Welcoming New HSNY Members, September 2022

HSNY would like to welcome the following new members. It is only with our members' support that we are able to continue flourishing as America's oldest watchmaking guild and advancing the art and science of horology every day. 

  • Abdul-lateef Busari, Canada

  • Arkin Ouchouz, England

  • Armen Yampolsky, CA

  • Chris Mathes, GA

  • Christian Birkeland, Norway

  • Daniel M. Lewis, NY

  • Daniel Sachs, Washington, D.C.

  • Eddie Johnson, NJ

  • Harrison Siegling, PA

  • Ibrahim Amusan, Nigeria

  • James Dawes, MI

  • Jason Chien, NY

  • Jeff Aziakou, PA

  • Jim Breyer, TX

  • Juan Pablo Abonia, OH

  • Julie E. Kraulis, Canada

  • Julie Kable, CA

  • Keiichiro Yumiba, CA

  • Kelsey Laabs, NY

  • L Ricks Tucker, GA

  • Marc Perez, NJ

  • Matthew Carle, VA

  • Nick Paik, NY

  • Norman Esses, NY

  • Otto Scholtz, CT

  • Pamela Cloutier, Switzerland

  • Ramy Rizkalla, MA

  • Ravi Khanna, NY

  • Saman M. Far, NJ

  • Steven Cento, CA

  • Steven Markle, NY

  • Thierry Richard, FL

  • Victor A. Bonadonna, NY

HSNY Introduces Membership Levels

Exclusive Jacket & Tote Now Available, Made by The Armoury

Memberships are the foundation of the Horological Society of New York (HSNY), which allow the 156-year-old organization to continue its mission of advancing the art and science of horology. In recent years, the Society has experienced tremendous membership growth, with supporters spanning all corners of the globe. In order to provide them with a more elevated experience, HSNY introduces today membership levels. 

A project years in the making, HSNY’s new membership levels of Gold ($1,000), Silver ($500) and Bronze ($100) come with corresponding exclusive benefits courtesy of The Armoury. 

The 44th Street Jacket

For this new endeavor, HSNY partnered with the menswear brand to create The 44th Street Jacket exclusively for Gold members — a customized version of The Armoury’s famous City Hunter jacket. The made-to-order jacket is made from a deep green wool cloth and features a hidden watch pocket, a handy tweezer pocket and a custom label. The 44th Street Jacket is unisex and comes in all standard sizes, perfect for sporting at HSNY’s monthly lectures and special events. Gold members also receive priority access to HSNY’s annual Gala!

A Silver membership to HSNY features The 44th Street Tote, designed in a heavy-duty cotton canvas material and manufactured by The Armoury in Japan. The navy tote depicts a playful version of the iconic HSNY logo in gold, multiple pockets (perfect for carrying HSNY complimentary magazine subscriptions), and short and long straps for maximum comfort and versatility.  

The 44th Street Tote

The Bronze level is ideal for those wishing to keep HSNY’s original offering, and comes with the Society’s famous lapel pin and complimentary subscriptions to HODINKEE, GMT, Europa Star and WatchTime magazines.

“The 44th Street Jacket and Tote are stylish additions to HSNY's membership benefits, made possible by the menswear experts at The Armoury,” said HSNY Executive Director Nicholas Manousos. “I look forward to seeing many members wearing the jacket and carrying the tote at future HSNY lectures and special events.”

“It was an honour to create these designs exclusively for the Horological Society of New York,” said Mark Cho, Founder of The Armoury. “Ever since taking my first watchmaking classes at HSNY and seeing what great contributions they make to the world of horology and watchmaking, The Armoury and I wanted to be able to support the organization in our own unique way. As a serious horology enthusiast and someone whose business serves many others in the industry, I hope these items will encourage new members to join the Society to make an even greater impact on HSNY’s mission.”

Gold, Silver and Bronze membership tiers include additional benefits which can be found here.

HSNY Membership Pin

All membership dues are tax-deductible and all proceeds benefit HSNY in its ongoing mission which includes offering financial aid to watchmaking institutions and full-time watchmaking students in the United States. Membership dues reflect annual pricing.

Redemption

To receive a jacket or tote bag, members must opt in on HSNY’s membership plan management portal. The Armoury will contact members individually to arrange delivery (shipping and taxes apply). Only one jacket or tote bag may be redeemed per membership, regardless of plan cancellation, freeze or restart. Benefits are available only to members with active recurring memberships. 

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ABOUT THE ARMOURY

The Armoury is a menswear brand that believes in design, craftsmanship and personal style. Their products are rooted in classic tailoring but with the modern man in mind. The Armoury has always been a champion of the artisan, celebrating craftsmanship and valuing the time and skill that go into making something special. It is an attitude that extends beyond clothing and into horology with much admiration for the work of watchmakers everywhere. 

https://thearmoury.com/

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 and around the world. 

http://hs-ny.org

Upcoming Lecture: The Changing Face of Early Modern Time

Join HSNY on Monday, October 3, 2022 for a lecture on The Changing Face of Early Modern Time, by Dr. Jane Desborough, Keeper of Science Collections at the Science Museum (London, England).

HSNY's October 2022 lecture will take place in person in the General Society’s Assembly Room, located on the first floor of the building, due to a restoration project taking place in the General Society Library. Seating is limited and available via RSVP on a first-come-first-serve basis.

The lecture will also be livestreamed. RSVP is required. Doors open at 6PM ET, lecture and Zoom livestream to begin at 7PM ET.

Early modern clock and watch dials mirrored changes in the wider intellectual and cultural context of which they were inextricably a part. At the October 2022 lecture of the Horological Society of New York, Dr. Jane Desborough, Keeper of Science Collections at the Science Museum in London, will chart the significant changes that dials underwent in the period from 1550 to 1770, highlighting the many factors that eventually led to a more-or-less uniform design being adopted by 1770. This 220-year journey of development was a fascinating one in which different attributes of dial design were introduced to meet a particular user demand, such as the touch-pins which were added to help partially-sighted users and which were then discarded once alternative aids became available. It is, therefore, the discarded elements that did not secure a place on the uniform design that are the most interesting.

