Charles London Scholarship for Watchmaking Students

Most watchmaking schools in the USA are free. Tuition is covered by a sponsoring brand, and usually the only school expense that the students cover are their tools. These schools are full-time two year programs, meaning paying for living expenses can be difficult. This is where the Charles London Scholarship comes in; the Horological Society of New York wants to help watchmaking students succeed in every way.

Charles London

Charles London, a young, self-taught clock maker 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.

DETAILS

Any student who has been accepted or is currently studying at a full-time watchmaking school in the USA is eligible for the Charles London Scholarship. Prospective students may also apply, with the understanding that the scholarship is contingent on their enrollment at a full-time watchmaking school. The scholarship is awarded every April. Awards up to $5,000 are available.

To apply, students should email a letter in PDF form to the Trustees of the Horological Society of New York that includes a biography, explanation of their motivation to study watchmaking and an explanation of how this scholarship would benefit the applicant. A resume is required, and reference letters are recommended. The application period is January 1 to March 1 of every year.

DonorS

The Charles London Scholarship for Watchmaking Students is made possible by a generous donation from London Jewelers.

awardees

2024

2023

Scholarships will be disbursed based on the proportion of the recognized educational program the student has completed. Additional funds will be disbursed at the beginning of each quarter/semester/section, in proportion to how much of the program that quarter/semester/section represents.

If a student leaves the program before completion disbursements will be paused. If said student does re-enroll in a watchmaking program within 2 years, their scholarship disbursements will restart. If said student does not re-enroll in a watchmaking program within 2 years the balance of the award is forfeited. If the same student enrolls again in a watchmaking program after 2 years they are not disqualified from applying to HSNY for additional scholarships. For example, if a student is enrolled in a 2-year program consisting of 8 quarters, and is awarded a scholarship after 4 quarters of enrollment, the initial disbursement would be 50% of their total award. Additional quarterly disbursements would be 12.5% of their total award.

Exempt from the scholarship are board members, trustees, fellows of the Horological Society of New York, and their family members. Grant recipients will be asked to complete a W-9 form before receiving their gift (check) for tax purposes. For more information, contact us.