HSNY Welcomes Manufacture Romain Gauthier as a Sponsor

NEW YORK — February 8, 2022

The Horological Society of New York (HSNY) announces Swiss luxury watchmaker Manufacture Romain Gauthier has joined as a sponsor.

In January 2022, Mr. Gauthier was appointed to HSNY’s board of Trustees as one of its first international voices. Now, his eponymous manufacturer further supports the Society’s mission to advance the art and science of horology. With Manufacture Romain Gauthier’s sponsorship, America’s first watchmaking guild is able to expand its educational curriculum, provide new financial aid opportunities to watchmaking students, and more. 

“My vision of watchmaking is reflected in my creations which highlight the evolution of tradition,” said Gauthier. “Much like HSNY continues to evolve throughout its 156-year existence, evolution requires to respect and preserve the know-how left by the previous generations, and it is our responsibility to continue to transmit the evolution of this heritage in the 21st century for the next generations.”

HSNY welcomes Manufacture Romain Gauthier and thanks them for their incredible support!

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ABOUT MANUFACTURE ROMAIN GAUTHIER SA

Founded in 2005, Manufacture Romain Gauthier is a high-end watch brand based in the Vallée de Joux, Switzerland, led by its passionate founder Romain Gauthier. Romain marries the know-how that he has developed living, studying and working in this picturesque valley – the heart of fine Swiss watchmaking – with a no-compromise approach to haute horlogerie to create exceptional timepieces.

These timepieces have been hailed for their eye-catching designs, innovative in-house movements and extremely high level of hand-finishing.

https://www.romaingauthier.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

HSNY 2022 Scholarship Application Period (NOW LIVE!)

January 1 — March 1, 2022

The Horological Society of New York (HSNY) announces that the 2022 application period for financial aid is NOW LIVE!

HSNY is offering scholarship opportunities for any student who has been accepted or is currently studying at a full-time watchmaking school in the United States, as well as prospective students, with the understanding that the scholarship is contingent on their enrollment at a full-time watchmaking school.

The 2022 application period is January 1 — March 1 with scholarships being awarded in April.

• The Henry B. Fried Scholarship for Watchmaking Students

• NEW The Grace Fryer Scholarship for Female Watchmaking Students

• The Benjamin Banneker Scholarship for Black Watchmaking Students

• The Oscar Waldan Scholarship for Jewish Watchmaking Students

• The Howard Robbins Award for Watchmaking Schools

Learn more about HSNY's financial aid opportunities here!

Upcoming Lecture: Vacheron Constantin’s Calendar Watches: An Exploration of Time & Space with Christian Selmoni and Suzanne Wong

Join HSNY on Tuesday, February 15, 2022 for a virtual lecture on Vacheron Constantin’s Calendar Watches: An Exploration of Time & Space with Christian Selmoni, Vacheron Constantin Heritage & Style Director, and Suzanne Wong, Editor-in-Chief of WorldTempus (Geneva, Switzerland).

February’s lecture will take place via Zoom and will begin at 1PM ET (GMT -5) to accommodate local time in Switzerland (GMT +1). There will be no in-person gathering for the February lecture.

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Beyond seconds, hours and minutes, the calendar organizes our days, weeks and months. With that in mind, it makes sense that calendars were among the earliest complications added to clocks and watches. Understanding the calendar complication can lead to a deeper understanding of what makes a mechanical watch tick, and the effort that goes into designing and manufacturing them.

At the February 2022 meeting of the Horological Society of New York, Vacheron Constantin Heritage & Style Director Christian Selmoni will explore the very notion of time through the medium of calendar watches. Join Selmoni for a deep dive into the stories behind the Maison’s calendar watches and their roots in astronomy. Watch journalist Suzanne Wong will join Selmoni in uncovering the innovations Vacheron Constantin has developed in this field through timepieces such as Celestia, Planetaria and more.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE!
RSVP is required.

Meeting Recap: Bvlgari Masterpieces: Chiming Watches with Fabrizio Buonamassa

Fabrizio Buonamassa, Bvlgari Product Creation Executive Director of Timepieces (Neuchâtel, Switzerland)
January 10, 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 first lecture of 2022, Fabrizio Buonamassa, Product Creation Executive Director of Timepieces for Bvlgari, discussed the brand’s chiming timepieces with the Horological Society of New York (HSNY).

One of the unique historical aspects of Bvlgari is its roots in Rome, Italy. It was founded by Sotirios Bulgari in 1884, who began his career as a silversmith and eventually turned to jewelry making. The timepieces came to fruition around 1937 with the Serpenti line and over the years the Bvlgari brand has expanded to include watches, perfume, accessories, hotels and resorts.

For the production of timepieces, Bvlgari has two manufacturers in Switzerland: the Le Sentier manufacturer which produces the movements, and the Saignelégier manufacturer which manages the cases, bracelets and dials. One of the distinctive aspects of Bvlgari is that the same watchmaker oversees the entire process of building the timepieces. That includes the development process and the start-to-finish assembly process. The development of chiming watches is an exceptionally lengthy process. The duration can take four to five years in development alone and up to eight months to find the right shape of the hammers for the repeater.