Multiple forms of lunar calendar and astronomical symbols, for example, were highly significant to both makers and users during the late-sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, but eventually either disappeared entirely or survived on only rare examples. Comparing dials with contemporary texts and diagrams enables us to identify the influences that led to these changes. Clock and watch makers of the past were after all inextricably part of the wider context of experiment, knowledge formation and exchange which characterised the early modern period. Highly literate, highly skilled and an integral part of wide-ranging & highly-connected networks, early modern clock and watch makers played an active role in disseminating, validating and discrediting ideas and practices. This was evident in their dial designs.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE!
RSVP is required.

Meeting Recap: The Quartz Crisis: A Tragic Decade for Swiss Watchmaking

Hyla Ames Bauer, Watch and Jewelry Writer (New York, New York)
September 7, 2022

Video recordings of lectures are available to members immediately (using your membership password), and to the general public with a two-month delay.

The Horological Society of New York (HSNY) lecture series returned after summer break with Hyla Ames Bauer, New York-based watch and jewelry writer, lecturing on the quartz crisis that hindered the Swiss watchmaking industry.

The “Before” Times – Swiss and European Watchmaking

Bauer began the lecture with the passing down of watchmaking skills to the next generation, the unique location of the Jura Mountains that provided natural light watchmakers took advantage of due to no electricity, and the key players in the watch industry that made their unique mark: Abraham-Louis Breguet, world-renowned for inventing the tourbillon and self-winding timepieces; Louis Cartier, designer of the ‘Santos’ for his friend Alberto Santos Dumont, an air pilot who couldn’t see his pocket watch while flying; and Hans Wilsdorf, who contacted Mercedes Glietze (the first woman to successfully swim the English Channel) to back his claim that the Rolex Oyster watch was ‘The World’s First Waterproof Watch Case.’

How does a quartz watch differ from a mechanical one?

Bauer went on to explain that mechanical watches depend on outside sources of energy such as manual or automatic winding. The quartz, however, has its energy source within the watch and does not require winding by the watch wearer. Scientists Marie and Pierre Curie found that “…if a quartz crystal was hit, it turns the energy of the impact into electricity. This quality is called piezoelectric. It’s an electric charge that accumulates after some mechanical stress is applied. When a piece of quartz is compressed or bent, it generates an electric charge on its surface. It can also work the other way if a small electric charge gets on to the surface of the quartz, it will vibrate.”  

For perspective, Bauer displayed a list of comparative vibrating frequencies to the quartz:

  • Hummingbird — 70 times/sec  

  • Bees — Up to 230 times/sec

  • Tuning Forks — 256 to 512 times/sec

  • Quartz Watch Crystal — 32,768 times/sec

Also, due to its durability and high resistance to temperature, quartz was the perfect material to use in a watch.

Early Quartz Movements in Switzerland / The Great Fall in the 1970s

Before quartz watches, all watches were mechanical. Switzerland did make quartz movements before the Japanese development, but it did not see Japan and its new technology as a threat. The creation of the Beta 21 Movement was Switzerland’s first quartz movement and was used in the Patek Philippe Reference 3587, the Omega Electroquartz, and the Rolex Oysterquartz Ref. 5100.  However, only 6,000 Beta 21 movements were made because quartz was not a priority nor a threat to the Swiss industry. It was a miscalculation with dire consequences.

In 1972, about 86,000 watches were made annually in Switzerland (with its lowest number of 30,000 in 1982). Seiko’s Astron was the first Japanese watch on the market. It was a limited edition of 200 pieces and sold extremely well. Other quartz timepieces had digital displays that had more success than analog displays due to the different functions that could occur on the wrist. By 1979, Japan’s annual watch sales surged to about 60,000 in comparison to the Swiss industry’s 30,000.

Rebuilding Swiss Watchmaking – The Long Road to Recovery

For the Swiss industry to survive, it had to either consolidate, streamline, or update the marketing strategy of the watch industry’s heritage and quality, and most importantly, find solutions for affordable Swiss watch choices. On the marketing side, Nicolas Hayek revived the Swiss watchmaking industry with the ‘Swatch’ product; and within two years, sold 2,500,000 pieces. From1983 through 1985, Swiss production numbers increased, and the industry was on the road to recovery.

HSNY thanks Hyla Ames Bauer for her fascinating lecture!

Submitted by Melody Benloss, Recording Secretary
Photography by Monica Schipper

HSNY Announces the Simon Willard Award for School Watches

Awards Up To $10,000 Available

The Horological Society of New York (HSNY) announces today a new financial aid initiative for watchmaking students in the U.S. — the Simon Willard Award for School Watches. 

Watchmaking schools often ask their students to create a school watch before graduation, allowing students to showcase the multitude of skills learned in watchmaking school. The finished product can be the first step towards independent watchmaking — an art that preserves traditional watchmaking techniques. Making school watches is important, and HSNY wants to help motivate watchmaking students to go the extra mile in their last school project. This award is named for Simon Willard, a pioneer in establishing the American horological industry.

Willard (1753 - 1848) was an important American horologist and trailblazer in the American horological industry. The Willard family clockmaking business was among the first in the U.S., setting up shop around 1780 on Roxbury Street in Boston (later known as Washington Street). Willard’s brother Aaron settled a quarter mile away, and from the 1790s onward, the Willard family workshop built tall clocks in great numbers and performed general clock repair. In 1802, Simon Willard obtained a patent for his famous eight-day "banjo" clock, which is widely considered to be one of the most significant styles of early 19th-century American timepieces. Willard's clocks required skilled hand-craftsmanship, and their movements were outstandingly precise. His own skills were exceptional, and he was able to file cogwheels without leaving file-marks, producing mechanisms with a margin of error of just thirty seconds over the course of a month. By about 1810, both Simon and Aaron were producing clocks that were as good as those being produced in Europe.

