The Horologist's Loupe
The Horological Society of New York's newsletter (and today blog!) began publishing in 1936, and is one of the oldest continuously running horological publications in the world.
Our global reach is expanding with international memberships!
HSNY would like to welcome the following new members. It is only with our member's support that we are able to continue flourishing as America's oldest watchmaking guild and advancing the art and science of horology every day.
Ang Cui, NY
Aram Gharapetian, NY
Donald Saff, MD
Georges Weyer, Luxembourg
Renaud Selmes, NY
Richard Farino, Washington, D.C.
Sarosh Mody, India
Join HSNY on Monday, October 7, 2019 for a lecture on Project A11: How Can A Small Family Business Afford to Design and Produce A Proprietary Watch Movement? By Maria & Richard Habring, Founders of Habring Uhrentechnik OG Völkermarkt, Austria.
Maria and Richard Habring's approach to manufacturing affordable, high quality mechanical watches in small series contrasts with their former jobs working for large watch companies. At the beginning of their brand, Habring², they relied on outsourced movements and components. But with the Swatch Group / ETA beginning to restrict supply of movements to third parties, Habring² needed to begin manufacturing their own movements. In 2014 on the tenth anniversary of the brand, they presented the Felix, powered by their proprietary A11 movement. At the October 7, 2019, meeting of the Horological Society of New York, Maria and Richard Habring will discuss how Habring² developed the A11 movement, from conception to final design. The Habrings will not only speak about the technical development process, but also the financial aspects of developing a mechanical watch movement.
Robert C. Cheney, Executive Director of the Willard House and Clock Museum
September 10, 2019
Video recordings of lectures are available to members immediately (using your membership password), and the general public with a 2 month delay.
Returning from the summer break, the Horological Society of New York started the September lecture series with an overlooked facet of clockmaking: making a good living and the many trades involved in clock production. Those facets were discussed by Robert C. Cheney, Executive Director of the Willard House and Clock Museum (located in North Grafton, Massachusetts) with a lecture titled “Simon Willard Eight-Day Clocks: In Search of the Finely-Divided Trade, 1785-1825”.
Known for his painted dials from Birmingham, England, Willard made 1,585 Eight-Day clocks - an incredible amount given that other clockmakers such as the Domini family made about 50 clocks in a 20-year period.
But how was Willard able to do it? Well, there’s clockmaking the traditional way and there’s clockmaking as a successful business, explains Cheney. The traditional way is when the clockmaker makes every part such as the templates, hands, weights, cases, etc., just like George Daniels did with his watchmaking. Willard took advantage of utilizing Peter Stubbs, a merchant who imported parts from Liverpool (the largest city port at the time), wherein Willard put the parts together and stamped his name on the product. Liverpool also had a significant number of clock workshops. Half of the workshops were attached to households which were mostly identified by the tell-tale bank of windows to let in natural light. There were around 17 different trades to make a clock - to name a few - spring maker, wheel cutter, brass founder, and the clocksmith for iron and steel work. As a side note, when it came to pinions, they had to be made out of high quality steel. Sheffield, England had the highest quality steel at the time and it was quite noticeable when low quality American steel was used.
Another interesting aspect is that Cheney made a reference to Adam Smith’s “The Wealth of Nations” on how the story of the clock is like the story of the 18th century common pin. There are 18 operations to make the common pin in which there are distinct different trades.
There were other individuals that Cheney mentioned, such as the likes of John McFarlane, Aaron Willard and the thousands of undocumented journeymen that worked on different aspects of a clock. It was amazing to realize how many people were involved in producing one item such the humble clock.
HSNY thanks Robert Cheney for his fascinating lecture!
Photography by Atom Moore
Submitted by Melody Benloss, HSNY Librarian & Recording Secretary
Although the Horological Society of New York has been quietly thriving for the last 153 years, it doesn’t hurt to have some hollywood starpower become its voice.