Regarding chiming timepieces, the Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater is known for its thinness. The goal was to augment the sound since the hammers and gongs are exceedingly small. The fissures in the dial are made possible by the openings of the number 12 and the indices. That specific layout with the openings created the best sound quality. While designing the piece, Buonamassa wanted to use titanium, but the feedback was to use a material that was familiar such as white gold, rose gold or platinum. He knew that the aesthetic needed to be in titanium with grey, with sandblasted finishing for the bracelet, case and dial. Based on the positive reception the timepiece received during the Basel Fair, his decision proved justified.

Finally, the audience saw the creativity of Buonamassa when he started to sketch components live to illustrate the workings of sound quality in the Minute Repeater since varied materials produce different sounds.

HSNY thanks Fabrizio Buonamassa for his fascinating lecture!

Submitted by Melody Benloss, Recording Secretary

HSNY Announces the Grace Fryer Scholarship for Female Watchmaking Students

HSNY Shines A Light on America’s Dark, Yet Radioactive Past

The Horological Society of New York (HSNY) announces today a new financial aid initiative to further its mission of advancing the art and science of horology — the Grace Fryer Scholarship for Female Watchmaking Students. 

The horological industry is currently experiencing an essential ‘women in watches movement’, where female voices are being amplified and strengthened, but HSNY would be remiss if it didn’t mention women from America’s dark, yet radioactive past.

The Grace Fryer Scholarship is dedicated to the Radium Girls — the women of the 1920s who worked as dial painters in Illinois and New Jersey and succumbed to the often deadly side effects of working with radium, a material that was then instrumental in making watch dials glow. To encourage precision, these women were instructed to point the radium-lined brushes using their lips. The Radium Girls suffered horrific side effects from radium poisoning and many lost their lives.

Fryer (1899 - 1933), a dial painter in New Jersey who was poisoned by the element, spearheaded a long, arduous fight against their employer to acknowledge the deadly repercussions of using radium and demanded compensation for the women who often unknowingly fell prey. Fryer spent years fighting for the Radium Girls and their case would go on to gain national media attention and establish legal precedents, having tremendous labor rights impacts and ushering scientific advances. 

“I believe Aunt Grace would view this scholarship, which the Horological Society of New York has graciously named after her, as a symbol of progress for women,” adds Art Fryer, Grace Fryer’s nephew. “I feel Grace would be honored to be associated with HSNY in helping to welcome women into the horological craft.”

The Grace Fryer Scholarship joins HSNY’s additional financial aid opportunities in watchmaking:

• The Henry B. Fried Scholarship for Watchmaking Students

• The Benjamin Banneker Scholarship for Black Watchmaking Students 

• The Oscar Waldan Scholarship for Jewish Watchmaking Students

• The Howard Robbins Award for Watchmaking Schools

Application Process

The application period for all scholarships is January 1 to March 1 of every year. 

Any female student who has been accepted or is currently studying at a full-time watchmaking school in the U.S. is eligible to apply to the Grace Fryer Scholarship. Prospective students may also apply, with the understanding that the scholarship is contingent on their enrollment at a full-time watchmaking school. Financial aid is awarded every April with awards up to $5,000 in 2022.

To apply, students should email a letter in PDF form to the Trustees of the Horological Society of New York that includes a biography, an 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.

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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 The Armoury as a Sponsor

NEW YORK — January 10, 2022

The Horological Society of New York (HSNY) announces international luxury clothier The Armoury has joined as a sponsor.

Co-founded by horological enthusiast and collector Mark Cho, The Armoury is well-known for its selection of distinctive menswear. Sponsorship from The Armoury aids HSNY in its mission to advance the art and science of horology by supporting its educational initiatives and funding for its watchmaking scholarships for students and schools in the United States. 

“The Armoury is proud to be officially sponsoring the Horological Society of New York,” said Mark Cho, Co-Founder of The Armoury. “As a lover of horology and a collector of watches for nearly two decades, the science of timekeeping and the craft of watchmaking are pursuits I am happy to support. I hope that The Armoury's contribution to HSNY can help raise the next generation of watchmakers as well as support horology in all its forms.”

America’s first watchmaking guild welcomes The Armoury and thanks them for their incredible support!

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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

Welcoming New HSNY Members, December 2021

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 Caliguri, NH

• Alexander Ostriak, PA

• Andrew Nalband, MA

• Andrew Smith, NH

• Andy Harper, TN

• Artem Fishman, NJ

• Ben Hecht, NY

• Brian Borgedahl, CA

• Brian Poe Llamanzares, Philippines

• Cameron Gaddi, NV

• Chris Min, NY

• Christopher A. Kunch, AZ

• Christopher Heflin, TN

• Christopher R. Stone, NY

• Craig Hollinshead, MD

• Daniel Klein, NJ

• Daniel Mocciolo, GA

• Dario Peruch, NJ

• Dave Merchant, Washington, D.C.

