Upcoming Lecture: Independence Journey: From A One-Man Show To A Successful Independent

Kari Voutilainen, Founder and Owner of Voutilainen SA (Switzerland)
February 6, 2023

Watch manufacturing has always been a complex endeavor that requires expertise in many different areas. That expertise is usually spread out with a network of suppliers or a large manufacturer. Being able to concentrate that expertise with one small team, independent of traditional industry suppliers, is not an easy thing to do. But some watchmakers have done exactly this and have shown remarkable success. One such independent watchmaker is Kari Voutilainen.

At the February 6 meeting of the Horological Society of New York, Voutilainen will discuss his journey from a "one-man show" to a small and totally independent workshop producing incredible mechanical watches.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE!

Doors open at 6PM ET, lecture to begin at 7PM ET. RSVP is required.

The lecture video will be available to members immediately, and to the general public following a two-month delay.

Reading Time at HSNY: Hands of the Clock, Hands in the Book

This post is the third in a new series, Reading Time at HSNY, written by our librarian, Miranda Marraccini. Find the first post here and the second here.

Some might be tempted to think that all technology that exists today is digital, but as watch people, we know that watchmakers still use their hands–their digits–to create intricate, accurate, and beautiful timepieces. As a new member in the world of horology, I’m interested in this kind of artisan labor, and as a librarian, I’m also interested in a different kind of handiwork: handwriting in old books, that shows how these books were used and loved.

One example I recently found in the HSNY archives is a note in a book published in 1824 in London, The Book of English Trades.¹ This book, which was reprinted in many editions, would have been an important resource for young people seeking to learn how to get into “the business”–any business. It contains 78 trades listed in alphabetical order, with details of what qualifications you might need for an entry level position, and helpful illustrations that would allow someone who lived before the internet to understand, say, what a printing shop looked like, or what you needed to start making straw hats for a living.

In our copy, which can be found at HSNY’s Jost Bürgi Research Library, someone has written in an uneven nineteenth-century hand, “Augusta, Harriot & Edith Perry with their Grandmamma Booth’s Affectionate Love - -  Bath 1st March 1855.” The inscription shows that multiple generations of women valued and used this book for at least 30 years after its publication, including a grandmother who thought it was important enough to pass it on to her granddaughters. And they thought it was important too–on the title page “Mrs Harriot Booth Widow” (probably the Grandmamma) signed it herself, and “edith” is written underneath in what looks like a child’s handwriting.

It is important to know that this book covers a number of trades in which women played important roles in the 18th and 19th centuries, including pin-making, spinning, and confectionery. These women may have been working in one of them, although I couldn’t find any definitive evidence of who they were or where they worked.

We own this volume because it contains an entry on watchmaking, “an employment so well known as to require no description” (nonetheless meriting a six page description). The entry, which includes the engraving at right, is lively and attempts to draw in young readers with anecdotes about famed clockmakers like Thomas Tompion, who “began the exemplification of his great knowledge in the equation of time, by regulating the wheels of a jack for roasting meat” (418). 

But most of the text is practical, explaining how clocks and watches work, what a watchmaker does, and what the job requires: “a light hand,” “a strong sight,” as well as some understanding of “mechanics” and “mathematics” (421). It also foreshadows the increasing mechanization of the industry, which like most others, was experiencing rapid change during what would later be known as the industrial revolution: the “invention of engines for cutting the teeth” has “reduced the expense of workmanship and time to a mere trifle in comparison to what it was before” (420).

As for the book’s owners, Augusta, Harriot, and Edith, according to the text, they could participate in watchmaking as watch chain makers, a part of the trade that “appears difficult” but is actually “easy,” according to our author, and therefore suited to women (421). The Booth women, however, clearly educated themselves about the facts of many trades in which they were not especially invited to participate. They were proud of their ownership of this book and active participants in the dawn of the industrial era in Britain.

Despite a lack of encouragement to enter the trade, women were working in watchmaking, and we have evidence of that in our library too. A hundred years after the Perry women inscribed their book, watchmaking students Marinette Golay and Liliane Bandini were taking meticulous notes in their classes on “Horlogerie, Arithmétique, and Réglage” (watch adjusting). Today we have four of their notebooks in our library. 

Below, images from Marinette Golay’s notebook show that she not only took great care in copying diagrams, she also seemed to relish the process of illustrating watch parts. Her drawings are both precise and beautiful, and they use color to distinguish the different parts of a watch, making it easier to follow how repairs could be made. In the image below right, Golay, studying the balance wheel and the hairspring, illustrates the right type of screw to use (domed) so as not to deform the rim of the balance wheel.

We also have three of Bandini’s notebooks, similarly in French, and dated 1953. In her notes below, she is equally meticulous in her drawings. In the first image, she takes notes on different types of hairsprings, noting the ratios required and what type of watch they would be suitable for. In the second set of pages, she observes an example of secondary error, following changes in amplitude and rate in a watch movement over five days.  

I’ve chosen to photograph notebook pages with hand-drawn diagrams because they’re visually interesting, but many more of Bandini’s pages are filled with hard math, calculations about energy and force that any working watchmaker needs to understand at a basic level. Bandini and Golay weren’t just interested in the easy part. They went all the way down to the invisible equations that underpin all the work of the hands. And since we have some of their graded exam papers, we know they were pretty good at it. 