Since 1866, HSNY has been the go-to guild for watchmakers, beginning in New York City and now with an international membership and presence. As HSNY expands, it’s important to let all horology enthusiasts know the many avenues in which they can take advantage of our resources, from monthly lecture series, multiple weekday classes and a rapidly-growing international traveling education program.
The horological community has proven to have strength in numbers, and when passionate individuals come together that’s when HSNY is able to advance the art and science of horology. Aldis Hodge, an actor and horological engineer (not to mention collector), joined HSNY back in 2016 and has been a friend and member since.
“I believe the continued education and exploration of horology/horological art is a necessary asset to appreciating our time for what it truly is: one of the greatest sources of wealth we all share on this earth. Understanding the value of how we choose to show and tell time reinforces our appreciation of how we get to spend that time - be it with loved ones, pursuing our greatest passions, exploring new experiences, etc.”
When Hodge isn’t busy filming award-nominated movies and television shows, horology comes to the forefront and becomes the star. HSNY is grateful for Hodge who devoted his time and talent to immortalize HSNY on the screen.
We hope you enjoy our video on America’s oldest watchmaking guild - starring Aldis Hodge, of course - and discover the limitless possibilities that come with joining HSNY!
(L-R) HSNY President Nicholas Manousos, HSNY Executive Director Edwin M. Hydeman and Aldis Hodge attend the 2019 Gala & Charity Auction.
Earlier this year, the Horological Society of New York (HSNY) made history by making its first donation to an American horological institution - the watchmaking program at Paris Junior College.
Together with the American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute, HSNY pledged $20,000 to Paris Junior College at a critical time when only nine full-time watchmaking schools remain in the US.
Today, the watchmaking program is thriving and paving the way for the next generation of watchmakers. Last week, The Paris News, a newspaper based in Paris, Texas, where the college is located, featured a front-page article on the flourishing courses taught by Paris Junior College Watchmaking Instructor Stanley McMahan. HSNY is proud to help advance the art and science of horology and wishes all students continued success.
HSNY would like to welcome the following new members. It is only with our member's support that we are able to continue flourishing as America's oldest watchmaking guild, advancing the art and science of horology every day.
HSNY members mingling after at our last lecture with Grand Seiko.
Corey McAuliffe, NY
Ekaterina Dubovitskaya, NY
Eric Root, FL
Evan Embrey, CA
Ivan Kosnyrev, NY
Jason Baker, NJ
Jason Rogart, NJ
Jay B. Stambler, NY
Kenneth Hull, NY
Kevin J. Brown, NJ
Leonardo Laviola, NJ
Maryhelen Jones, NM
Nathan Kim, GA
Nicholas DePetrillo, CA
Noah Lesser, FL
Paul MacLeman, Australia
Pervees Faisal Islam, Canada
Scott Bluni, NY
Sean Lynch, AZ
Trudy Maurer, CA
Val Schaffner, NY
HSNY's growing staff celebrates at the 2019 Gala & Charity Auction. (L-R) Carolina Navarro, Director of Public Relations & Marketing; Ed Hydeman, Executive Director; and Rhonda Critelli, Executive Assistant.
HSNY’s staff is growing:
Ed Hydeman, HSNY’s Executive Director, is pleased to announce that our staff is growing. In the summer of 2019 he hired HSNY's first full time employee, Carolina Navarro, as Director of Public Relations and Marketing. Carolina comes to us with a degree in journalism and 6 years experience in public relations. She has been an invaluable addition to our wonderful team.
In addition to Carolina, Rhonda Critelli works part time as Ed’s Executive Assistant, Steve Eagle as Director of Education, and Nathan Bobinchak as our resident clockmaker and as an instructor. New additions will be announced soon.
Rooted in the heart of Manhattan, the Horological Society of New York (HSNY), America’s oldest watchmaking guild, founded in 1866, is branching out with return trips to Detroit, Orange County and San Francisco in the coming months.