The Simon Willard Award for School Watches is made possible by a generous donation from Samy Al Bahra, a collector of independent timepieces and a proponent of traditional watchmaking education. 

“I am excited to contribute to the Horological Society of New York's educational mission and I hope the Simon Willard Award helps motivate more watchmaking students in America to take the plunge of sharing their work with the rest of the horological community,” said Samy Al Bahra.

Application Process

Any student enrolled in a full-time watchmaking school in the U.S., or who has graduated no more than one year prior to submitting their entry, is eligible for the Simon Willard Award for School Watches. The entry must be a mechanical watch or clock that was utilized as their school watch project and the applicant must certify that the entry was designed and made by themselves. As is the tradition with school watches, students should at minimum manufacture the bridges.

To apply, students should complete the form on HSNY’s website. The application period is January 1 to January 31 of every year. Selected applicants will be asked to deliver their watches to HSNY for judging by a Selection Committee comprised of a panel of experts from HSNY’s Board of Trustees and the watch collecting community. Awards will be granted to one student per watch or clock. The winner will be announced each year at HSNY’s annual Gala in April. Awards up to $10,000 are available.

 

# # #

 

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 and around the world. https://www.hs-ny.org

“Horology’s Great Collectors” Symposium to Honor Past Collectors of Clocks and Watches (Oct. 21-22 in NYC)

On October 21-22, the 2022 Time Symposium hosted by the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) will honor important past collectors of clocks and watches. These great collectors, including J.P. Morgan, recognized the enduring historical, technological, cultural, and aesthetic values of horology.

No previous conference has ever focused upon these collecting stars who deserve our attention, study, and everlasting gratitude. Their collections remain preserved in museums around the world or have been dispersed but are well-documented in books, pamphlets, and auction catalogues dating back to the 18th century.

The symposium programs, also of interest to scholars and students of collecting in general, will take place in mid-town Manhattan at The General Society of Mechanics & Tradesmen of the City of New York. The landmark building also is home to the Horological Society of New York (HSNY) which joins the NAWCC in presenting the event. The closing banquet will be directly across West 44th Street at the elegant Harvard Club of New York City. Eminent speakers from America, England, and Germany have been recruited; these include well-known experts and scholars Jonathan Betts and Oliver Cooke from England. Robert C. Cheney, Executive Director and Curator of the Willard House & Clock Museum, will speak about the extensive clock collection at Old Sturbridge Village which is generously underwriting his presentation.

The James Arthur Lecture, a feature of these annual NAWCC educational conferences, will be delivered by Daryn Schnipper, long-time head of Sotheby’s international watch department. Sotheby’s is the exclusive corporate sponsor of this historic event, and many great horological collections have been gaveled in its sales rooms.

The symposium’s printed program has been expanded to more than 80 pages and includes a deeply-researched annotated and illustrated listing of more than 200 watch and clock collectors from many countries and eras. Bonus sessions and tours include pre-symposium presentations honoring the late horological illustrator and animator John Redfern, a curator-led special tour of the watch collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and a post-symposium day-long field trip to the Morris Museum in nearby New Jersey that holds world-class collections of antique automata and mechanical music.

All details and registration information are at www.greathorology.com. Queries may be directed to symposium organizer Bob Frishman at bell- time@comcast.net or 978-475-5001. A limited number of free registrations are available to students and young museum professionals.

Welcoming New HSNY Members, July & August 2022

HSNY would like to welcome the following new members. It is only with our members' support that we are able to continue flourishing as America's oldest watchmaking guild and advancing the art and science of horology every day. 

  • Aja N. Colon, NY

  • Akshay Agarwal, NJ

  • Andrey Khoksi, NY

  • Angel J. Benjumea, PA

  • Armaan Narwani, AZ

  • Austin J. Cox, NY

  • Boding Zhang, SC

  • Bradley Sandler, CA

  • Chase Cantatore, NJ

  • Chloe Burke, NY

  • Chris Jones, NY

  • Claudio Bacinello, Canada

  • Dave Han, CA

  • David Brady, FL

  • David Knights, NY

  • Douglas Hoyt, CO

  • Frederic Schwandt, Luxembourg

  • Gabriel Paternina Vericat, CT

  • Gabriel Traupman, CT

  • Gregory Cheng, FL

  • Gregory Doughty, WA

  • Harry Nielsen, Canada

  • James G. Mead, NY

  • John Rice, NY

  • Jordan Sill, OH

  • Joshua Bostic, VA

  • Juan Pablo Majluf Brahim, Peru

  • Luis Morales, NY

  • Marcus Adolf, NY

  • Mark Everett, NM

  • Martin Walport, Scotland

  • Matthew Bennett, MA

  • Mawuli Dzirasa, MD

  • Michael Gleber, FL

  • Michael Lebowitz, NY

  • Mike Perry, NY

  • Mohamad Shahzwan Hj Puasa, Brunei

  • Phillip Ghrigsby, AL

  • Regula Schiess, Switzerland

  • Reynaldo Davila, TX

  • Richard Gellman, NJ

  • Richard Rosa, TX

  • Rick Ellis, TX

  • Ricky Zein, NY

  • Robert B. Miller, M.D., CA

  • Rohan Mankikar, NY

  • Samuel Kovel, NJ

  • Stanley Willingham, NJ

  • Stefano Recine, CT

  • Steve Murphy, NY

  • Sylvia Ko, Brunei

  • Tianchen Wang, NJ

  • Tim Ellenburg, FL

  • Tim Madge, United Kingdom

  • Troy McHenry, NC

  • Tyler Frederick, Canada

  • Tyler Van Leeuwen, NY

  • Victor Livingston, NY

  • Zara J. Roberts, NY

Upcoming Lecture: The Quartz Crisis: A Tragic Decade for Swiss Watchmaking

Join HSNY on Wednesday, September 7, 2022 for a lecture on The Quartz Crisis: A Tragic Decade for Swiss Watchmaking, by Hyla Ames Bauer, Watch and Jewelry Writer (New York, New York).