What we don’t know about Golay and Bandini is what they did after watchmaking school–whether they actually worked on watches, either servicing them or in some other context. But in our library, we certainly have evidence of how other watchmakers worked. Around the same time that Golay and Bandini were studying in Europe, an anonymous watchmaker was writing and typing in a notebook, purchased at Woolworth’s, that is now also in our collection. In this ringed binder, the owner detailed their store inventory, took notes on different watchmakers and how to repair different models, and drew diagrams of watch parts.

The image at left above shows typed instructions for jeweling watches, or replacing the bearings of a watch, usually made from rubies, which allow the gears to rotate smoothly. The notebook’s owner has carefully illustrated different types of jewels and notes how to remove them when a watch needs repairing. At right there is a hand-drawn diagram of different types of staking punches, sets of tools used for multiple purposes in watchmaking, including to join or rivet different parts of the watch together. I don’t yet know who this watchmaker was, although the notebook and other details point to an American working in the 1940s and 1950s. Even without the owner’s identity, this notebook can still provide us with detailed information about how working mid-century watchmakers set up shop, and how they studied (and still study) different models to hone their craft and repair beloved watches for future generations.

As a longtime librarian who’s new to horology, I’ve already learned so much about watchmaking from this notebook and other materials in our collection. Many of our items–like this one–are unique, with only one copy in existence. People read them, wrote in them, and used them, often until they were falling apart. That’s what I find most valuable about working with this collection. It’s a privilege to preserve the words and traces of people who labored over centuries, contributing the work of their hands to the story of horology.

____________________________________________________________________________

¹ A different copy is available on Google books.

HSNY Welcomes Paul Boutros and Lenise Logan as Trustees

The Horological Society of New York (HSNY) welcomes Paul Boutros, Head of Watches, Americas, for the Phillips Auction House, and Lenise Logan, President of Kalpa Art Advisory, Inc., to its board of trustees. John Reardon and Brett Walsdorf fulfill their five-year term as a trustees, and Walsdorf assumes the role of Treasurer and Director of Special Events.

Paul Boutros

Paul Boutros is the Head of Watches, Americas, for the Phillips Auction House, helping to build the department since its launch in 2014. In October 2017, he led Phillips’ inaugural New York watch auction, Winning Icons, where Paul Newman’s Rolex “Paul Newman” Daytona sold for $17.8 million - the highest result ever for a vintage wristwatch sold at auction. A lifelong collector of wristwatches, Boutros is a specialist in their authentication and valuation. He serves on the Honorary Committee of the Gerald Genta Heritage Association and is an Academy Member of the Grand Prix d’Horologerie de Genève (GPHG). Boutros is passionate about educating others on watch collecting, having co-founded one of the first watch collecting clubs, the Watch Enthusiasts of New York, and previously serving as the Watch Columnist for Barron’s PENTA.

“As a longtime admirer of HSNY’s mission, it is a true honor to be elected as a trustee,” said Boutros. “I look forward to collaborating with fellow board members in assisting HSNY to further advance watchmaking culture, education, and scholarship in the United States.”

Lenise Logan

As an art advisor and exhibitions consultant for over 20 years, Lenise Logan is well-known in the art business and museum worlds. She has worked with some of the most successful auctioneer operations and logistics departments, at companies such as Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Phillips. Logan has been responsible for some of the most valuable works of art in the world; to the tune of over three billion dollars. A founding member of Christie’s Corporate Responsibility Group, she continues this work by supporting companies worldwide in achieving their resiliency, diversity and inclusion goals. When it comes to collectors and artists, Logan has worked with the Dean Collection and Reginald M. Browne. Logan supports Black and Brown community-driven art collecting in these communities.

“With the number of watchmakers decreasing in America and less than 40% of watchmakers being African-American, Latinx, or Asian combined - there is work to be done,” said Logan. “As a newly appointed trustee of the Horological Society of New York, changing that disparity is paramount. Through exposure and scholarships, HSNY aims to break down systemic barriers and provide equal opportunities for all students pursuing watchmaking as a profession. Our ultimate goal is to create a just future for aspiring wristwear professionals by optimizing the currency we all share: Time.”

Horological Society of New York Board of Trustees, 2023

# # #

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

HSNY Welcomes Europa Star as a Sponsor

The Horological Society of New York (HSNY) announces Swiss publishing house Europa Star has joined as a sponsor.

Europa Star, which is currently offered to HSNY members worldwide, operates a network of international publications covering the watch, jewelry and microtechnology sectors.  

The company's origins date back to 1927, when Hugo Buchser, its founder, was a young Swiss entrepreneur with a passion for watches. An experienced traveler and globetrotter, he toured the world for his own watch brand called Transmarine and then had the idea to launch a guide for watch buyers as a first step into the world of publishing. This guide quickly became an essential tool for the entire watch industry. 

Under the impetus of Gilbert Maillard, Buchser's son-in-law, who became president of the company in 1962, the network of magazines published in various continents and languages were grouped together under the Europa Star brand in order to cover all the international markets and become a truly global publishing company, establishing Europa Star as a leader in the watch industry's specialized press. 

“As a publishing house that has been active for almost a century in promoting the art of watchmaking around the world, we naturally identify with the great educational work of the Horological Society of New York,” says Serge Maillard, director of Europa Star and great-grandson of the founder. “The way HSNY has reinvented itself over the past decade to speak to new generations of watch enthusiasts is truly remarkable and inspiring to us.”

Today, Europa Star is spearheaded by a fourth generation with Serge Maillard serving as publisher and CEO. Among the most memorable recent achievements is the digitization of the publishing house's archives, bringing the total content available online to over 250,000 pages covering almost a century of watchmaking history.