• David Decanio, NY

• David Farmer, FL

• David Goddard, NY

• David Tränkle, Germany

• Derek Engelking, MN

• Diamantis Petkanas, NY

• Edward Kormylo, NY

• Frank Reynolds, PA

• Frans Colesky, Ireland

• Gabriel Purice, NY

• Geoff Long, TX

• George Alexander, NY

• Greg Bisconti, NY

• Gregory Kirsopp, NY

• Henry Maidan, IA

• Howard Chin, NY

• Howard Kierzewski, VA

• Ira S. Rosenfeld, NY

• Jacob Forbes, NY

• Jay Hoffman, Washington, D.C.

• Jeffrey Abrams, NY

• Jeffrey Rathgeber, NY

• Jerome Crochat, CA

• John A. Jacobs, VA

• John Hiotes, MD

• John Malone, MA

• John Sullivan, NY

• John Wood, VA

• Jorge Defaria, NY

• Jose Rolando Abadia Rojas, WI

• Joshua Hanson, TX

• Kameron Odorizzi, Canada

• Kunaal Pandya, CA

• Kurt E. Stritzel, NY

• Lucas Acuña, NY

• Lucas Barclay Acuna, NY

• Marc Bidder, CA

• Mark C. Scott, PA

• Martin Heims, Isle of Man

• Maureen P. Lynch, MA

• Max Gould, NY

• Maximilian Rolf, Singapore

• Maxwell Beucler, NY

• Meron Langsner, NY

• Michael Alfarela, Canada

• Michael Brooks, VA

• Michael Gee, PA

• Michael Horowitz, OH

• Michael Powers, CT

• Mike D. Creasey, VA

• Mike O'Brien, CA

• Mitchell Katz, CA

• Mohamad Hamed Tavakoli, Iran

• Napoleon Selim, CA

• Nickolas Kokinelis, FL

• Orion Minton, MA

• Paul Nelson, Canada

• Peter W. Woodard, NY

• Peter Weinberger, NY

• Philippe Sciorella, France

• Phillip Moon, AK

• Richard Migot, MA

• Robert Blumberg, FL

• Robert Curtis, TX

• Roberto Palmaka, WA

• Ruben Arutyunov, Russia

• Russell Hester, MD

• Ryan Boyd, TX

• Saurabh Pandalai, Canada

• Scott Ellenoff, NY

• Semen Kirsh, PA

• Seth M. Kaplowitz, NY

• Shelby Glazer, MI

• Simon Van Booy, NY

• Stephen Foskett, OH

• Stephen Hammersley, NY

• Stephen Lawler, CT

• Steven Bright, Canada

• Tanmoy Mukherjee, NJ

• Terry Stewart, NV

• Thomas Famiglietti, NY

• Thomas Wei, NY

• Timothy J. Carson, GA

• Titan Spellos, NY

• Todd Hauptli, VA

• Wendell Valdecantos, IL

• William E. Rodak, IL

• William J. Sill, NJ

Upcoming Lecture: Bvlgari Masterpieces: Chiming Watches with Fabrizio Buonamassa

Join HSNY on Monday, January 10, 2022 for a virtual lecture on Bvlgari Masterpieces: Chiming Watches with Fabrizio Buonamassa, Bvlgari Product Creation Executive Director of Timepieces (Neuchâtel, Switzerland)

January’s lecture will take place via Zoom and will begin at 10AM ET (GMT -5) to accommodate local time in Switzerland (GMT +1). There will be no in-person gathering for the January lecture.

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Bvlgari has established itself as the Master of the Estetica della Meccanica, balancing savoir-faire and the innovative aesthetics of ultra-thin watches to create groundbreaking timepieces. This expression of the fusion between cutting-edge design and the technical expertise of Swiss watchmaking is an exercise of the highest complexity, seen in Bvlgari’s mastery of highly complicated watches, including the whole typology of chiming timepieces: 2, 3 and 4 hammers, from the Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater to the Octo Roma Grande Sonnerie.

In 2021 Bvlgari explored a new facet of its Estetica della Meccanica inspiration, creating another Sinfonia della Meccanica with the Octo Roma Carillon Tourbillon. Join Fabrizio Buonamassa, Bvlgari Product Creation Executive Director of Timepieces, at the January 2022 meeting of the Horological Society of New York as he shares an up-close look at Bvlgari’s chiming masterpieces.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE!
RSVP is required.

Meeting Recap: Reverso: Timeless Stories Since 1931, by Stéphane Belmont

Stéphane Belmont, Jaeger-LeCoultre Patrimony Director (Le Sentier, Switzerland)
December 6, 2021

A technical issue caused the video recording of this lecture to be lost. We sincerely apologize for this happening.

For the final Horological Society of New York (HSNY) lecture of 2021, Stéphane Belmont, the Patrimony Director of  Jaeger-LeCoultre, gave a lecture on the legacy of one of the brand’s most iconic watches: the Reverso.

Belmont started the lecture with two questions: Which activity was the Reverso invented for 90 years ago? And which majestic art deco building in New York was also born in 1931? He revealed the answers and went on to share that the name Reverso is Latin for “I turn on myself”. The timepiece was patented on March 4, 1931.

