Michael Friedman - Historian for Audemars Piguet

While most objects and technologies that we engage with on a daily basis will be upgraded in a matter of a couple years or less, expertly crafted mechanical watches are designed and constructed to last "forever." Mechanical watches are among a tiny category of objects of permanence that stand in defiance of the planned obsolescence that defines the vast majority of contemporary consumerism. This special place that watches holds in the present day is directly connected to the fact that watchmaking is among the most interdisciplinary fields in existence, deeply rooted in various spheres within both the arts and sciences. 

Friedman will explore how watchmaking's intertwined relationship with art and technology has been central to its evolution during the past 500 years. By examining key moments during the 1500s, the mid 1600s, the early 1800s, the Industrial Revolution, the mid 20th century, the Quartz Era and the Present Day, Friedman will shed light as to why mechanical watches continue to galvanize collectors and enthusiasts worldwide and why we are in a golden age of highly creative and innovative watchmaking. 

About Michael Friedman
Michael L. Friedman is an established horological expert, appraiser, curator, lecturer, auctioneer and producer. He is the Historian at Audemars Piguet. Michael's extensive career in watches and clocks began in 1996 at Willard House & Clock Museum where he served as assistant curator. In 1997, he joined The National Watch & Clock Museum as Curator where he co-developed 15,000 square feet of exhibition space devoted to the history of time measurement - from sundials to the atomic clock. In 1999, Michael was named VP & Department Head of Watches for Christie's in New York. In 2003 he founded MLF Horology which provided consultant and curator services for international collectors, institutions and auction houses.

Dr. Demetrios Matsakis - Chief Scientist for Time Services, U.S. Naval Observatory

Philosophers have speculated on the nature of time for millennia. Einstein brought the question to a new level, but today many scientists and philosophers think they have an even deeper understanding. Unfortunately they don't always agree with each other.  At the November meeting of the Horological Society of New York, Dr. Demetrios Matsakis will give an equationless review of some of these theories, and let you decide what to believe.

About Dr. Demetrios Matsakis
Dr. Demetrios Matsakis is a physicist who went to MIT and U.C. Berkeley, where he studied under the Nobel-prize winning professor who invented the laser, and constructed two special-purpose lasers to study the molecular clouds where stars are born. After graduating he used radio astronomy to measure the wobbles in the Earth’s rotation, by looking at quasars near the edge of the observable universe. Later he became interested in timekeeping with atomic clocks and rapidly spinning neutron stars (pulsars). He went on to manage the Time Service Department of the US Naval Observatory, which uses over 100 atomic clocks to set the time for GPS and much of the world. Under his management, a set of four atomic fountains were designed and built, measuring time to 16 decimal places. This is currently the most precise 24x7 measurement system ever built by mankind to measure anything. He is a past president of the International Astronomical Union’s Time Commission, has served on many international commissions related to the timekeeping art, represented the U.S. in Geneva, and published over 100 papers along with one short story that is admittedly pure science fiction.

Video courtesy The Atlantic.

Hosted by François-Paul Journe, Founder, Montres F.P. Journe, Switzerland

Hidden below the dial, the calendar complication holds centuries worth of fascinating technical development. From simple to perpetual calendars, that development has never stopped. Today, the complication represents a desire to master the specificities of the multiple calendar systems in use worldwide. At the October meeting of the Horological Society of New York, François-Paul Journe will host a discussion on the history of calendars with a panel of world-class experts.

Mr. Journe will be joined by Pierre Halimi Lacharlotte, General Manager of Montres Journe America, Jack Forster, Editor in Chief of HODINKEE, Noel Poirier, Director of the National Watch & Clock Museum and Keith Lehman, Editor of NAWCC's WatchNews. A display of important calendar pocket watches from Mr. Journe’s personal collection and from the National Watch & Clock Museum will be on display, as well as the new F.P. Journe Quantième Perpétuel with instantaneous jump.

About François-Paul Journe
In the exclusive world of haute horology, François-Paul Journe has explored the measurement of time for over 33 years with a unique sense of creativity and innovation. As an independent contemporary master watchmaker, he draws on his historical knowledge and expertise to face the most daring horological challenges, conceiving entirely new calibres with a timeless consistency.
 
At the crossroad between Arts and Haute Horology, the independent F.P. Journe Manufacture produces its movements in 18K rose Gold, a first in the watch world and unique signature of the brand.  In the respect of the haute horology tradition, Francois-Paul Journe labeled his watches with ­Invenit et Fecit- (invented and made), guaranteeing an exclusive in-house calibre, entirely invented, constructed, and assembled in the Geneva workshops. F.P. Journe produces no more than 900 precision watches per year.  These innovative unparalleled mechanisms such as the Chronomètre à Résonance, the Sonnerie Souveraine or the Tourbillon Souverain have earned F.P. Journe the world’s most prestigious horological awards.