HSNY welcomes Europa Star and thanks them for their incredible support!

# # #

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

HSNY Introduces Three New Financial Aid Opportunities for 2023

Honoring Innovation in Horology, Watchmaking Students & School Watches

The Horological Society of New York (HSNY) is welcoming 2023 with three brand new financial aid opportunities for watchmaking students in the United States: The Charles Sauter Scholarship for Innovation in Horology, the Charles London Scholarship for Watchmaking Students, and the Simon Willard Award for School Watches, created to further support HSNY’s mission of advancing the art and science of horology.

About the Charles Sauter Scholarship for Innovation in Horology

Horology may seem like a mature science, but there are still opportunities for improvement in all aspects of the field. There are many examples of innovations in horology that improved our lives, and HSNY is committed to fostering meaningful innovation through scholarship.

Charles Sauter

A Pennsylvania native, Charles Sauter (1922–2016) studied mechanical engineering at Pennsylvania State University and later studied watchmaking at the Hamilton Watchmaking School. After a stint in the U.S. Army, including time at the Manhattan Project, Sauter joined Bulova Watches as an instructor, where he encompassed many different positions including working as the Principal Engineer for the Accutron watch and as the Principal Engineer for the Apollo 17 Lunar Seismic Profiling Experiment. 

A true innovator, Sauter has two patents to his name, for a micro-miniature stepping motor and an anti-backlash gear. In addition, Sauter was an active HSNY member, writing frequently for the Society’s newsletter, The Horologist's Loupe.

Today, HSNY is proud to create a scholarship opportunity to honor Charles Sauter’s innovative spirit and contributions to society, made possible by the generous donation from Amit Puri, CEO  Kurtek LLC and Matthew Rosenheim, CEO of Tiny Jewel Box. Puri and Rosenheim share a passion for horology and a dedication to preserving the craft for future generations, and as supporters for decades, they are determined to preserve the wonders of horological science for generations to come.

“The micro-mechanical nature of fine watchmaking has always intrigued me, and for decades I have been fortunate enough to experience the amazing creations of great horological artists,” said Puri. “Now, by giving back to this field of study that has brought me so much joy, I hope to help facilitate access to learning the wonders of horological science for generations to come.”

“Establishing the Charles Sauter scholarship is a way for Tiny Jewel Box to both give back to an industry that has given much to my family, and help ensure the watch industry’s future success through supporting the education of more watchmakers,” adds Rosenheim.

About the Charles London Scholarship for Watchmaking Students

While most watchmaking schools in the U.S. are free, students often have to cover the expenses of watchmaking tools. These schools are full-time two-year programs, meaning paying for living expenses can be difficult. This is where the Charles London Scholarship for Watchmaking Students comes in.

Charles London

Charles London was a self-taught clock maker when he emigrated alone from Europe to Glen Cove, New York in 1923. London would go from house to house on the Gold Coast of Long Island selling his clock repair services to make enough money to send for his wife and three children to join him in the United States. In 1926, London established his own store selling and servicing clocks and watches on School Street in Glen Cove. With the changing fashions of the roaring twenties, he evolved his store to include jewelry and London Jewelers was born.

The entrepreneurial spirit of the New York horological industry in the early 20th century was exemplified by Charles London. HSNY hopes to encourage existing and future watchmakers to pursue their passion for horology with The Charles London Scholarship made possible by a generous donation from London Jewelers.

“London Jewelers and the Udell family are very pleased to have established the Charles London Scholarship for the next generation of skilled watchmakers,” said Mark Udell, CEO of London Jewelers. “Our goal is to inspire and encourage students to follow their passion of watchmaking to a career that supports the growing population of watch enthusiasts.”  

About 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. 

Simon Willard

Simon 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 Al Bahra.

Application details

Any student who has been accepted or is currently studying at a full-time watchmaking school in the U.S. is eligible to apply for financial aid. Prospective students may also apply, with the understanding that the scholarships are contingent on their enrollment at a full-time watchmaking school. The scholarships are awarded every April, with awards of up to $5,000 (Sauter and London scholarships) and $10,000 (Willard award) available. Individual requirements can be found here. The application period is from January 1 to March 1 of every year.

Additional Scholarship Opportunities

# # #

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

Welcoming New HSNY Members, December 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. 