HSNY’s September 2022 lecture will take place in person at the General Society Library. The lecture will also be livestreamed.

Doors open at 6PM ET, lecture and Zoom livestream to begin at 7PM ET.

Note from the lecturer: Wear a Swatch if you have one!

In the early and mid-20th century, the Swiss watchmaking industry was booming — until the quartz crisis happened in the 1970s and shook it to its core.

At the September 2022 lecture of the Horological Society of New York (HSNY), watch and jewelry writer Hyla Ames Bauer will discuss the quartz crisis, beginning with what a quartz watch is, and why it's called a quartz watch and not a battery watch (or some other name). The lecture will also include an overview of how successful Swiss watchmaking was prior to the crisis, and how important it was to the Swiss economy. Bauer will describe the rapid development of quartz timepieces in Japan, at a time when the Swiss were just dipping their toes into quartz technology. Ultimately, in the mid-1970s, quartz watches became an inexpensive novelty that attracted millions of buyers. At that time, Swiss brands could not produce quartz watches at lower prices and the industry faltered. How many job losses occurred, and how many brands closed for good? Join us on September 7 as Bauer shares the facts on how Swiss brands were impacted and got back on their feet!

READ THE FULL STORY HERE!
RSVP is required.

HSNY's 2022 Charity Auction Raises Over $120,000

Presented Online By Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo 

The Horological Society of New York (HSNY) announces that it has successfully raised $124,362 at its Timepieces for HSNY: 2022 Charity Auction, presented online by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo from July 6-13, 2022. The total raised is a new record for HSNY, which brought in just over $80,000 in 2021.

Nine lots made up this year's auction, which included Swiss, German, Japanese and American brands consisting of limited edition watches, sold-out timepieces, a prototype model, a Tiffany-stamped Patek Philippe and more. A ‘No Reserve’  policy was implemented across all lots, causing bidders to extend the auction an extra 15 minutes over two coveted timepieces. Brands on the virtual auction block included Patek Philippe, Zenith, Grand Seiko, TAG Heuer, Ulysse Nardin, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Equation of Time Watches, NOMOS Glashütte and UNIMATIC X Massena LAB.

Included in this year’s total is the sale of HSNY’s first ever lifetime membership card which was auctioned by Phillips at the Society’s 156th Gala in April 2022. The one-of-a-kind card was engine turned (guilloché) and hand-engraved and brought in $18,000 for HSNY and its educational mission. 

“We’re thrilled to have broken our record for money raised at auction,” said HSNY Deputy Director Carolina Navarro. “The support of sponsors, donors, bidders and Phillips will help ensure HSNY is able to offer financial aid for the next generation of watchmakers and beyond.” 

All proceeds from the auction will benefit HSNY in its ongoing mission to advance the art and science of horology, which includes offering financial aid to watchmaking institutions and full-time watchmaking students in the United States.

In 2022, HSNY awarded $100,000 in financial aid — another record amount — and introduced The Grace Fryer Scholarship for Female Watchmaking Students.

HSNY Opens “Watches From the James Arthur Collection” Exhibit

On Display Summer 2022 — Winter 2023

The Horological Society of New York (HSNY) announces today the opening of an exhibit nearly a century in the making — “Watches From the James Arthur Collection” — named after one of New York’s most passionate and hands-on collectors.

Arthur (1842-1930) was born in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, and migrated to the United States in 1871 where he found a job in manufacturing. Unlike many immigrants of the time who struggled to find jobs on the East Coast, Arthur was immediately employed in New York City as a mechanic. He went on to work with steam pumps and valves manufacturer Adam Carr and jointly patented an improvement to the condensing pumping engine, which was filed with the US Patent Office in 1876 and published the following year. Arthur would go on to establish his own business in 1885 — Arthur & Company Machine Works — where he made his own fortune and began collecting timepieces in earnest.

Interior of James Arthur’s home in Brooklyn, New York.

What separated Arthur from other serious collectors was that he wanted to understand his timepieces, often altering and tinkering with them. Other aristocrats, such as J. Pierpont Morgan, amassed collections based on their beauty rather than their technical allure. Over time, Arthur’s collection grew in the thousands, collecting everything from tall case clocks to pocket watch movements. (Archive images from his home show Arthur’s Brooklyn residence lined with timepieces along the walls, shelves and even floors.) Arthur was one of the first serious horological collector-scholars, publishing “Time and Its Measurement” in 1909, and built clocks of his own throughout his life, introducing new designs and materials never used before.

Arthur bequeathed his collection of more than 1,900 timepieces to New York University in 1925 with detailed instruction and generous financial backing (millions in today’s dollars) to make it available to the masses. However, history would paint a darker picture for the once unified collection, which in time would go on to be divided, sold and partially stored away from public viewing. 

In 1983, the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) was granted a large portion of what remained of Arthur’s intact collection — 561 complete watches, 1,107 uncased watches, 210 clocks, and additional uncased clock movements, sundials and tools. The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., where the collection had been on long-term loan, also received more than 200 timepieces. While Arthur’s wish of having his complete collection permanently displayed in New York was sadly never realized for numerous reasons, today HSNY rightfully restores some important examples to the Big Apple where his original dream began.