About Pierre Halimi Lacharlotte
After completing his studies at ESCP (Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Paris), Mr. Halimi-Lacharlotte established a company in Miami for the distribution of Swiss watches in the USA. 

In 1987 at Baselworld, he met François-Paul Journe, an independent watchmaker with a thoroughly different approach who draws on his historical knowledge to create innovative precision chronometers.  This changed his vision of the watch industry in favor of independent horology with a genuine authenticity, offering manufacture calibres and he discovers the exclusive world of haute horology.
 
In 2009, Mr. Halimi-Lacharlotte became F.P. Journe’s partner in the company in charge of the Americas.  After introducing independent haute horology to the American consumer, he has developed the American market into a success with four F.P. Journe Boutiques,  six Espaces, and a network of top qualified retailers. 

About Jack Forster
Jack Forster is Editor in Chief of HODINKEE. He first became interested in watches as a student in graduate school, and spent many years collecting and repairing vintage pocket watches as a hobby. From 2006 to 2015 he was a part of Revolution Press Ltd, first as Group Technical Editor, and then as Editor in Chief for the US edition of Revolution Magazine. He is the author of Cartier: Time Art, a catalogue for the exhibition of the same name, which chronicles the history of watch and clockmaking at Cartier from its inception to the present day.

About Noel Poirier
Noel Poirier is the Museum Director for the National Watch & Clock Museum, operated by the National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors. Mr. Poirier has been with the Museum for ten years, overseeing the Museum’s achievement of accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums. He serves on the Board of Advisors of Wristwatch Magazine and is a member of the National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors, the Horological Society of New York, and the Early American Industries Association.

About Keith Lehman
Keith Lehman is the Editor of NAWCC's WatchNews. Hired by the National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors in 2015, Lehman had been a freelance artist for the National Watch and Clock Museum since 2011. He worked for the Tibetan Aid Project and at the Odiyan Retreat Center in California where he helped with bronze casting for the Cintamani Temple and designed Western-style Tibetan prayer books for the World Peace Ceremony in Bodh Gaya, India.

Dr. Sébastien Chaulmontet – Head of Movement Design for Manufacture La Joux-Perret, Arnold & Son and Angelus Watches, Switzerland

Doors open at 6:30pm for coffee & conversation. Lecture begins promptly at 7:00pm.

The technical development of the chronograph is a fascinating story, and there may be no one more qualified to tell it than Dr. Sébastien Chaulmontet, Head of Movement Design for Manufacture La Joux-Perret, Arnold & Son and Angelus Watches. At the September meeting of the Horological Society of New York, Dr. Chaulmontet will lecture on the history of the chronograph, beginning with its predecessors, to the creation of the so-called modern (pocket) chronograph.

Moving towards present day, the industrialization of the complication will be discussed, along with an overview of American pocket chronographs. The three major ébauche (blank) producers will be highlighted along with the chronograph makers using in-house movements like Angelus, Excelsior Park, Lemania, Longines, Minerva, Movado and Universal. Famous models from important brands as Breitling, Enicar, Heuer, Omega, Patek Philippe, Rolex or Zenith shall of course not be missed. Finally, some interesting aspects of collecting antique and vintage chronographs will be presented.

About Sébastien Chaulmontet
Sébastien Chaulmontet is the author, with Dr Joël Pynson, of the book "Chronographs for Collectors." He is also an expert collector of antique and vintage chronographs. Doctor of law and lawyer by training, he is today a watch movement creator and head of innovation at Manufacture La Joux-Perret, Arnold & Son and Angelus.

Photographs by Joël Pynson

Seth Kennedy – Antiquarian Horologist, London
Doors open at 6:00pm for coffee & conversation. Lecture begins promptly at 7:00pm.

London has a deep horological history, stretching back for hundreds of years. How did the horological industry fit in throughout London’s intense urban development? What is it like to work on antique timepieces today in modern London? Antiquarian Horologist Seth Kennedy will discuss these questions and more at the July meeting of the Horological Society of New York. In addition, Kennedy will present a detailed look at 18th and 19th century watches that he has restored, including the making of pocket watch cases from scratch.

About Seth Kennedy
Kennedy came to antiquarian horology after a career as a mechanical engineer. In his earlier years of horological work Kennedy underwent informal training from a highly accomplished watchmaker and has since developed his own specialized tools and techniques. His focus is on the repair and restoration of pocket watches, dating from 17th century to the early 20th century.

John Teifert - Manager, Technical Workshop, Swatch Group U.S.
Doors open at 6:00pm for coffee & conversation. Lecture begins promptly at 7:00pm.

Please note that this meeting is on June 13, rather than our usual first Monday of the month.

Dynamic poising is an important skill that allows watchmakers to minimize positional errors. The operation today is fairly straightforward as long as you understand the theory of why you're making the adjustment. The history of dynamic poising helps us appreciate the value of a well adjusted movement and the difficulty involved in making dynamic adjustments. Often poorly understood, we will discuss the history, theory, and practice of proper dynamic poising.