GOLD

  • Adam Klein, GA *

  • Dustin Tsitouris, OH *

  • Lukas Senkowski, NY

  • Philip Chua, Singapore

SILVER

  • Brad Tucker, GA *

  • Jeff Lee, NJ

  • Sean Mccarthy, NY

  • Tim Paine, NY

BRONZE

  • Adam Stubbs, NY

  • Aimee Gruber, KY

  • Andrew Cannon, Canada

  • Anthony Tran MD, MS, PA

  • Antonia Gurkovska, IL

  • Brian H. Nussbaum, NY

  • Catherine Donnelly, NY

  • Daniel Daly, NY

  • Daniel Orgel, RI

  • Dave Lo, CA

  • David L. Schaeffer, NY

  • David S. Katz, IN

  • David Saunders, NY

  • Diego Avelino, FL

  • Dr. John Westerdahl, CA

  • Emile Devaux Jr., NY

  • Eric Abshier, VA

  • Fahd Haddoumi, NJ

  • Gary  Berson, NY

  • Giancarlo Rosselli, GA

  • Greg Deligiannis, NY

  • Jackson Moore, OR

  • James Jones, GA

  • Jarrod Clayton, NC

  • Jay Klapper, NJ

  • Jerome Ballarotto, NJ

  • Jim Bazzano, NJ

  • John Asencio, NJ

  • John Chirigos, MD

  • John L. Marcantonio, NY

  • Jonathan Vingiano, NY

  • Joseph Viana, NY

  • Joshua Rebel, TX

  • Juan Ramirez, NJ

  • Karim Anis, MA

  • Kurt C. Jensen, MN

  • Lance Valenzona, Canada

  • Lynell Washington, CA

  • Mario Konrad, NJ

  • Michael McManus, NY

  • Michael Ruff, MN

  • Morris Vivona, NJ

  • Murat Kocak, Canada

  • Nicholas Sereda, MA

  • Oliver D. Cromwell, NY

  • Raymond Cho, NJ

  • Raymond Ko, NY

  • Riley Smith, CA

  • Robert Atwell, FL

  • Ronald Birchall, IL

  • Roy A. Causey, WI

  • Sean Noah, AL

  • Seth Archer, NY

  • Seth Robinson, NV

  • Stephen Faust, PA

  • Terri Cooper, CA

  • Thomas Gruber, KY

  • Tim Okito, MD

  • Timothy Erin, PA

  • Timothy Walsh, NJ

  • Tommy DeMauro, PA

  • Veronika Hebbard, Canada

  • Wayne T. Branom III, Washington, D.C.

  • Wojciech Dec, NY

* Upgraded Membership Level

Upcoming Lecture: The Birth, Death and Rebirth of American Watchmaking

Joshua Shapiro, CEO J.N. Shapiro Watches LLC (Los Angeles, California)
January 9, 2023

American watchmaking had a meteoric rise in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The U.S. made millions of highly precise and beautiful timepieces. The means of producing these timepieces heavily influenced manufacturing techniques within watchmaking and industry at large. However, within a relatively short time period after World War II, mechanical movement watch companies would disappear completely from America. Now the U.S. is experiencing a resurgence of American watchmaking.

At the January 2023 lecture of the Horological Society of New York, Joshua Shapiro, CEO of J.N. Shapiro Watches LLC, will explore the rise of American watchmaking, the factors behind its demise, and lastly, share the exciting horology currently happening in the U.S.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE!

Doors open at 6PM ET, lecture to begin at 7PM ET. RSVP is required.

The lecture video will be available to members immediately, and to the general public following a two-month delay.

Reading Time at HSNY: James Arthur, A Pleasing Exception

This post is the second in a new series, Reading Time at HSNY, written by HSNY’s librarian, Miranda Marraccini. Find the first post here.

Our current exhibit at HSNY is "Watches from the James Arthur Collection,” which is open to the public by appointment through Winter 2023. The exhibit showcases 14 items from the collection of James Arthur (1842-1930), an immigrant, mechanic, businessman, and inveterate tinkerer who never stopped building watches and clocks.

James Arthur also published Time and its Measurement in 1909, a book reprinted from a series of articles he wrote for the magazine Popular Mechanics. The heavily illustrated volume is brief (only 64 pages) but wide-ranging, covering such topics as Chinese and Japanese methods of telling time, how pendulums work, the Zodiac, and Arthur’s modest proposal to “throw local time out totally and establish one, invariable, universal time.” We have the book in our library at HSNY.

A caption below a picture of Arthur on the frontispiece of his book (shown at left) calls him “an enthusiastic scientist, a successful inventor and extensive traveler” with “the finest collection in the world” numbering over 1500 timepieces. He is “a pleasing exception to the average business man” because of his appetite for scientific study and research. Although the caption claims to have been written by the editor of Popular Mechanics, Henry Haven Windsor, it no doubt reflects the image Arthur wanted to project: not only a successful entrepreneur, but also a learned one, interested in new science and exciting innovation. He was an exception to the usual collector type, too, since he was more interested in mechanical detail than a watch’s purported value or rarity. He liked to alter his watches and take them apart to display how they worked.

Arthur’s book demonstrates, more than anything, that he viewed himself as a horologist of the people, popular in the broadest sense. Popular Mechanics had a tagline at the time, emblazoned on the front page of each issue: “written so you can understand it.” In his series of articles, which became the book, Arthur fully embraces this ideal of accessibility. He writes familiarly, in the second person, addressing “you” as he carefully explains the history and mechanics of timekeeping. He makes it clear that he’s open to exploration and critique. For instance when trying to understand a particular feature of ancient water clocks, he writes, quite modestly: “I venture an explanation and hope the reader can do better, as we are all of a family and there is no jealousy” (19). Arthur even draws some of the illustrations himself, in an attempt to “make it plain” how a clock’s movement actually works (see image at left). All readers, including children, are welcome to learn and even speculate together. 

Time and its Measurement also shows that Arthur couldn’t help talking about his tinkering. He writes about the “considerable number” of clocks he has built, “all for experimental purposes” (40). For example, he uses different jewels for bearings: “in one clock I used agates,” and in another, “running thirteen months with one winding, I used pallets jeweled with diamonds” (40). Arthur includes images, too, of clocks he designed, including the one at right ornamented with a figure of a bull. There’s no particular reason to include this information – Arthur is an enthusiastic amateur, and he wants his readers to feel that they are too.

James Arthur donated his collection to New York University in 1925, along with a generous cash bequest meant to preserve it intact as a museum. That’s not what happened, although the full story is beyond the scope of this article. Arthur’s collection lingered, suffered neglect, and was eventually divided and sold to different entities.¹ The watches we have in the exhibit now belong to the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors.

