Award for Watchmaking Schools.
Any Black or Jewish student who has been accepted or is currently studying at a full-time watchmaking school in the USA is eligible for the Benjamin Banneker and Oscar Waldan Scholarship, respectively. Prospective students may also apply, with the understanding that the scholarship is contingent on their enrollment at a full-time watchmaking school. Financial aid is awarded every April with awards up to $5,000 in 2021.
To apply, students should email a letter in PDF form to the Trustees of the Horological Society of New York that includes a biography, an explanation of their motivation to study watchmaking, and an explanation of how this scholarship would benefit the applicant. A resume is required, and reference letters are recommended.
To learn more about the Benjamin Banneker Scholarship and to read the full qualifications, please visit https://hs-ny.org/benjamin-banneker-scholarship.
To learn more about the Oscar Waldan Scholarship and to read the full qualifications, please visit https://hs-ny.org/oscar-waldan-scholarship.
To learn more about the Henry B. Fried Scholarship and to read the full qualifications, please visit https://hs-ny.org/scholarship.
To learn more about the Howard Robbins Award and to read the full qualifications, please visit https://hs-ny.org/robbins-award.
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About the Horological Society of New York
Founded in 1866, the Horological Society of New York (HSNY) is one of the oldest continuously operating horological associations in the world. Today, HSNY is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the art and science of horology through education. Members are a diverse mix of watchmakers, clockmakers, executives, journalists, auctioneers, historians, salespeople and collectors, reflecting the rich nature of horology in New York City.