About John Teifert
John Teifert is a lifelong watch collector, a WOSTEP certified watchmaker and graduate of the OSU-Okmulgee School of Watchmaking. After graduation he earned ten years experience at the bench and eventually completed tourbillon training at Breguet. He currently manages Swatch Group's watchmaking workshop in Secaucus, NJ.

William Massena - Managing Director of TimeZone.com

Doors open at 6:00pm for coffee & conversation. Lecture begins promptly at 7:00pm.

This illustrated talk will explore the promise versus the reality of watches as an alternative asset class. Can watches be an effective investment or is this merely a marketing myth? The talk will look at notable auction results as case studies, consider how marketing affects the horology industry today and what challenges this poses to the watchmakers of tomorrow.

About William Massena

William Massena is the Managing Director of TimeZone.com, the world’s largest online watch discussion forum, to which he has been a key contributor since its founding in 1995. He is also a partner at Digital Luxury Group, a Geneva-based marketing and communication research company for luxury brands. Previously, he was the Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of Antiquorum S.A., the leading horological auction house.

Rory McEvoy - Curator of Horology at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, UK

This illustrated talk will take a look at the extraordinary story of John Harrison and his work in developing navigational clocks and watches for use at sea. It will explore his journey and unlikely beginnings, look at influences evident in his work found in the mechanical ‘DNA’ of his sea clocks and highlight some of the aspects of his work that are significant to the modern world.

About Rory McEvoy
Trained in conservation and restoration of antique clocks at West Dean College, Chichester in 1998-9 and subsequently worked at the bench, specialized in conservative restoration of ‘Golden Age’ English clocks. After a three-year stint as clock specialist for Bonhams Auctioneers, joined the National Maritime Museum as Curator of Horology at the Royal Observatory. Research interests include: the development and application of precision watches and clocks, the life and work of George Graham FRS and the more modern history of time standardization and distribution.  

In March of 1866, a group of New York City watchmakers formed a society to further their interests both scientifically and socially. 150 years later we are continuing our founders' mission to Advance the Art and Science of Horology. Join us as we celebrate our past and look forward to a bright future!

Speakers

• Edwin M. Hydeman - President, Horological Society of New York
• Benjamin Clymer - Founder, HODINKEE
• Jordan Ficklin - Executive Director, American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute

Proclamations & Awards

• Mayoral proclamation honoring HSNY from the City of New York
• Proclamation from the German government
• Presentation of the The Howard Fass award

Food, Drink & Entertainment

Enjoy a large selection of appetizers, entrees and desserts, with an open bar from 6:00pm - 9:00pm. Live music by the Diamond Chips, honoring our Society's German heritage.

All attendees will receive a free copy of the limited edition HSNY 150th Year Archival Book, authored by Michael Osnato, HSNY Archivist & Historian.

Suggested attire: business formal.

All proceeds from this event go towards the Horological Society of New York's ongoing educational programs. The Horological Society of New York is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, federal tax identification number 13-6139887.

HSNY thanks our sponsors for their generous support

Atom Moore - Art Director analog/shift

Photography is a very important part of keeping people engaged with horology. Since gaining access to a wide variety of watches through the RedBar Crew, Atom Moore has focused his lens ever closer into the intricate details of these fascinating timepieces. Taking portraits of watches has become his passion. The tiny mechanical details are often hard to see or understand for those who are not watchmakers or experts in the field. To help shine a light on the complex details in mechanical watches, Atom will share some insight into his passion and methods for creating watch portraits. In presenting watches as portraits, he hopes to engage not just existing watch enthusiasts, but the general public as well.

Please note: This meeting is at our new meeting and lecture venue, the General Society Library at 20 W 44th St. (between 5th & 6th Ave) in Midtown Manhattan. Doors open at 6:00pm, the lecture begins at 7:00pm.

Noel Poirier, Museum Director

Discover the stories and methods used by the National Watch & Clock Museum to engage the general public in the history, arts, science and technology of our shared horological experience. Housing the largest and most comprehensive public collection of timepieces in North America, the National Watch & Clock Museum may soon stand alone as the only cultural institution actively preserving and presenting this important and meaningful aspect of human existence in the US. What are the challenges faced in presenting this story? How will the Museum continue to grow and develop in the future to ensure the story continues to be presented? Why is this story so important to our modern society? Mr. Poirier will provide background on the Museum, share its collection and its future in this candid and open discussion.

Visit the National Watch & Clock Museum's Youtube page.

Kiran Shekar

Promoting interest in watch collecting (or even simply watch appreciating) is good not only for us in HSNY, but also for society as a whole.  Join us for this talk all about watch collecting.  We’ll start by diving into the cultural place that watches hold in our society, and talk about what place they should hold.  Then we’ll look at the current state of the hobby, and try to predict the future by drawing parallels with two similar but more developed hobbies, collecting cars and collecting art.  Lastly we’ll provide action steps that each of us can do going forward to draw more people to the wonderful world of watches.