Despite the disappointing fate of his collection of clocks and watches, Arthur’s legacy lives on in multiple ways. As part of his endowment, Arthur stipulated that a themed lecture should be held every year on the topic of Time and its Mysteries. In the HSNY library, we have several of these lectures in print form, which include titles like “On the Lifetime of a Galaxy” and “The Geologic Records of Time.” The speakers have often taken on broadly philosophical topics, in keeping with Arthur’s chronic curiosity and sense of intellectual exploration. You can watch the 59th (and most recent) James Arthur lecture here. 

HSNY’s permanent collection also includes one of Arthur’s tall case clocks, recently donated by our Exhibit Curator, Bob Frishman. Although it was an antique when he bought it, Arthur altered this clock to his particular specifications, noting its unusual thick ceramic dial, “just like a dinner plate.” At left is an image of the clock from a chronicle of the collection published in 1932 called The Lure of the Clock, and at right, a picture of the clock as it stands in our library today. It’s still keeping good time. 

Toward the end of his book Time and its Measurement, Arthur laments the limited space he has left to discuss timekeeping. “Those wishing to follow up the subject would require a large ‘horological library’,” he explains. A “five-foot shelf would be altogether too short to hold the books” (42). We have around 800 feet of bookshelves at HSNY, and more archival material in our storage rooms. But it’s still never enough, and like Arthur, we’re always continuing to tinker with and expand our collection for enthusiasts and students of all kinds.

_____________________________________________________________________________

¹ For more about Arthur’s legacy and how his collection was eventually split up, see Jeanne Schinto’s “James Arthur and His ‘Temple of Time’: A Cautionary Tale for Collector-Donors and Their Beneficiaries,” Maine Antique Digest, 2018-2019. 

HSNY President's Holiday Letter, 2022

Dear HSNY Members & Friends,

I am honored to send you best wishes from the Horological Society of New York for the holidays and the coming New Year.

Because of your support, this past year was an eventful one for HSNY. In April, we were thrilled to celebrate our first Gala since COVID where we shared a wonderful evening and awarded $100,000 in scholarships to students entering the trade. And in November, the grand opening of HSNY’s Jost Bürgi Research Library in October was covered by The New York Times. I am most pleased to share that we have further increased our membership and the number of sponsors we are proud to be supported by. This has been the most successful year for HSNY in recent history.

This is not to say we are ready to rest on our laurels! Far from it. In previous letters I spoke about the legacy we stand steward for at HSNY, and how it can be surprisingly easy to connect to events over a century ago. This year I find myself focused on what is happening right now. I also find myself more careful than ever with the words I choose to describe the work at hand. Rather than being busy, my calendar is full. Instead of my morning filling up, my day expands. Rather than “wishing to thank you” (a personal pet peeve…) I am actively thanking you – no matter how many times you read this letter.

You have made it a year-round responsibility for us to do the most good with the support we receive. We are dedicated to advancing the art and science of horology through education, of course. What does that mean practically? HSNY’s primary goal for the last several years has been to do everything in our ability to support every person pursuing education in the field of watchmaking in the U.S. We are getting closer every year, and hope to reach this goal as long as possible once we do.

I said earlier that 2022 has been HSNY’s most successful year in recent history. This is in no small part because of the overwhelming support from members who enrolled when HSNY’s membership levels were introduced this year. I’ll take the opportunity to thank the following new and returning members directly for making the decision to join us this year at the Gold level. I hope that the work we are doing gives you incentive to add your name to this list for next year. You can be confident that your support will be put to good use.

Very best regards,
John Teifert
President, Horological Society of New York

LIFETIME MEMBERS
Jared Tramontano (2022)

GOLD LEVEL MEMBERS
Abhishek Krishnan
Adam Schoon
Andy Russo
Basil Wilson
BK Fulton
Cameron Weiss
Chad Rasmussen
Chan Cho Nam Caleb
Charles Wang
Chi Chan
Chretien Risley
Christopher McNew
Christopher Zhu
Dustin Calim
Dustin Tsitouris
Geoffrey Hess
Gerardo Estevez
Grace Y H Huang
H. Jane Chon
Hay Yip
Henry Kochhar
J Li
James Veall
Jhaveri Milind Harendra
John Simon Chow
Juan Fernandez SN
Julien Dath
Kevin Ohara
Kyle Chiang
Luke Senkowski
Michael T. Jewell
Morten Glud Loewe
Nathan M. Barotz
Nicholas Lai
Paul Boutros
Paul N. Morrissette
Philip Chua
Riad Edlebi
Roneel Punjabi
Scott Schenker
Sean Bedford
Shehtaaz Zaman
Ted Friedland
Ted Wu
Thomas M. Lubeck
Ting Lu
Y lai
Yusuf Abdulla Yusuf
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Welcoming New HSNY Members, November 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. 