If you missed the opportunity to play watchmaker for a day, now is the time to sign up and discover what makes a watch tick with classes taught by professional watchmakers from America’s original horological Society.
HSNY’s Traveling Education will slowly head west with the following schedule:
September 14 & 15: Detroit hosted by StockX
September 28 & 29: Orange County hosted by A. Lange & Söhne
October 5 & 6: San Francisco hosted by Shreve & Co.
Each four-hour course offers hands-on experience with the disassembly and reassembly of an ETA 6497 movement, complemented by HSNY’s Horology 101-103 lessons - movement mechanics, gear training, and winding & setting, respectively. Classes are designed for any level of enthusiast as no prior experience is required.
Beginning Saturday, September 14, through Sunday, September 15, HSNY Traveling Education hosts will aid in the Society’s goal of advancing the art and science of horology through teaching. The nonprofit will visit Detroit first, hosted by StockX at Globe Tobacco Building, the oldest surviving tobacco manufactory in Detroit and a National Register of Historic Places site.
Next up, HSNY will head to the Golden State where classes will be hosted on Saturday, September 28 and Sunday, September 29 by A. Lange & Söhne at The Westin South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa.
Finally, HSNY’s certified instructors will welcome fall in San Francisco alongside fine jewelry & timepieces company, Shreve & Co., in their flagship showroom on Post Street.
Visit HSNY’s Eventbrite page for tickets, class schedules and locations. All sales are directly reinvested into HSNY’s ongoing educational mission.
Join HSNY on Tuesday, September 10, 2019 for a lecture on Simon Willard Eight-Day Clocks: In Search of the Finely-Divided Trade, 1785-1825, by Robert C. Cheney, Executive Director of the Willard House and Clock Museum.
As the most complicated trade in 18th century America, clock making relied heavily on a finely divided shop structure to produce domestic timekeepers. Cabinetmakers, carvers, gilders, dial makers, painters and at least seventeen different metal-working trades all joined forces to capture the fervor of nouveau riche Americans to mimic fine English interiors with locally produced furniture, silver, portraiture and clocks to fill elegant new homes. At the September 10, 2019, meeting of the Horological Society of New York, Robert C. Cheney will discuss the fascinating history of Simon Willard eight-day clocks. Previous scholarship by Cheney has documented a little known, but extensive trade in Liverpool and Birmingham goods to supply Willard and others with most of the materials and components needed to fill the needs of an emerging American market. Cheney's HSNY lecture will widen the importance of Liverpool and Birmingham for American clock production and discuss how Willard began to recreate English methodology in Boston by 1800.
In today’s age, we have time management down to a science when it comes to putting on a play. They start on time, intermissions are calculated to the last minute, and acts are rehearsed to fit within time frames. But how was time measured in Shakespeare’s day, and what importance does time play within the works of the man widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language? HSNY Trustee William Massena sheds light on another William - Shakespeare that is - in this podcast by Cassidy Cash.
If you've ever wanted to learn about all aspects of horology and its rich history, look no further than Europa Star and the exciting new project they've embarked on. The global watch magazine, which has been delighting industry professionals and enthusiasts alike since 1927, is currently on a mission to archive over 300,000 pages of fully searchable horological material. Ranging from brand profiles to the hottest advertisements of the era, Europa Star is bringing over 90 years of history to the palm of our hand, offering a comprehensive insight into the past with hopes of learning from its failures and successes.
Click here for more information and to learn how to access the archives!
Follow @watch_heritage for Europa Star's daily dose of vintage watches!
HSNY would like to welcome the following new members. It is with your help that we are able to continue flourishing as America's oldest watchmaking guild, and your commitment to HSNY helps us advance the art and science of horology every day.