The “Watches From the James Arthur Collection” exhibit, loaned and curated by the NAWCC Watch and Clock Museum, highlights 14 items once belonging to Arthur, and interprets how he was fascinated by technical details rather than a piece’s purity or rarity. Notable items on show include a pocket watch made by Thomas Tompion of London around 1709, with a signed and numbered movement and an engraved balance cock with a large diamond endstone; a large pocket watch made by William Carpenter of London around 1790, with four subsidiary dials that show hours, seconds, fifths of a second, and the age of the moon; and a 19th-century quarter-repeating pocket watch, modified by Arthur to showcase the complex under-dial work. Additional highlights of the collection can be seen at the NAWCC Watch and Clock museum located in Columbia, PA.  

“For nearly fifteen years, I have been researching and promoting James Arthur’s legacy,” said Bob Frishman, HSNY Exhibit Curator. “This exhibit is a small but meaningful step in honoring an avid and generous horological scholar and collector from the past. When I introduce the sixtieth James Arthur Lecture at the upcoming NAWCC symposium — “Horology’s Great Collectors” — October 21-22 in midtown Manhattan, I will remind my listeners that these lectures began in 1932 and that they will continue to be a vital feature of the NAWCC’s annual educational conferences and another ongoing tribute to this important figure in horology’s rich history.”

“Watches From the James Arthur Collection” is on display at HSNY from summer 2022 through winter 2023. Timed tickets are required to visit. 

For more information about James Arthur and his collection, please read Jeanne Schinto's four-part series of articles, “James Arthur and His Temple of Time: A Cautionary Tale for Collector-Donors and Their Beneficiaries,” originally published in Maine Antique Digest (www.greathorology.com/arthur).

Welcoming New HSNY Members, June 2022

HSNY would like to welcome the following new members. It is only with our members' support that we are able to continue flourishing as America's oldest watchmaking guild and advancing the art and science of horology every day. 

  • A. Powell, MA

  • Albert Poon, Australia

  • Alex Ferris, NJ

  • Andrew Golder, TX

  • Brendan E. Hartford, IL

  • Brendan Ko, NY

  • Camren Rodolpho, FL

  • Christian Mardones, NY

  • Dan Merry Bibalou, France

  • Edward J. Loper, CT

  • Frederick Nagle, NJ

  • Harry Nielsen, Canada

  • Heather Hilgers, NY

  • Jacob Kelin, NY

  • Jayson Rodriguez, GA

  • Jeremy Oster, CO

  • John McNew, CA

  • Jordan Ferro, Gibraltar

  • Jorge Ortiz III, NY

  • Joseph Mecca, NY

  • Juneau Kang, NJ

  • Kaspar Alexander, NY

  • Kevin Ng, NY

  • Kyle Yu, Canada

  • Lam Ng, CA

  • Lazar Bojic, NY

  • Mark King, NY

  • Michael Bauman, NY

  • Michael Johnson, NY

  • Michael Richards, NJ

  • Narender Lakshman, CA

  • Nicholas Thiessen, AZ

  • Orlando Valenzuela, FL

  • Paolo Morales, PA

  • Parvez Fakhruddin, NJ

  • Philip Corwin, VA

  • Philipp Krick, Switzerland

  • Rafael Dada, Germany

  • Roberto Wong, NY

  • Shawn C. Lese, NY

  • Thomas Camplin, NY

  • Thomas DiCandido, CT

  • Tianlei Wu, NY

  • Tianyi Xia, CA

  • Victor Bonadonna, NY

  • William Hara, CA

  • William Wu, CA

Welcoming New HSNY Members, May 2022

HSNY would like to welcome the following new members. It is only with our members' support that we are able to continue flourishing as America's oldest watchmaking guild and advancing the art and science of horology every day. 

  • Al Preciado, CA

  • Alejandro Zaballero, NY

  • Alexandros Keravnos, Cyprus

  • Amel Komic, GA

  • Amit Kaushal, NY

  • BK Fulton, VA

  • Christopher Dorr, MO

  • Christopher Torella, NY

  • Colin Mack, MI

  • Corbin Kidd, FL

  • Crawford Daniel, NC

  • Daniel Sheng, NY

  • Dante M. Alexander, OR

  • Edwin Polanco, Puerto Rico

  • Ellen Fisch, NY

  • Emma Stern, NY

  • Hamish Robertson, United Kingdom

  • James Laporte, NY

  • James Stumpf, NY

  • Jean Sourbé, NY

  • Jonas Litborn, NJ

  • Jordan Silver, NY

  • Joseph Sidor, NY

  • Joshua Gorman, VA

  • Kee Chong Tan, United Kingdom

  • Keiichiro Yumiba, CA

  • Keith Fong, CA

  • Kyle McAuliffe, NY

  • Luca Mazzotti, PA

  • Manuel Soto, CA

  • Marius Berkemeier, Germany

  • Nathan Putrich, NY

  • Nick Baumann, MN

  • Nicola Ciottolo Borin, NY

  • Nikolas Onoufriadis, MA

  • Rafky Rafasya Donals, Indonesia

  • Rajan Mac, CA

  • Rene Kubitza, Germany

  • Robert Fassberg, CA

  • Roberto Viola, NY

  • Sai Gudlavalleti, GA

  • Sergio Merlino, Uruguay

  • Shahzwan Puasa, Brunei

  • Stephen E. Thompson, HI

  • Thomas D. Erb, MA

  • Vladimir Grad, Germany

  • Walter Wayne Cade Jr., IL

  • William Towey, PA

HSNY Welcomes H. Moser & Cie. as a Sponsor

NEW YORK — July 5, 2022

The Horological Society of New York (HSNY) announces Swiss luxury watchmaker H. Moser & Cie. has joined as a sponsor.

The brand, which today employs more than 60 people and develops its own in-house calibers, will support HSNY in its mission to advance the art and science of horology. With H. Moser & Cie.’s sponsorship, the Society is able to expand its educational curriculum, establish new financial aid opportunities for watchmaking students, and more. 