The Reverso timepiece was inspired by the Art Deco style of the day with its order, geometry and pure lines. Designed with the golden ratio, the Reverso’s rectangular case illustrated the proportion of balance inspired by creatives within architecture and design. Such was reflected in the cordonnet, small seconds, central second and their calibers 411, 410 and 404. To allow creativity within the designs, assorted colors of the Reverso dials and graphics were used. For example, the black design for the gentlemen’s model and the dark red dial for the ladies' model.

In the 1980s, the Reverso was modernized to improve the functioning of the swiveling case, etc. Originally, the case was made of 22 parts – it has now increased to 55 parts. To reflect the changes, new calibers such as Calibre 846 for smaller versions and the Calibre 822 for the larger versions. Jaeger-LeCoultre produced the Grand Taille in 1992 and the Minute Repeater in 1994. Finally, for the 90th anniversary in 2021, the Reverso Quadtriptyque made its debut and combined all the traditions of watchmaking. Only one crown is needed to power all four sides of the timepiece.

Throughout the lecture, short films were presented to illustrate the Reverso’s story, its design, the making of the leather wrist strap, the minute repeater, and the enameling artwork on the dials.

HSNY thanks Stéphane Belmont for his fascinating lecture! 

Submitted by Melody Benloss, Recording Secretary

HSNY President's Holiday Letter, 2021

Dear HSNY members, officers, staff, friends and family,

I am humbled again to have the privilege of writing HSNY’s holiday greeting, especially because in the last year our membership has effectively doubled and I’m able to wish twice as many of you good health and cheer for your respective holidays and the coming New Year. Sponsorship has also increased and I’m able to offer increased thanks to the industry for its ongoing support of the Society. These developments are made more remarkable as we all remain in the middle of an evolving pandemic that is gradually teaching us the Greek alphabet.

These letters encourage me to look at things from a unique perspective. This year, strangely, I'm giving a lot of thought to the steam radiators in my house. You see, my house was built 95 years ago — only eight years after the 1918 Influenza. At that time the memory of that pandemic was fresh in mind and people were scared of “stale air.” Heating systems were designed and built so you could stay warm on the coldest day of the year with the windows cracked open… and 100 years later if you live with steam heat you’re well aware of how oversized these systems are. If you look around you will surely see other examples of how deeply surrounded we are by what has happened in the past.

So, while we consider the past and do our best with the present, every once in a while it’s fun to think about how much of what we do today will still serve to benefit others in 100 years. While membership and sponsorship have both grown significantly, there hasn’t been a proportionate growth in the number of watchmakers among us. This makes the underlying mission of HSNY — to advance the art and science of horology — more important than ever.

As Dan Fenwick taught me years ago, “making watchmakers is like growing trees, it takes a looooooooong time.” If you’re reading this perhaps you’re considering a career in watchmaking, or you know someone who is. If so feel free to reach out to us, we’re happy to share our experiences. If watchmaking isn’t your personal calling then you can still support the trade by gifting a membership, donating directly, or encouraging your friends to join HSNY. These funds are a large part of how we have been able to increase our scholarship giving year after year.

With that, I will leave you all with the hope you have a happy holiday season, a very healthy New Year, and hopefully a bit of inspiration to think about what you will leave to someone 100 years from now. If this is the year you simply plant a tree, take up watchmaking, or start building something you've had in your imagination for years, we hope your engagement with HSNY has inspired you to pursue it full steam ahead.
 

Sincerely,
John Teifert
President, Horological Society of New York

HSNY Welcomes Roger Smith and Romain Gauthier as Trustees

NEW YORK – January 3, 2022

HSNY’s Board of Trustees Goes International

The Horological Society of New York (HSNY) commences 2022 (its 156th year) with the addition of two trustees, world-renowned watchmakers Roger Smith and Romain Gauthier. The independent watchmakers join HSNY as Trustees William Massena and Michael Friedman fulfill their five-year term limits. 

HSNY’s Board of Trustees grows with talent and guidance from global industry authorities, who come together throughout the year to guide America’s oldest watchmaking guild and implement new programs to help fulfill HSNY’s mission of advancing the art and science of horology. 

Smith and Gauthier’s appointment coincides with a time of incredible international growth for HSNY, which doubled its membership in 2021. Thousands of members around the world, and a growing list of international corporate sponsors, enable HSNY to continue making a positive impact on the watchmaking industry.

Dr. Roger Smith OBE is a true master of horology and the only contemporary watchmaker who can make a watch according to the ‘Daniels Method’ of single-handed craftsmanship. His journey has been one of continual discovery and today, he is working at the boundaries of mechanical watchmaking performance. In 2018, he was honored with an Order of the British Empire (OBE) and in 2019 was awarded an honorary doctorate by Birmingham City University in recognition of his services to horology. Smith is passionate about the future of horology and is the Chairman of the Alliance of British Watch and Clockmakers, a partner organization to HSNY.