Adam Cook, FL
Alexander Hennessy, NY
Bill Banks, Canada
Bo Meng, CA
Bradford Sheridan, TX
Brian Quinn, NY
Corey Sherman, NY
David Olson, NV
Greg Kling, CA
James Kong, NY
Joel Nelson, FL
John O'Hearn, MD
Joseph Kraeutler, NY
Michael Margolis, CT
Nathalie Wheldon, CA
Nicholas Brawn, Hong Kong
Peter C Jachym, NY
Phillip Nolan, Australia
Sandesh Tuladhar, NY
Scott Visin, TX
Serge Maillard, Switzerland
Thomas John Wilson, NY
Victor DiMartino, NJ
Zachary Turnbull, NY
Zaeem Baig, PA
(NEW YORK) Two of the world’s oldest horological organizations are joining forces to teach horology classes in London on August 31 and September 1, 2019.
With a combined existence of over 300 years, the Horological Society of New York (HSNY) (founded in 1866) and the British Horological Institute (BHI) (founded in 1858) are making history with their first partnership to advance the art and science of horology.
The BHI, who recently celebrated its 161st anniversary on June 15, is welcoming America’s oldest watchmaking guild across the pond to teach HSNY’s coveted Traveling Education courses, which cover lessons in movement mechanics, gear training, and winding and setting. Classes will be hosted at The Clockworks, a unique studio in London centered around electric clocks that combines a museum, workshop, library and meeting space under one roof.
HSNY’s first visit to Europe will be presented by Vincent Robert, Director of Traveling Education, who along with a BHI instructor, will guide an intimate group of students in finding out what makes a mechanical movement tick. Each four-hour course will include the disassembly and reassembly of an ETA 6497 movement for the duration of the course, along with explanations of proper usage of watchmaking tools and of modern horological terminology and theories. No prior experience is required for horology enthusiasts to enroll.
HSNY’s Traveling Education courses in London will be offered (in BST) on Saturday, August 31 (9:00AM – 1:00PM & 2:30PM – 6:30PM) and Sunday, September 1 (9:00AM – 1:00PM & 2:30PM – 6:30PM).
Admission is $500 USD and ticket sales are directly reinvested into HSNY’s ongoing educational mission. The Clockworks is located at 6 Nettlefold Place, West Norwood, London SE27 0JW, UK.
Joseph Kirk, Brand Curator and National Trainer for Grand Seiko Corporation of America
Monday, June 3, 2019
Video recordings of lectures are available to members immediately (using your membership password), and the general public with a 2 month delay.
“Japan’s history is very old, so time flows slowly for us. I think that’s very important for Japanese people. Looking at the movement of the second hand, it’s like being able to feel the natural slow flow of time, and I think that makes it a very Japanese watch.” - Mr. Yoshifusa Nakazawa
That’s how Joseph Kirk, Brand Curator and National Trainer for Grand Seiko Corporation of America, started the June 3, 2019 lecture of the Horological Society of New York. Kirk believes the quote encapsulates the vision of the Spring Drive as it relates to Japan. In the mid-7th Century, Japanese timekeeping was influenced by nature such as the Rokuku (water clock) and the Wadokei (temporal time clock that measured time by season that was primarily weight driven). Under the leadership of Kintaro Hattori who founded Seikosha (aka Seiko), the following timekeepers reflected the ‘firsts’ of the brand, starting with the mainspring powered clock (1892), the pocket watch (1895), the lever escapement (1899) and the wristwatch (1913).
Before explaining the concept of the Spring Drive, Kirk provided an overview of the mainspring and barrel, gear train, escapement and regulator mechanism to provide contrast to Seiko’s unique movement. In regards to quartz mechanisms, the inverse piezoelectric effect showcased the high accuracy due to its oscillation rate.
Advancements in technology provided Seiko the means to increase the power reserve in the Spring Drive prototypes: First it was 4-hours, then 10-hours due to integrated circuit technology, finally to 48-hours due to new integrated circuit technology.