“I grew up in the heart of the Swiss Alps, in a family of watchmakers that dates back several generations,” said Edouard Meylan, CEO and Owner at H. Moser & Cie. “Traditional watchmaking is part of our heritage. At H. Moser & Cie., we are clearly committed to the preservation of tradition and of its values. In everything we do, we try to bring something new, something different, but always with respect to tradition. By combining new materials, new technologies and know-how with heritage, we are committed to advancing the art and science of watchmaking, just like HSNY.

HSNY welcomes H. Moser & Cie. and thanks them for their incredible support!

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ABOUT H. MOSER & CIE.

H. Moser & Cie. was created by Heinrich Moser in 1828. Based in Neuhausen am Rheinfall, it currently employs more than 60 people, has developed 15 in-house calibres to date and produces more than 1,500 watches per annum. Through its sister company Precision Engineering AG (PEAG), H. Moser & Cie. manufactures parts such as regulating organs and balance-springs, which are used for its own production as well as to supply its partner companies. Independent company incorporated into Moser Watch Holding in 2012, Precision Engineering AG specialises in watch components for escapements, from their initial design to the production of a quality product ready to be integrated into the watch movement it must regulate. H. Moser & Cie. is honoured to have a Moser family member with the company as Honorary Chairman and President of the Heinrich and Henri Moser Foundation. The aim of the Moser Foundation, created by one of Heinrich Moser’s descendants, is to keep the family history alive and seek out antique pieces for the Moser Museum, located in Charlottenfels Manor, Heinrich Moser’s family home. With its substantial watchmaking expertise and highly acclaimed experience in the sector, MELB Holding holds shares in H. Moser & Cie. and Hautlence. MELB Holding is an independent family group, based in the heart of the legendary Vallée de Joux.

https://www.h-moser.com/

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 and around the world.

http://hs-ny.org

Meeting Recap: The Genesis of the Royal Oak: From Iconoclast to Icon

Sébastian Vivas, Heritage & Museum Director at Audemars Piguet (Le Brassus, Switzerland)
June 6, 2022

Video recordings of lectures are available to members immediately (using your membership password), and to the general public with a two-month delay.

For the June 2022 lecture at the Horological Society of New York (HSNY), Sébastian Vivas, Heritage & Museum Director at Audemars Piguet, lectured on the legacy of the iconic Royal Oak.

After two generations of the founders’ families running the Audemars Piguet brand, Georges Golay transformed AP from a small workshop of 28 people into a modern company of 80 people. However, it was Golay’s call to the independent designer, Gérald Genta, that the genesis of the Royal Oak was created. Golay requested a sketch of a sports watch by the next day. Genta’s sketch showed the flow of circular, rounded rectangle, and octagonal elements; along with the positioning of the eight screws on the bezel. Vivas shared that the subsequent drawings of the Royal Oak consistently show non-alignment of the screws, and that the screws are attached to the bezel from the back (not the front).  

Certain structures of the Royal Oak highlight its distinctive elements:

Case / Case Back

  • The case was created around the LeCoultre Cie Cal 920 movement that measured 28 mm. Therefore, it was oversized by functional design.

  • The caseback is octagonal and curved

  • The two pieces (combined bezel / case and case back) challenged the ‘monorail’ description since actual monorail timepieces are comprised of three separate pieces: bezel, case, case back.

Bracelet

  • Highly complicated due to the difference of sizes with the links and studs

  • There are no lugs per se due to the innovation and newness of the design

  • It also the first folding clasp at AP

Dial

  • Tapisserie pattern comprised of vertical and horizontal lines

  • Structured by small pyramid-like shapes

  • Every dial of the Royal Oak is unique due to the difference in the size and depth

Origin of the name / Logo

  • Various names were considered such as: Safari, Grand Prix, Diane, Surfrider, Colorado, Kilimanjaro, Canyon, Oxford, Ascot and Yale

  • It is known that the name came from Carlos de Marchi when he referred to the Royal Oak vessels of the Royal Navy

  • It is the first piece that has its name and logo engraved on a watch

  • Since Gérald Genta already left AP, the logo was not shown on the press kits

Other aspects of the Royal Oak were adding a number for each model and each material to give an air of exclusivity for the client; along with a dedicated promotional campaign since it was necessary to explain the high cost of a steel watch. All in all, the Royal Oak is a masterpiece for Gérald Genta and Audemars Piguet.

HSNY thanks Sébastian Vivas for his fascinating lecture!

Submitted by Melody Benloss, Recording Secretary
Photography by Monica Schipper

HSNY Announces 'Timepieces for HSNY: 2022 Charity Auction' Presented by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo

Online July 6-13

The Horological Society of New York (HSNY) announces today Timepieces for HSNY: 2022 Charity Auction, presented online by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo from July 6-13, 2022.

Now in its second year as an online auction, HSNY members and friends will have the opportunity to bid from anywhere in the world for a great cause. All sale proceeds will benefit HSNY in its ongoing mission to advance the art and science of horology, which includes offering financial aid to watchmaking institutions and scholarships to full-time watchmaking students.

Bidders can expect top picks from Swiss, German, Japanese and American brands, including limited edition, sold-out timepieces, a coveted Tiffany stamped watch, vintage gems, a prototype model and much more. Best of all, a ‘No Reserve’ policy will apply to all timepieces, encouraging auction-goers to bid enthusiastically.

Lot items from Timepieces for HSNY: 2022 Charity Auction include:

  • Lot 1 — Unimatic x Massena LAB, U1-MLBN “Family and Friends”, DLC-plated stainless steel, circa 2020. Brand New. Donated by Massena LAB.

  • Lot 2 — NOMOS Glashütte, Ludwig Neomatik 39, stainless steel, circa 2020. Brand New. Donated by NOMOS Glashütte.

  • Lot 3 — Equation of Time x Atom Moore ‘Fat Arrow’ Prototype, stainless steel, circa 2022. Brand New, with limited edition metal print. Atom Moore and Roland Murphy/EOT Watches.