Born in the Vallée de Joux, the cradle of fine Swiss watchmaking, Romain Gauthier founded his eponymous watch brand in 2005. With the ambition to create his own watch and then his own manufacture, Gauthier has always made a priority of preserving his autonomy and independence. Today, his creative freedom allows him to produce exceptional timepieces of pristine quality in limited numbers for collectors, in accordance with his vision of watchmaking: the evolution of tradition.

Horological Society of New York Board of Trustees, 2022

Welcoming New HSNY Members, November 2021

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. 

• Adel Hussain Albaharna, Bahrain

• Alan Zhang, CA

• Dr. Alexander Insam, Germany

• Alicia Higgins, NY

• Andrew McLinden, CT

• Andrew Sanek, FL

• Artem Slobodyan, NY

• Audrey Stewart, NY

• Avram Rago, SC

• Bill Wong, Canada

• Brandon Norris-Lue, Canada

• Brian Bednarz, NJ

• Daniel Eira, NY

• Darius Mossavar-Rahmani, NY

• Dave Rozzi, NY

• Diana Kane, NY

• Eldar Aharonovich, MD

• Fritz B. Waldorf, KS

• Garrett Hu, CA

• Haoyu Zhang, NY

• Ho Yam Sum, China

• James P. Crowley, FL

• Javier Pérez-Navarrete, Puerto Rico

• Jeremy Vega, NY

• John Kovacik, NY

• John Nidhiry, NY

• Jonathan Aldinger, NJ

• Joseph Schinco, NY

• Joshua David Odintz, MD

• Julian Nguyen, CA

• Kendall Rigdon, FL

• Kevin Kerr, NY

• Kris Stankiewicz, NJ

• Luis Najera, IL

• Manor Haas, Canada

• Marc Serra Valles, Spain

• Matthew Richter, CA

• Michael Gladman, OH

• Michael Primeau, VA

• Mohamed Aqeel, United Arab Emirates

• Nareg Kassar, Canada

• Nick Kavassalis, Canada

• Patrick Lawhon, NY

• Pawel Lewandowski, IL

• Richard Chiang, NY

• Richard Vega, NY

• Rochette Sinclair, Canada

• Ross Kotkin, GA

• Samy Al Bahra, NY

• Sarmed Malik, NJ

• Saro Der Harotounian, Canada

• Sean Singarayar, NJ

• Shayan Javed, CA

• Shelby Dick, CO

• Sloan Fischer, NY

• Stefano Delacosta, Canada

• Stephen Dunn, NY

• Steven Bright, Canada

• Tanmay Manohar, NY

• Tannie Ng, Canada

• Thomas A. Smith, VA

• Todd Miyake, CA

• Tomas Mayer, NY

• Weichern Ngian, CA

• William Hauptli, VA

• Zheng Hao Tan, CA

HSNY Opens “Horology in Art” Exhibition

On Display November 2021 — April 2022

The Horological Society of New York (HSNY) announces the opening of its second exhibition, “Horology in Art”, on display at HSNY’s library in Midtown Manhattan.

For over seven centuries, clocks and watches have been depicted in artwork around the world. Whether they’ve appeared as the major focus of a canvas or a subtle element in the backdrop, timekeepers have served as reminders of human mortality and as symbols of affluence, discipline, occupation, or technological sophistication. Now, an exhibition of over 60 examples is on display at the headquarters of America’s first watchmaking guild. 

Nearly all the artworks are on loan from HSNY Exhibit Curator Bob Frishman, who created HSNY’s inaugural loan exhibit in early 2020 and now returns with a fresh theme accompanied by a 16-page illustrated catalog. 

Among the original artworks are a circa 1830 folk-art portrait of a mother and child holding a pocket watch; the preparatory watercolor by Anatol Kovarsky for a 1961 New Yorker cover showing a watchmaker in his shop; and a portrait miniature on ivory, circa 1840, in which a young woman’s watch and chain are visible. Iconic artists represented in the exhibit’s prints include Salvador Dali, Jan Steen, Andrew Wyeth, Winslow Homer, and Giovanni Piranesi. Vintage photographs include two rare mid-19th century daguerreotypes, cabinet cards, cartes de visites, glass lantern slides, and several examples of Mathew Brady Civil-War-era portraits, whose subjects share the scene with his studio’s “Reaper” figural mantel clock.

“Curating these artworks for my personal collection, and now for the public to view, has been a two-decades-long passion project for me,” said Frishman, who has been a clock restorer and writer-lecturer on horology for more than 30 years. “Thanks to today’s technology, I am happy to share my archives of over 2,000 examples of timepieces displayed in artworks through a continuous slideshow exhibition. The different depictions of watches and clocks in art help us learn about how time was perceived in the past while helping to advance the art of horology today.” 

Visits are free of charge and timed tickets are required to visit the “Horology in Art” exhibition, currently on display from Tuesday, November 23 until April 2022. To visit, please schedule an appointment here. HSNY is located at 20 West 44th Street, Suite 501, New York, NY 10036. Proof of vaccination and masks are required.