So, the question regarding the Spring Drive: How does it work? One of the unique aspects of the Spring Drive is the Tri-Synchro Regulator which is composed of the glide wheel, permanent magnet, coils and coil block. The energy usage of the mechanism includes mechanical (generates current), electrical (powers the integrated circuit) and electromagnetic (applies the brakes to the glide wheel). Another aspect is the Silicon on Insulator Integrated Circuit (SOI IC) to prevent power loss. To maintain energy efficiency, the coil is wound 25,000 times around the block, the pinion is polished to reduce friction and the mainspring (which is proprietary) provides high torque. It took from 2006 to 2019 to improve on the Spring Drive movement by producing the Sonnerie, Chronograph GMT, Minute Repeater.
The lecture concluded by Kirk introducing special guests Mr. Akio Naito, Chairman and CEO of Grand Seiko Corporation of America, and Mr. Kazunori Hoshino, Product Planner and Designer of Seiko Epson Corporation. Both men gave their perspectives on ‘the beauty of utility and functionality’ of the Grand Seiko brand in terms of its design and craftsmanship.
HSNY thanks Joseph Kirk for his fascinating lecture, and gratitude towards Mr. Akio Naito and Mr. Kazunori Hoshino for their attendance!
Photography by Ellen Wallop
Submitted by Melody Benloss, HSNY Librarian & Recording Secretary
Time Made in Germany — 700 Years of German Horology
September 12 – 15, 2019
For the 2019 Ward Francillon Time Symposium, the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) is joining its German counterpart, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Chronometrie, in organizing a groundbreaking international conference on the history of German horology. Many of the crucial developments in clock and watchmaking occurred in Germany. Never before have these timekeepers and innovations been examined and described as comprehensively.
For English Speakers
Although the presentations will be delivered in German, English speakers will be provided with written and/or spoken translations. In addition, the texts of the lectures will have been translated in advance and published in hardcover volumes in both languages.
Registration deadline is August 30.
For more information, visit www.timemadeingermany.com.
Madison Avenue Watch Week has become an annual New York City tradition when premier watch retailers offer a “first look” at the timepieces launched at the 29th Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie and the 2019 Baselworld Watch and Jewelry Show. The 9th Annual Madison Avenue Watch Week is scheduled from Monday, June 10 - Saturday, June 15.
Open to the public, this year’s impressive roster of the participating watch brands includes A. Lange & Söhne, Apple, David Yurman, De Beers Jewellers, F.P. Journe, Hublot Boutique, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Montblanc, Panerai, Smythson and Vacheron Constantin. The retailers will offer artisan demonstrations; master classes with watchmakers; presentations regarding trends in design, manufacturing and mechanism technology; exhibitions of new collections, in-store receptions, incentives and giveaways, and exclusive VIP sales appointments.
Visit http://www.madisonavenuewatchweek.com for full details!
HSNY would like to welcome the following new members. It is with your help that we are able to continue flourishing as America's oldest watchmaking guild, and your commitment to HSNY helps us advance the art and science of horology every day.
You’re never too old (or too young!) to become a member. (Photo credit Monica Schipper)
Christopher Lavagnino, NY
Derek Mon, NY
Dzianis Karchahin, Canada
Gary Barrett, IN
Jeffrey Lane, NC
Joseph Soufer, CT
Joshua Dolin, NY
Patrick Hylton, CA
Patrick Ryan, NJ
Salvatore A Vitale, NY
William Sanders, CT
Join HSNY on Monday, June 3, 2019 for a lecture on Spring Drive: A True Expression of Nature and Time, by Joseph Kirk, National Training Manager for Grand Seiko Corporation of America.
Spring Drive is a movement technology developed in-house by Seiko Epson, formerly known as Suwa Seikosha, in the Nagano Prefecture of Japan. Development of the technology started in 1977, and debuted in 1999 in limited quantity in Japan. In 2004, Spring Drive became available globally in Seiko, Credor and Grand Seiko watches. At the June 3, 2019, meeting of the Horological Society of New York, Joseph Kirk will discuss the many hurdles that Seiko overcame with Spring Drive before it could be introduced to the world.