  • Lot 4 — GRAND SEIKO, Reference SBGW277 U.S. Exclusive, stainless steel, circa 2021. Brand New. Donated by Grand Seiko.

  • Lot 5 — ULYSSE NARDIN, Open-face chronograph pocket watch with certificate and presentation box, gunmetal blue steel, circa 1912. Donated by Ulysse Nardin.

  • Lot 6 — JAEGER-LECOULTRE, Reverso, stainless steel, circa 2022. Brand New. Donated by Jaeger-LeCoultre.

  • Lot 7 — PATEK PHILIPPE, Reference 715, open-face pocket watch retailed by Tiffany & Co., 18K yellow gold, circa 1967. Donated by Collectability.

  • Lot 8 — TAG HEUER, HODINKEE TAG Heuer Carrera ‘Dato’ Limited Edition, stainless steel, circa 2020. Brand New. Donated by HODINKEE.

  • Lot 9 — ZENITH, Collective x Zenith Chronomaster El Primero C.01, stainless steel, circa 2019. Pre Owned. Donated by Collective Horology.

“The watches donated for HSNY's 2022 auction are amusing, exciting, historical and most of all - meaningful,” said HSNY Executive Director Nicholas Manousos. “The proceeds from the generosity of the donors and bidders will go a long way towards ensuring the success of watchmaking students, and I encourage everyone to bid with that in mind.”

Paul Boutros, Phillips’ Head of Watches, Americas, adds, “We are honored and delighted to once again support HSNY’s efforts that continue to advance watchmaking science and culture in the United States. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the sale of each watch, including Phillips’ buyers’ premium, will benefit HSNY’s educational programs, scholarships, and watchmaking school awards.”

In April 2022, HSNY held its annual Gala — a tradition that dates back to the Society’s start in 1866 — where Phillips’ Watches Head of Sale & International Specialist, Vice President, Isabella Proia auctioned off the Society’s first ever lifetime membership card. The special card was engine turned (guilloché) and hand-engraved and brought in $18,000 for HSNY and its educational mission. Furthermore, HSNY awarded $100,000 in financial aid, the largest sum to date. Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo will be hosting viewings of Timepieces for HSNY: 2022 Charity Auction by appointment only from July 6-13. To schedule an appointment please contact watchesny@phillips.com. Happy bidding!

Download the Phillips app to browse, track, save and bid on Timepieces for HSNY: 2022 Charity Auction. Images courtesy of Phillips.

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ABOUT PHILLIPS IN ASSOCIATION WITH BACS & RUSSO

Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo is the watch department at Phillips auction house, dedicated exclusively to the world's finest collectors' watches. Launched in November 2014 by Aurel Bacs and his partner, Livia Russo, the department was established in response to the ever-increasing need for today's collectors to easily access scholarship, guidance and quality across the board. Based in New York, Geneva, London, Hong Kong and Japan, the team of specialists at Phillips Watches is dedicated to an uncompromised approach to quality, transparency and client service. With multiple world records, including for a Rolex wristwatch, vintage Patek Philippe wristwatch, and Omega wristwatch sold at auction, Phillips achieved $209.3 million in 2021, the most successful year for any auction house in watch auction history. In 2019, the auction house opened Phillips PERPETUAL, a private sale program with physical and digital storefronts that offers a highly curated selection of watches sold at fixed prices.

Official website: www.phillips.com/watches 

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 and around the world.

Official website: https://hs-ny.org

Meeting Recap: Hidden Figures: Overlooked Elements of Watchmaking

Jeffrey Kingston, Editor-in-Chief of Le Quai de l’Horloge (Sun Valley, Idaho)
May 5, 2022

Video recordings of lectures are available to members immediately (using your membership password), and to the general public with a two-month delay.

For the May 2022 lecture at the Horological Society of New York (HSNY), Jeffrey Kingston talked about the overlooked mechanisms of a timepiece. Watch enthusiasts often admire a particular complication, a certain feature, finishing embellishments, thinness, and sometimes the allure of scarcity. These aspects are immediately seen.

However, Kingston pointed out five areas he believes are the ‘hidden figures’ within a watch: inertial regulation, silicon hairsprings, copper beryllium wheels, multiple mainspring barrels and secure calendar mechanisms. So what is tested to establish the value of a ‘hidden figure’? According to Kingston, it needs to deliver value and make the watch better without bringing attention to itself.

Inertial Regulation
The advantage of this type of regulation (as opposed to the raquette regulation) is that the trial-and-error component is significantly reduced. There’s improved robustness, shock resistance and stability.

Silicon Hairsprings
If the adoption of silicon hairsprings is compatible with traditional watchmaking, then the material more or less preserves the tradition. The advantage is the extraordinary resistance to magnetism, the lighter weight, its idealized shape, its uniform response to impulses and that it ages more slowly than metallic alloys.

Copper Beryllium Wheels
The three main materials of choice for wheels are brass (90% of the industry uses this material), German silver (an alloy of mostly copper and zinc though rarely used) and copper beryllium, which turns out to be the most expensive of the materials. Its advantages are lower friction and greater hardness which results in better wear properties. With copper beryllium, the material can be stamped with a precision of less than 3 microns. Therefore, the greater the precision of the watch part, the better the watch will perform when utilizing copper beryllium wheels.

Multiple Mainspring Barrels
These aid with longer power reserves and are connected in a series. Due to the stiff, strong spring in the outer barrel and the thick spring of the inner barrel, they calibrate the strength of the springs to optimally replenish the innermost barrel. The effect is to get a relatively flat power curve of time.

Secure Calendar Mechanisms
The problem with most complicated calendar constructions is the risk of breakage when manually setting the timepiece during the automatic date changes. Having a secure mechanism within the calendar complication will maintain the integrity of the day of the week, date and month.