For more on Bob Frishman, please visit http://www.bell-time.com/. His lecture on horology in art, which took place at HSNY’s monthly lecture series on January 10, 2017, can be found here. Frishman currently serves as HSNY’s Exhibit Curator. Learn more about his work in horology in art here.

Meeting Recap: Ulysse Nardin: Exploring the World of Chronometry Since 1846, by Massimo Bonfigli and Jean-Christophe Sabatier

Massimo Bonfigli, Head of Heritage at Ulysse Nardin (Le Locle, Switzerland)
Jean-Christophe Sabatier, Chief Product Marketing Officer at Ulysse Nardin (Le Locle, Switzerland)
November 1, 2021

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 November 2021 Horological Society of New York (HSNY) lecture, Massimo Bonfigli, Head of Heritage at Ulysse Nardin, and Jean-Christophe Sabatier, Chief Product Marketing Officer, lectured how the brand’s heritage played a part in the realm of chronometry.

EXPLORATION & CHRONOMETRY BACKGROUND

Bonfigli started the lecture with The Longitude Issue. Longitude was problematic due to the earth’s rotation and two key issues with the environment at sea: 1) Vessel are always moving due to the waves, and 2) A cloudless sky is needed to navigate. Between 1550 – 1650, 1 in 5 ships were destroyed and 1 in 10 crew members lost their lives. In 1714, the British parliament enacted The Longitude Act to address the issue. Due to the limited number of watchmakers who had the knowledge to produce marine chronometers (and who only made two to three per year), it became an expensive piece of technology.

EXPLORATION & CHRONOMETRY ULYSSE NARDIN

Ulysse Nardin (1823 – 1876) had the opportunity to apprentice under Frédéric-William Dubois who was a specialist in precision timepieces. In 1846, Nardin created his workshop starting with pocket watches then complicated chronographs and chronometers. At the 1862 World Exhibition in Paris, Nardin won “The Prize Medal – The Highest Distinction of the World Fair”. This was a remarkable feat due to the dominance of the French and British in the industry of watchmaking. Winning the prize ignited notoriety and recognition for Nardin.

According to Bonfigli, 1876 – the year Ulysse Nardin passed away – became a pivotal point for the brand. At 21 years old, Nardin’s son, Paul David Nardin (1855 – 1920), began a new era by winning first prize at the Concours International de Reglage Genève for the Pocket Watch no4982 and produced the 1st Marine Chronometer Admiralty format. The following year, Paul David Nardin experimented with varied materials such as palladium, and the brand would go on to win gold medals in 1889 and 1893 in Paris and Chicago, respectively. Overall, the brand acquired a total of 18 gold medals:

• London – 1862

• Neuchâtel – 1868

• Paris – 1889 – 1900 – 1937

• Chicago – 1893

• Milan – 1906

• Berlin – 1907

• Buenos Aires – 1910

• Bern – 1914

• Geneva – 1914

• Liège – 1920

• Tokyo – 1922

• Brussels – 1939

• Barcelona – 1938

• New York – 1939

• Zurich – 1939

• Lausanne – 1964

Bonfigli handed the second half of the lecture to Jean-Christophe Sabatier who talked about the brand’s connection with the navy.

ULYSSE NARDIN & ADMIRALTIES

Between 1876 – 1900, production of Marine Deck chronometers amounted to 100. However, from 1900 – 1975, the production increased to 10,000. For 100 years, Ulysse Nardin made 77% of marine chronometers by the Astronomical Observatory of Neuchâtel. The brand was number one in Chronometry not only in the canton of Neuchâtel but in all of Switzerland.

ULYSSE NARDIN & US NAVY

In 1904, the Washington Naval Observatory announced a competition to be the official supplier to the U.S. Navy. In 1905, Ulysse Nardin answered the call and won, becoming the brand that supplied battleship and torpedo vessels during World War I and the vessels USS Martha Berry and USS Fayette in World War II. As a commemoration, Ulysse Nardin launched the Marine Torpilleur Military Semper Fortis (U.S. limited-edition) in 2018.

ULYSSE NARDIN 175TH ANNIVERSARY

Currently celebrating its anniversary, Ulysse Nardin stands by its core value of exploration – of the oceans, astronomical watches, descriptive watchmaking concepts and design proposals. Furthermore, the marine chronometers, astronomical watches, the Marine and Freak timepieces, and the X timepiece embodies that value.

CHRONOMETRY SINCE 1846

From November 1st to November 15th, the new Marine Anniversary Collection was on display at Wempe on Fifth Avenue in New York City. The seven timepieces showed a link to the brand’s heritage.

HSNY thanks Massimo Bonfigli and Jean-Christophe Sabatierfor their fascinating lecture!

Submitted by Melody Benloss, Recording Secretary

Upcoming Lecture: Reverso: Timeless Stories Since 1931

Join HSNY on Monday, December 6, 2021 for a virtual lecture on the Reverso: Timeless Stories Since 1931, presented by Stéphane Belmont, Jaeger-LeCoultre Patrimony Director (Le Sentier, Switzerland).

December’s lecture will take place via Zoom and will begin at 10AM ET (GMT -5) to accommodate local time in Switzerland (GMT +1). There will be no in-person gathering for the December lecture.

