The Horological Society Of New York - Summer Round Up
The Horological Society Of New York - Summer Round Up
While most of the watchmaking valleys are enjoying their “Vacances d’été” (summer vacation), the Horological Society of New York is hard at work expanding their educational efforts around the globe.
By Watchonista
Over the past year, HSNY and its members have enjoyed spirited lectures by industry luminaries such as François-Paul Journe, Roger Smith, Peter Speake-Marin, and many more. Just eight months into 2018 and the ever-expanding guild shows no signs of stopping!
A Year in Review
For HSNY, 2017 ended on a strong note with an anonymous donation of $100,000. This donation allowed the guild’s Henry B. Fried Scholarship to quadruple its scholarship efforts. In April two $10,000 scholarships were each awarded to watchmakers Mark Duckett and Erik Gonzalez.
To end the year, Roger W. Smith gave a lecture on the development and practicality of the co-axial escapement. The life’s work of the great watchmaker George Daniels. If you have a moment, we highly recommend watching the lecture in its entirety here:
2018 began on a somber note with the passing of Hans Weber. An active member of HSNY for over 50 years. The society’s longtime trustee was awarded the Howard Fass award at the 150th Anniversary Gala for HSNY. Throughout his life, Hans worked at the prestigious Cartier and Tiffany & Co. An extraordinary man that will leave behind a legacy of excellence and kindness.
The first lecture of 2018 was by none other than Peter Speake-Marin. Peter’s new platform, The Naked Watchmaker is a fascinating photo journal delving deep inside some of the world’s most popular brands, personalities, and novelties.
Following Speake-Marin is a tough chore, but HODINKEE’s Jack Forster was up to the task. His lecture on the essentials of precisions timekeeping kept the audience enthralled in typically eloquent Forster fashion.
In March, HSNY took a different turn with an insightful lecture by the one-and-only Brittany Nicole Cox. The Antiquarian Horological gave HSNY members a history lesson on the automatons, specifically smoking automata. Cox recently finished restoration work on a cigarette smoking automaton from the early 1900s. Exposing members to the (almost) lost art of automata is a responsibility that Cox doesn’t take lightly.
Just prior to the Memorial Day holiday, TimeZone director William Massena updated the society on the current state of the watch industry. Now that we are nearly 20 years into the 21st century, it was high time we took a look back at the accomplishments of our beloved industry.
HYT CEO Grégory Dourde pulled back the curtain on fluidic horology. Usually, liquid and watches are like oil and water, the watchmaker’s great enemy. However, HYT has found a way to harness mother nature’s greatest resource while simultaneously offering a very compelling product for collectors.
While 2018 has already been a standout year for lectures at HSNY, the society has also been on the road for the better part of a year with their travelling educational classes. The society hosted classes on the East Coast, West Coast, and even Canada. But what’s in store for the remainder of 2018 may be the most ambitious program yet!
For members and non-members, HSNY has made available their entire catalog of videos, you can watch on the society YouTube page here
What’s Next (Upcoming 2018 Schedule)
For the remainder of 2018, HSNY plans to bring their traveling education classes to new cities and countries. Starting with Singapore!
On September 8th and 9th, enthusiasts will have the opportunity to discover watchmaking via HSNY’s Horology 101-103 classes. These four-hour courses will focus on the ETA 6497 movement. The classes will be hosted at The Hour Glass boutique on Orchard Road. The class schedule is as follows: Saturday, September 8 (9AM – 1PM & 2:30PM – 6:30PM) and Sunday, September 9 (9AM – 1PM & 2:30PM – 6:30PM). For tickets and information, visit here.
More travelling education classes and lectures will be announced in due time. So stay tuned to Watchonista for further information.
Lastly, as the society expands, they have taken the monumental step of opening their first official office in Manhattan. Located at the General Society Building in Midtown Manhattan, HSNY’s new office will double as a classroom and library. Watchonista recently had the opportunity to visit HSNY’s beautiful new office and found the space warm and welcoming.
If you haven’t attended an HSNY lecture or an educational class, we highly recommend you doing so. It’s a can’t miss experience for anyone, regardless of skill level.
About The Horological Society of New York
The Horological Society of New York is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the art and science of horology. 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.
All photos provided by The Horological Society Of New York.
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