HSNY thanks Jeffrey Kingston for his fascinating lecture!

Submitted by Melody Benloss, Recording Secretary
Photography by Monica Schipper

Upcoming Lecture: The Genesis of the Royal Oak: From Iconoclast to Icon

Join HSNY in person on Monday, June 6, 2022 for a lecture on The Genesis of the Royal Oak: From Iconoclast to Icon, by Sébastian Vivas, Heritage & Museum Director at Audemars Piguet (Le Brassus, Switzerland).

HSNY’s June 2022 lecture will take place in person at the General Society Library. The lecture will also be livestreamed.

Doors open at 6PM ET, lecture and Zoom livestream to begin at 7PM ET.

In 2022, the Royal Oak watch is celebrating its 50th anniversary. In preparation for this event, the Audemars Piguet Heritage team spent a few years in the brand’s archives to better understand the history of this iconoclastic timepiece, which became a cultural icon within and beyond watchmaking.

This lecture will share the results of this ongoing research, while shedding light on the major actors involved in the watch’s creation, among whom are Italian agent Carlo de Marchi, designer Gérald Genta, and former CEO of Audemars Piguet Georges Golay. It will also pay tribute to the many people and companies that contributed to the timepiece’s challenging development: case-maker Favre-Perret, movement-maker LeCoultre & Cie, bracelet-maker Gay Frères and famous dial-maker Stern Frères.

At the June 6, 2022, lecture of the Horological Society of New York, Sébastian Vivas, Heritage & Museum Director at Audemars Piguet, will distinguish myth from reality in terms of the watch’s creation process as well as its reception, commercial success and extraordinary destiny.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE!
RSVP is required.

Welcoming New HSNY Members, March & April 2022

HSNY would like to welcome the following new members. It is only with our members' support that we are able to continue flourishing as America's oldest watchmaking guild and advancing the art and science of horology every day. 

Congratulations to Jared Tramontano, left, on winning HSNY's first-ever Lifetime Membership Card!

The Lifetime Membership Card, engraved and ready to ship!

  • Aaron Hart, NJ

  • Abbe Herzig, NY

  • Adrian Deforest, Canada

  • Andrew Cazalet, United Kingdom

  • Anoop Daswani, FL

  • Arnaud Moulin, NY

  • Artaud Charles, NY

  • Arthur Weinstein, NM

  • Bruno Ribeiro da Silva, NY

  • Bryce Walther, CA

  • Cenk Ozdemir, FL

  • Christian Neuhaus, Germany

  • Daniel Niklas, NY

  • Daniel Schwartz, CO

  • Darin Aldrich, MI

  • Daryn Schnipper, NY

  • David Kay, VA

  • David Lopez, CT

  • David Martinez, NY

  • Dawn Schmidt, FL

  • Dominick Colasanto, NY

  • Dylan Ketcham, IL

  • Edward Salonia, NC

  • Elisa Catenazzi, NJ

  • Enrique J. Curras, NY

  • Evan Johnston, NY

  • George F. Lamboy III JD, NY

  • Gergely Hanol, Indonesia

  • Gilius Blinstrubas, IL

  • Henri Salamati, CA

  • Jacqueline Chance, NY

  • James Brignall, Canada

  • James N. Masciale, NY

  • Jan Musil, PA

  • Jared Tramontano, NY *LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP RECIPIENT 2022*

  • Jean C. Gonzalez, NJ

  • Jean-François Noël, Canada

  • Jeff Feddersen, NJ

  • Jeff Heiner, NY

  • Jeffrey Sawyer, CT

  • Jeremy K. Kirkland, MO

  • Jessica Alfrey, CA

  • Jon Carter, NY

  • Jose Acevedo, NJ

  • Kasi Houston, TX

  • Kevin Cheek, VA

  • Kevin O'Leary, FL

  • Kyle Godfrey, NY

  • Marcos Gutierrez, TX

  • Matthew Maicher, WA

  • Michael D. Dubitzky, NY

  • Mitchell Kellert, NY

  • Mohamed Alketbi, VA

  • Nicholas Bayne, NJ

  • Nicholas Bouza, TX

  • Nuriel Gadelov, PA

  • Paul Craythorne, GA

  • Paul R. Anthony, PA

  • Peter Straub, IL

  • Renaud Balland, NY

  • Richard Kurtzer, NY

  • Robert Basiliere, TX

  • Robert DiStefano, FL

  • Scott Becker, CA

  • Sean Lavery, NY

  • Shing Kwan Chan, NJ

  • Simone Aimone, Italy

  • Sukrit Kumar, United Kingdom

  • Theo Konstantinidis, Canada

  • Thomas Kozlowski, Austria

  • Timothy Brennan, NJ

  • Tony Kim, CA

  • Tyler Hill, Canada

  • Victoria Cattin, FL

  • William Malone, PA

  • William Mon, NJ

  • William W. Ehrgood, OH

  • Yang Li, NV

Upcoming Lecture: Hidden Figures: Overlooked Elements of Watchmaking

Join HSNY in person on Thursday, May 5, 2022 for a lecture on Hidden Figures: Overlooked Elements of Watchmaking, by Jeffrey Kingston, Editor-in-Chief of Le Quai de l’Horloge (Sun Valley, Idaho)

HSNY’s May 2022 lecture will take place in person at the General Society Library. The lecture will also be livestreamed. Doors open at 6PM ET, lecture and Zoom livestream to begin at 7PM ET.

Many elements of a fine watch are often overlooked by connoisseurs or not given their full due. Free-sprung balances, silicon hairsprings, copper beryllium wheels, multiple mainspring barrels and secure calendar mechanisms all could be considered the "Hidden Figures" of watchmaking.

At the May 5, 2022, lecture of the Horological Society of New York, Jeffrey Kingston will discuss these elements and show the importance and value that they bring to horology.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE!
RSVP is required.