GOLD

  • Abhishek Krishnan, Hong Kong

  • BK Fulton, VA*

  • Chretien Risley, NY

  • J Li, Australia

  • Kyle Chiang, MA*

  • Morten Glud Loewe, Hong Kong

  • Paul N. Morrissette, NJ

  • Riad Edlebi, CA

BRONZE

  • Adam Klein, NY

  • Ajay Gandhi, CA

  • Alexander W. Santore, NY

  • Bernard J. Craig, MD

  • Charles Patrissi, RI

  • Christopher Lugo, FL

  • Colin de Tonnac, France

  • Corey McCoy, CA

  • Edward Hillenbrand, NY

  • Eric J. Reyes, NC

  • Harrison Yelverton, VA

  • Hesham El-Sewify, CA

  • Howard C. Meyers, AZ

  • Jeremiah Allen, FL

  • Jim Crusinberry, TX

  • John B. Penney, CA

  • John Stone, OH

  • Joseph Soranno, CT

  • Kevin W. Higginbotham, DE

  • Masaharu Wada, Japan

  • Matthew A. Gregory, MA

  • Matthew Vandivort, NY

  • Michalis P. Stavrinides, FL

  • Miguel Kychenthal, NY

  • Miguel Sherlock, WA

  • Nirupesh Joshi, India

  • Richard Faron, NY

  • Robert Bartell Funk, III, FL

  • Robert Harrell, VA

  • Sarah (Sally) Moreland, VA

  • Sebastian Kirschner, Germany

  • Troy Odenwald, LA

  • William Johnson, MA

  • Yuehan Duan, CA

* Upgraded Membership Level

Introducing the HSNY Shop!

Give the gift of horology!

The Horological Society of New York is proud to introduce two brand new, limited edition items to its shop! Just in time for the holidays, HSNY has created a Lens Cloth Pocket Square ($40) and a Watchmaker's Loupe ($60), perfect for completing any watch enthusiast's arsenal of timepiece accessories.

Both items are HSNY exclusives and proceeds directly aid HSNY in its mission to advance the art and science of horology.

HOLIDAY TIP:
Horological Society of New York memberships and classes make wonderful gifts for the watch or clock enthusiast in your life!

Upcoming Lecture: La France: Another Land of Watchmaking

Colin de Tonnac, Watchmaker, CEO and Founder at Semper & Adhuc (Labouheyre, France)
December 5, 2022

HSNY's December 2022 lecture will take place in person at the General Society Library. Doors open at 6PM ET, lecture to begin at 7PM ET. RSVP is required.

Since the 1980s and in the general subconscious, watchmaking has been above all a Swiss affair. When we think of watches or of a watch-producing country, typical images of Lake Geneva, the Swiss flag or the snowy mountains of the Vallée de Joux immediately come to mind.

However, there is another neighboring country that produces fine timepieces as well: France.

For the final lecture of 2022, Colin de Tonnac, Watchmaker, CEO and Founder at Semper & Adhuc, will discuss the evolution of French watchmaking, focusing on events, anecdotes, innovations and flagship models that put France on the map as a serious watchmaking nation, including the revival it has experienced in recent years.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE!

The lecture video will be available to members immediately, and to the general public following a two-month delay. RSVP is required.

Reading Time at HSNY: Inside the Jost Bürgi Research Library

This post is the first in a new series written by our librarian, Miranda Marraccini.

When you visit the Horological Society of New York’s (HSNY) library in person, almost everything that you see on the shelves – books, periodicals, boxes of papers, auction catalogs – is the lifelong work of one person, Fortunat Mueller-Maerki.

Born in Switzerland in 1946, Mueller-Maerki developed a love for clocks and watches at a young age. He was living with his grandfather while he attended the University of Zurich. During this time, his grandfather inherited a 300-year-old table clock and had it restored, after which Mueller-Maerki kept it on his nightstand. It was this clock that first sparked Mueller-Maerki’s interest in horology. 

He didn’t make a conscious decision to collect clocks. “I don’t know how I got to [clock] number two,” Mueller-Maerki says. “We had a few nice antique clocks in the house.” Instead, his passion developed slowly while he pursued a full life outside of horology: an exchange student program in Pennsylvania that was his first experience in the U.S., college in Switzerland, then married life in an apartment in the schoolhouse where his wife Ruth worked as a teacher.

After a three-month tour across the U.S. in a Volkswagen camper, Mueller-Maerki enrolled in the MBA program at Harvard University. He completed the degree in 1975 and began a 25-year career at a groundbreaking executive search firm, Egon Zehnder, “the only employer I ever had,” as he says. He and Ruth had three children.

After settling into his life in the U.S., Mueller-Maerki became a member of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC), and started taking technical classes in clock repair. “I wasn’t good enough to do watches,” he claims. He says he doesn’t have the coordination required for their tiny parts. 

He also began to build his collection in new directions. “I have a collector’s gene in me,” he tells me. “I had dozens of clocks from all over the world.” But Mueller-Maerki, already a bibliophile, was very practical. Print publications were more affordable than watches and required less space than clocks – for him, it’s very important that “you can get more items on the shelf!” 

Mueller-Maerki still collects anything and everything, printed or handwritten, that could conceivably be related to timekeeping, aiming to create “the broadest defined horological specialty library in the world.” He’s proud to have preserved materials that, most likely, no one else has thought worthy of keeping: brochures from swap meets, email newsletters, postcards, advertisements, and syllabi from watchmaking schools. These items together make up a truly unique and comprehensive archive of modern horology, which Mueller-Maerki has assembled with great care.

His library, still growing, numbered nearly 25,000 items at the time of donation, including books, journals and rare ephemera in many languages. He also created a comprehensive database and catalog of horological publications. 

Throughout his life in horology, Mueller-Maerki has been a leader in the National Association for Watch and Clock Collectors, including as head of the NAWCC Library Collections Committee, NAWCC Board member, and Silver Star Fellow (their highest honor). His prolific writings about horology are an important scholarly resource, including articles for the NAWCC Bulletin on diverse topics: longcase clocks, astronomical dials, and how watches were used to identify the dead during World War I.

Horologist and longtime friend Bob Frishman writes: “The incredible study tours he led were in Europe and America, and included visits to private collections and museum storage areas where the public is not invited…His extensive contacts and friendships here and abroad provided that special access.”