Spring Drive movements combine the best aspects of mechanical watchmaking, such as the power source of a wound mainspring, along with a unique regulating system as its escapement. The precision of a quartz oscillator and an electromagnetic braking system provide extremely high accuracy and unidirectional motion, with no collision. This is solely achieved with the mechanical energy derived from the mainspring, eliminating any need for a battery. The end result is a spring driven watch that achieves quartz like accuracy. This unique movement type expresses time unlike others, with a completely continuous gliding seconds hand with no sweep or tick.
Akio Naito, Chairman and CEO of Grand Seiko Corporation of America, will be in attendance. In addition to his work at Grand Seiko Corporation of America, Naito oversees the rest of the Americas and European market for both the Grand Seiko and Seiko businesses. Naito also serves concurrently as Senior Executive Vice President for Seiko Watch Corporation, Chairman of Seiko UK Ltd., as well as a member of the Board of Directors for Seiko’s subsidiaries in France and the Netherlands. Naito brings over 35 years of dedication to the well-known international watchmaking enterprise, having held leadership roles also in Australia and Japan.
Kazunori Hoshino will be in attendance from the Seiko Epson manufacturer, located in Shiojiri, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Hoshino began his career with Seiko Epson in 1996 after studying industrial design in engineering at Chiba University. His most notable work includes movement design aesthetics for the renowned Micro Artist Studio movements such as the Credor Eichi II, Grand Seiko 8 Day 9R01, and new Grand Seiko 9R02 caliber.
Images courtesy of Grand Seiko
Anna Rolls, Curator of the Clockmakers Museum, London
Monday, May 6, 2019
Video recordings of lectures are available to members immediately (using your membership password), and the general public with a 2 month delay.
On the May 6, 2019 lecture series of the Horological Society of New York, attendees found out that the ball drop on New Year’s Eve did not actually originate in Times Square, New York, as a festive way to bring the New Year. The true purpose of a ball drop has to do with the Time Ball located in Greenwich, England. Guest lecturer Anna Rolls, Curator of the Clockmakers’ Museum in London gave HSNY attendees the history, mechanics and the evolution of the Greenwich Time Ball.
Installed in 1833, it was the first public time signal that was designed to drop at 1:00 pm every day from atop the Greenwich Observatory. The purpose of the Time Ball was created for a practical maritime reason by Robert Morcambe: Sailors need to know the time in order to set their marine chronometers before leaving on a voyage.
The entire Time Ball mechanism which is housed in the Museum building spans three floors via a series of winches, chains and latches with a human assistant on the lower level to trigger release the latches via a regulator. However, upgrades to new technology such as the use of the telegraph system in the train and postal industries made the human assistant redundant since the new master clock could now depend on the telegraph signal itself.
Rolls explained how the weather affected the Time Ball throughout its service: Rusting of clips, the ball itself rotting and after the next upgrade of technology to electricity, there were electrical issues such as the short life span of the components especially when they got struck by lightning, strong winds and the fluctuations of temperature and moisture. Incidentally, strong winds made it the primary factor on whether the Time Ball should proceed with its scheduled 1:00 pm drop.
The upkeep of the Time Ball eventually went to the Museum since the Department of Environment’s caretaking standards were woefully lacking and the need for additional equipment on the structure was entangled to the fact that the Museum is a Grade 1 listed building. Because of that citation, there were repeated delays to install an anemometer system on top of the roof.
To conclude the lecture, Rolls gave an account of what she encountered when the Time Ball had a failure in 2016. Assisted by the Cambria Clock Company, it was found that the ball was out of alignment and paint was removed from the mast. However, after a few successful trials, the Time Ball would fail again. The eventual cause was the magnetic brake of the winch. The motor and the brake needed to be stripped and overhauled. Such is the origins and inspiration for one of New York City’s most iconic landmarks!
HSNY thanks Anna Rolls for her fascinating lecture!
Photography by Atom Moore
Submitted by Melody Benloss, HSNY Librarian & Recording Secretary