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Ninety years after the emblematic Reverso was born, Jaeger-LeCoultre invites watch enthusiasts to explore the history of one of watchmaking’s greatest legends. A unique and timeless expression of the Art Deco movement, the legend of the Reverso began on the polo fields of India, where the idea of a case that could be flipped over was born. Presented by Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Patrimony Director Stéphane Belmont, the December 2021 meeting of the Horological Society of New York will be a unique opportunity to discover the inside story of a true icon through the decades. Not only as a canvas for personalization and artistic expression, but also as a home to high-watchmaking complications and further technical innovations.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE!
RSVP is required.

Welcoming New HSNY Members, October 2021

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. 

• Abraham David Minkowitz, NY

• Abraham Weiss, CT

• Akash Parikh, CA

• Andy Koch, CA

• Arek Baizerman, MN

• Bryan D. Braddy, NC

• Christopher Coulon, LA

• Daniel Meredith, CA

• David Duddie, CT

• David Piccolo, FL

• Eric S. Nielsen, NC

• Ferhan Asghar, OH

• Fred Schellpeper, NE

• Ian Crunkhorn, United Kingdom

• Jeff Jacques, M.D. CA

• Jonathan Heigel, NC

• Jonathan Klipfel, CA

• Jose Dorelien, TX

• Jung Lee, CA

• Kavi Sivasothy, Canada

• Keith Lang, NY

• Kevin Deaton, TX

• Kevin Ohara, CA

• Kevin Richman, MD

• Kunal Hanagandi, NJ

• Lorenzo Pugliese, MA

• Luis deBonoPaula, TX

• Marian Grigoras, NY

• Mario Corona, CA

• Mark Sack, Canada

• Matthew Hirschhorn, PA

• Matthew Weber, CT

• Max Rose, NY

• Michael R. Chipley, NC

• Michael Seringhaus, CA

• Monty Klatt, MN

• Nate Cho, NC

• Paul Bhatia, Canada

• Paul Sherland, WA

• Paul Zarookian, MA

• Rajat Gupta, TX

• Razvan Roman, CA

• Remy Welschinger, United Kingdom

• Richard Kovars, NH

• Robert A. Good, MA

• Robert Day, UT

• Robert Schmidt, DE

• Sean Mccall, CO

• Seth Berman, NY

• Shawn Tzeng, CA

• Shreyas Shivakumar, PA

• Steven Bush, NY

• Steven Zukerman, NJ

• W. D. Yee, NJ

Upcoming Lecture: Ulysse Nardin: Exploring the World of Chronometry Since 1846

Join HSNY on Monday, November 1, 2021 for a virtual lecture on Ulysse Nardin: Exploring the World of Chronometry Since 1846, presented by Massimo Bonfigli, Head of Heritage at Ulysse Nardin and Jean-Christophe Sabatier, Chief Product Marketing Officer at Ulysse Nardin (Le Locle, Switzerland).

November’s lecture will take place via Zoom and will begin at 1PM ET (GMT -4) to accommodate local time in Switzerland (GMT +2). There will be no in-person gathering for the November lecture.

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Ulysse Nardin is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year, and will deliver a lecture at the Horological Society of New York as part of the ongoing celebration. At the November 2021 meeting of the Horological Society of New York, Massimo Bonfigli, Head of Heritage at Ulysse Nardin, will discuss the history of the marine chronometer, and the brand's specialization in manufacturing them. These particularly precise timekeepers allow for safe navigation of the open seas, even during harsh weather that would hamper other navigation methods. Bonfigli will be joined by Jean-Christophe Sabatier, Head of Products at Ulysse Nardin, who will explain how the recent launch of the capsule collection Chronometry Since 1846 is caring for the heritage and values of the brand.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE!
RSVP is required.

Meeting Recap: The Natural Escapement, by Laurent and Christian Ferrier

Laurent Ferrier, Co-Founder and Creative Director at Montres Laurent Ferrier (Geneva, Switzerland)
Christian Ferrier, Movement Creator at Montres Laurent Ferrier (Geneva, Switzerland)
October 4, 2021

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 Horological Society of New York (HSNY) October 2021 lecture, the audience watched a 30-minute pre-recorded video with English subtitles followed by a live translated Q&A session with Laurent Ferrier and Christian Ferrier of Montres Laurent Ferrier.

Laurent Ferrier commenced the lecture by giving a brief history of his company that was co-founded with his friend François Servanin in 2009. The Tourbillon Double Hairspring was the first piece that was created in 2010. When a New York collector advised the company to enter their timepiece in the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), they had the fortune of winning the GPHG Men’s Category that year. In the subsequent year, Montres Laurent Ferrier’s first Natural Escapement watch debuted followed by the Traveller Dual-Time in 2013.

Laurent Ferrier then turned the second part of the lecture over to his son, Christian Ferrier, to speak about the company’s natural escapement in five phases:  

Why The Natural Escapement?