Donating the library

Mueller-Maerki donated his library to HSNY with the intent to make it available to the largest number of people possible and to aid in future horological research. Over the course of the pandemic, the collection was painstakingly relocated from his house in New Jersey to New York City.

In choosing the name for the library, he decided to honor Jost Bürgi (1552-1632), a brilliant Swiss clockmaker, mathematician, and astronomer. Bürgi worked as an engineer in the court of Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II, inventing several important horological devices that allowed clocks to become much more precise. He is also one of the mathematicians credited with the discovery of logarithms. 

We dedicated the library in a ceremony on October 21, 2022, unveiling a plaque with Mueller-Maerki’s likeness. Mueller-Maerki is the Librarian Emeritus and visits the collection regularly.

The building and space

When you visit, you’ll get a chance to explore the historic General Society Building in which our library is located. It was built as a boys’ school at the end of the 19th century. The building now belongs to the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen, which was founded in 1785 and still provides free courses on topics like HVAC systems and construction project management. It’s also a frequent filming location for New York-based productions. The room that the General Society uses as a library (and that HSNY uses for monthly lectures) was originally a gym that schoolboys used for military drills.

A number of other organizations including HSNY, the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art and the New York Botanical Garden occupy offices on different floors. We’re on the fifth floor in a beautiful, 2,000-square-foot purpose-built library with grand, arched windows. It’s a great space for quiet research, watch-related events and horological community gathering!

About the librarian

As HSNY’s Librarian, I came into the picture much later, starting in July of this year. I’m a lifelong bibliophile who collected fountain pens, typewriters, and watches as a child growing up in Miami. After finishing a Ph.D., where I researched a group of women who founded their own printing press in nineteenth-century London, I spent three years as a librarian at the University of Michigan. I’m thrilled to be the steward of HSNY’s Jost Bürgi Research Library.

Fortunat Mueller-Maerki built a multilingual, time-spanning, interdisciplinary collection – one that I’ll be writing about regularly in our new series: Reading Time at HSNY. I hope that my posts will give you a tiny taste of this vast collection’s treasures. In my next installment, I’ll introduce you to James Arthur, who collected thousands of clocks and watches and tinkered his way into horological history. I’ll be covering our rare book collection century by century, and we’ll learn about celestial navigation, women in watchmaking, and what HSNY served for dessert at our gala in 1916. Whether you’re interested in visiting the library in person or just hearing about our weird, amazing, unexpected collection, please keep reading.

The Horological Society of New York Library Undergoes Major Expansion

The Jost Bürgi Research Library Contains Over 25,000 Items Relating To Horology

The Horological Society of New York (HSNY) was founded in 1866 as a guild by watchmakers for watchmakers. One of the first initiatives agreed on was to start a library, which would include reference texts of the times. Although modest in size, the HSNY library has always been an important resource.

Today, HSNY announces a major expansion and naming of its library with the establishment of the Jost Bürgi Research Library, now one of the world’s largest horological libraries, containing over 25,000 items on all aspects of the study of time and timekeepers.

A panoramic view of the Horological Society of New York’s Jost Bürgi Research Library.

The first library of its kind in New York City, the HSNY collection still contains original texts donated by its founding members but grows exponentially with the donation of a private collection once belonging to Fortunat Mueller-Maerki (b. 1946). 

A longtime bibliophile, Mueller-Maerki owned one of the largest horological libraries in private hands. He spent 30 years traveling the world and purchasing horological material including books, periodicals, audiovisual materials, rare ephemera and more.

Fortunat Mueller-Maerki (L) pictured with HSNY Executive Director Nicholas Manousos at the grand opening ceremony of the Jost Bürgi Research Library, October 2022.

The HSNY Library, named by Mueller-Maerki after innovative Swiss clockmaker Jost Bürgi, is a 2,000 square-foot horological oasis boasting nearly 800 linear feet of custom-built shelf space, housing (amongst other things) a rare book collection with first editions and treasures dating as far back as 1652.

The ever-growing library also features more than 7,735 antiquarian and modern books on horology, over 4,675 auction sales and trade catalogs, an extensive collection of horological periodicals comprising 2,300 publications, 6,100 academic and technical articles, 2,700 pieces of ephemera, including brochures, advertising materials, posters, and a postcard collection comprising 1,161 pieces. 

A closeup of the rare book collection housing first editions and texts dating as far back as 1652.

“It was my hope to build a library that would one day serve the greatest number of people,” said Mueller-Maerki. “Housing it in Manhattan under the care of the Horological Society of New York is a donor’s dream come true.” 

The HSNY Library is located on the fifth floor of the General Society Building on Midtown’s historic “club row”. From its double-height arched windows, patrons can enjoy views of the Harvard Club of New York City, where HSNY holds its annual Gala. The library also serves as an educational exhibits and special events space for the Society. On staff is HSNY's full-time librarian, Dr. Miranda Marraccini, ready to assist with research requests.

The Jost Bürgi Research Library contains nearly 800 linear feet of custom-built shelf space for horological books.

“After a three-year project consisting of moving, organizing and integrating the Mueller-Maerki library, the HSNY Library is now once again open to all,” said Nicholas Manousos, HSNY Executive Director. “The HSNY library represents an incredible opportunity to educate the public on the fascinating field of horology. I look forward to welcoming everyone to this beautiful space.”

The Jost Bürgi Research Library is open to the public Monday through Friday from 10 AM - 5 PM ET. All are welcome to use the library and browse the collection. Appointments are encouraged for research and can be made here. To learn about and search materials, please browse the online library catalog.