• Its high-efficiency performance

The Masters

• The historical research of Breguet, Daniels and others from documented designs

Laurent Ferrier’s Design Approach 

• Inspired by A.L. Breguet’s first idea

Comparisons of the Natural Escapement and the Swiss Level Escapement

• Illustrated via computer animation

Conclusion

• The real interest of having taken up the challenge of a Natural Escapement

HSNY thanks Laurent Ferrier and Christian Ferrier for their fascinating lecture! 

Submitted by Melody Benloss, Recording Secretary

Welcoming New HSNY Members, September 2021

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. 

• Aaron Stanley, MD

• Abduljabar Totonji, VA

• Adam Klein, GA

• Adam S. Lassner, NY

• Allan Schear, NJ

• Bobby Edemeka, NY

• Brett Lane, MO

• Brian Nolan, SC

• Christian Borel, VA

• Christian Raniszewski, PA

• Daniel Baresic, Canada

• Darrell Stewart, CA

• David Cameron, MD

• David Gordon, VA

• David Roberts, Australia

• Eduardo Henriquez, TX

• Eric Yoon, NY

• Frank Apollo Jr., NY

• Frederick J. Larke, CO

• J. Strom, FL

• J.P. Holecka, Canada

• Jeffrey Davis, FL

• Jeffrey Parrillo, NY

• John Anderson, WA

• Jonathan Tam, FL

• Lily Lucas, CA

• Mark Kaufman, GA

• Mark Steven Humphrey, MD

• Michael Balisky, PA

• Michael Krilich, NY

• Mike Stolzenberger, NY

• Neil Steinberg, NJ

• Nick Sorensen, CO

• Paul Szeless, United Kingdom

• Rajan Mehta, NY

• Reid E. Coleman, TX

• Richard Murphy, NY

• Rick Hanna Jr., AL

• Robert J. Higgins, NH

• Sharanjit Kali-rai, CA

• Shawn Hanson, AZ

• Sheldon Urlik, UT

• Stephen F. Weber, NC

• Thomas G. Mitchell, TN

• Tyler Cacek, NY

• Valmir Magjuni, NJ

• Vincent Jusuf, MN

• Vincent Polsinelli, NY

Meeting Recap: The History of the Tourbillon; Its Theory and Modern Evolution, by Emmanuel Breguet and Jeffrey Kingston

Emmanuel Breguet, Vice President, Head of Patrimony at Montres Breguet (Paris, France; Vallée de Joux, Switzerland)
Jeffrey Kingston, Editor-in-Chief of Le Quai de l’Horloge (Sun Valley, Idaho)
September 9, 2021

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

After the summer break, the Horological Society of New York’s (HSNY) September 2021 lecture on the tourbillon complication was presented via video by Emmanuel Breguet, Vice President, Head of Patrimony at Montres Breguet, and in-person by Jeffrey Kingston, Editor-in-Chief of Le Quai de l’Horloge.

Emmanuel Breguet covered the historical and philosophical aspects of the tourbillon. His relative, Abraham Louis Breguet, revolutionized watchmaking technically with the self-winding watches, gong spring for repeating watches and improvements on escapements. By 1801, A.L. Breguet devised a way to tell the time by touch, the modern travel clock, the Sympathetique clock and the constant force escapement. Aesthetically, he introduced the neo-classical style of watchmaking via the enamel dials, guilloche dials and thin watch cases. After being forced to return to Switzerland due to the French Revolution, A.L Breguet was ready for a comeback to France under Napoleon Bonaparte’s rule.

E. Breguet contemplated as to why A.L. Breguet named his invention a ‘tourbillon’. Besides its modern interpretation of ‘violent rotation’, A.L. Breguet assembled 18th-century philosophers who deemed watchmaking like the creation of a miniature universe because of the relationship of a planetary system rotating on a single axis or the energy that causes a rotation of the planets around the sun. It took 10 years for A.L Breguet to perfect his invention, and miraculously, 75% of the 40 original tourbillons have survived. A dozen can be seen in museums, three belong to the Breguet Museum’s collection and five are housed in the British Museum and other museums in England. Others can be found in Italy, Switzerland, Jerusalem and New York, with a further 15 pieces in private hands and two recently appearing at auction.

Back to the first live audience at HSNY in 18 months, Kingston spoke about the technical, future and contemporary aspects of the tourbillon and asked the audience to think about the watch as an oscillator. It was from the starting point of oscillation that Kingston pointed out the qualities of the tourbillon.

• Christian Huygens’s insight on

  • Oscillators

  • Pendulums: Key points of restoring force, rate variance with amplitude and isochronism

  • Balance Wheel / Hairspring

• Breguet’s insights led to the tourbillon

  • Anomalies due to different positions of the centers of gravity

  • Distribution of friction over all parts of the circumference of the pivots

  • Friction / Lubrication

• Construction of a Tourbillon

• Evolution – Breguet Overcoil, Silicon Hairspring, Titanium, Extra Thin Construction, Constant Force

HSNY thanks Emmanuel Breguet and Jeffrey Kingston for their fascinating lecture! 

Photography by Atom Moore
Submitted by Melody Benloss, Recording Secretary