# # #
 

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

Welcoming New HSNY Members, October 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. 

GOLD

  • Adam Schoon, PA*

  • Andy Russo, NY*

  • Basil Wilson, Bermuda

  • Cameron Weiss, TN

  • Chad Rasmussen, MN

  • Chan Cho Nam Caleb, Hong Kong

  • Charles Wang, NY

  • Chi Chan, NY*

  • Christopher McNew, NY*

  • Christopher Zhu, Hong Kong

  • Dustin Calim, CA

  • Geoffrey Hess, NY*

  • Gerardo Estevez, NY

  • Grace Y H Huang, Hong Kong

  • H. Jane Chon, NJ*

  • Hay Yip, Hong Kong

  • Henry Kochhar, NY

  • James Veall, NJ

  • Jhaveri Milind Harendra, Hong Kong

  • John Simon Chow, GA

  • Juan Fernandez SN, CA

  • Julien Dath, Hong Kong

  • Kevin Ohara, CA*

  • Michael T. Jewell, CO

  • Nathan M. Barotz, NY

  • Nicholas Lai, Hong Kong

  • Paul Boutros, NY

  • Roneel Punjabi, Hong Kong

  • Scott Schenker, WA*

  • Sean Bedford, England

  • Shehtaaz Zaman, NY

  • Ted Friedland, NE*

  • Ted Wu, NY*

  • Thomas M. Lubeck, NY*

  • Ting Lu, MA

  • Y lai, Hong Kong

  • Yusuf Abdulla Yusuf, Saudi Arabia

SILVER

  • Brian Robinson, NY

  • Brian Standig, NJ*

  • Steven J. Walsh, PA

  • Tannie Ng, Canada*

  • Winthrop A. Robinson, CT*

BRONZE

  • Aashdin Billimoria, India

  • Adam Gill, England

  • Adam Jiang, NY

  • Andrew Strawbridge, MA

  • Andrew Weissel, NC

  • Ayan Sarkar, NY

  • Brad H. Liebmann, England

  • Brian Janusiak, NY

  • Brian Kirmse, MS

  • Catherine Gorton, CO

  • Chris Min, NY

  • Christoffer Stigsby, NC

  • Christopher Albanese, CA

  • Christopher Haley, SD

  • Cody Brown, IA

  • Cody van Kampen, NY

  • Colin Duran, GA

  • Dan Kern, CA

  • Daniel Doan, CA

  • Daniel Josephs, NY

  • Daniel Lorenzo Garcia, NY

  • Daniel Valentino, MD

  • Derek Flores, CA

  • Devin Hedge, NC

  • Dickson Ly, Canada

  • Dong Jun Lee, NY

  • E. Lynch, GA

  • Evan Grant, CA

  • Gabrielle Granier, NJ

  • Geoffrey Knott, NY

  • George Moscahlades, NY

  • Glenn Escudero, CA

  • Gordon Marshall, Canada

  • Gregory Gorton, CO

  • Jack Sullivan, NY

  • Jacob Kuczmanski, IL

  • Jaipal Khaira, Canada

  • James F. Yonally II, CA

  • James Nye, England

  • Jani Hirvonen, CA

  • Jay Dutton, FL

  • Jayson Hamrick, WV

  • John Metcalfe, NY

  • John Selman, VA

  • John Steele, NY

  • Jonathan Betts, England

  • Josh Klinger, CO

  • Justin Clapper, NY

  • Kathleen Overr, CA

  • Kevin Toth, NC

  • Konstantinos Sousoulas, CT

  • Lionel Desai, CA

  • Lorin Hay, VA

  • Lovell Hunter, CT

  • Marcio Elio Manique Junior, VA

  • Mark A. Springer, NJ

  • Matthew Roberts, MI

  • Michael Citrano, MD

  • Michael Lamm, NJ

  • Michael Robert Thibideau, IN

  • Michael Yohannes, NJ

  • Muhammad Alam, IL

  • Nomee Altschul, MA

  • Paul J. Connery, IL

  • Peter Dushenski, Canada

  • Remy Kagan, PA

  • Rich Braund, GA

  • Robert Carroll, NJ

  • Ronnie Underhill, MN

  • Ross Berger, PA

  • Ryan Cheung, CA

  • Ryan MacInnis, CT

  • Sal Quinonez, MA

  • Simon Chmielnik, Canada

  • Steven Kikawa, CA

  • Susan Foreman, CA

  • Terence Chu, OR

  • Vincent Diaz, GA

  • Wesley Smith, CA

  • Wilfried Matthews, Switzerland

  • Zihuan Nie, NY

* Upgraded Membership Level

HSNY Offers Complimentary Revolution Magazine Subscription With Membership

The Horological Society of New York (HSNY) announces Revolution Magazine has joined as the latest publication to offer complimentary subscriptions to HSNY members. 

Beginning November 2, North America-based HSNY members who choose to opt in will receive a complimentary print subscription to Revolution Magazine for one year (five issues). HSNY international members can enjoy a complimentary one-year digital version. The offer will be available to Gold, Silver, and Bronze level members, and a subscription will be valid for one year from the opt-in date.

“Revolution Magazine presents insightful long and short format stories curated for today's sophisticated watch collector, and we are happy to be sharing our content with members of the Horological Society of New York,” said Bhanu Chopra, Editor-In-Chief for Revolution US.

View all HSNY membership benefits here and join today!

Already a member? Click here to opt in (using your HSNY membership password).