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

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

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.

HSNY’s December lecture will be streamed live via Zoom. All HSNY lectures are free and open to the public. RSVP is required.

About Stéphane Belmont

Stéphane Belmont is recognized for his watchmaking culture and brand knowledge allowing him to challenge and inspire designers, watchmakers and artisans for building altogether the future of Jaeger-LeCoultre.

He travels regularly across the world to present novelties and share mechanical wonders with final customers and press representatives. This international exposure provides him with a good flair for market trends and local culture.

In 1992, Stéphane Belmont started his career in watchmaking at IWC. He joined Jaeger-LeCoultre in 1999, and occupied several Executive Director positions in Marketing, Creation, Product Design and Communication.

He was born in Besançon (France) in a family deeply rooted in watchmaking. He moved to Lausanne (Switzerland) in 1984. Graduated from the University of Engineering in Lausanne, he carried a study that analyzed the reasons why people would buy a luxury watch, and has since then acquired an expertise in watchmaking.

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

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.

HSNY’s November lecture will be streamed live via Zoom. All HSNY lectures are free and open to the public. RSVP is required.

About Massimo Bonfigli

Born on December 3, 1960 in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, Massimo Bonfigli is Head of Brand Heritage at Ulysse Nardin.

Taken on in 2000 by Rolf Schnyder as an Area Sales Manager, Massimo has contributed throughout his career to the sales development of various markets, such as Switzerland, France, Spain, Portugal, Benelux, Italy, South America, Greece, Turkey and North Africa. Since 2005, Massimo Bonfigli has also been in charge of trainings, visits of the Manufacture, as well as the Ulysse Nardin heritage space at Le Locle, in the Canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland. Today, his range of experience at Ulysse Nardin has made him exceptionally knowledgeable about the brand and a great asset for trainings and sales.

For over 30 years, 21 of which at Ulysse Nardin, Massimo Bonfigli has acquired in-depth knowledge of Swiss watchmaking, the history of the Ulysse Nardin brand and of the current and historical collections.

Massimo Bonfigli has worked with Rolf Schnyder and Ludwig Oechslin and was present when the Manufacture was purchased in 2014 by the French luxury group, Kering. He speaks fluent French, English, Italian and Spanish.

Attached to his home region, Massimo Bonfigli is an enthusiast of cross-country skiing in the mountains around Neuchâtel in the winter and cycling in the summer months. He has also taken part in more than 15 marathons in Europe, including in Rome, Berlin and Prague.

About Jean-Christophe Sabatier

Jean-Christophe Sabatier was born in Dijon in 1970. He is head of the product department at Ulysse Nardin in Le Locle and is responsible for the brand’s product range. From the design of new collections to market distribution, it is Jean-Christophe and his team who draw up the designs for new products, decide on their positioning, and help to keep the spirit of creativity and innovation going – values dear to the Maison. He is also responsible for all developments. Jean-Christophe is a project management expert and has excellent knowledge of the markets; he is responsible for a team of 10 people, which includes artists, designers and project managers.

Jean-Christophe graduated from the business school of Clermont (France) and started his career in the automobile sector, at Peugeot, at the age of 23. After 2 years in Egypt at Peugeot, Jean-Christophe continued his adventure at Peugeot in Paris for almost 5 years, and was in charge of paints and materials of the entire range. After spending 3 years at Salomon in the Alpine division in Annecy as International Product Manager, Jean-Christophe entered the watchmaking sector in 2002 as marketing and communications director of Baume et Mercier. In 2011, he started at the Kering group, as director of the Watches sector at Boucheron. Finally, in March 2016, Jean-Christophe arrived at Ulysse Nardin as product director.

Jean-Christophe is passionate about geopolitics and travel. He goes skiing, deep-sea diving and does karate. He lives in Neuchâtel near the shores of the lake. Jean-Christophe is married and has three children.

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

From the beginning, Laurent Ferrier’s aim was very clear: to deliver his personal interpretation of the horological theories proposed by his peers. Some of these principles were essentially functional, and Laurent Ferrier, mindful of his heritage, would work to improve them. Others were restricted by the limited technical means of their era.

Such was the case with the natural escapement. In 1802, Abraham-Louis Breguet completed his first watch using the ultra efficient escapement. Unfortunately, Breguet was unable to ensure its reliability because of the manufacturing techniques and materials available at the time. Two hundred years later, Laurent Ferrier gave the natural escapement a new lease on life. At the October 2021 meeting of the Horological Society of New York, Laurent and Christian Ferrier will discuss the principles of the natural escapement and how they succeeded in manufacturing it.

Exhibition

To accompany the lecture, Montres Laurent Ferrier will hold an exhibition of timepieces, including some with natural escapements, at the Horological Society of New York, on the afternoons of October 5 and 6. HSNY members and the general public are welcome to attend. Timed tickets are required, as well as proof of vaccination. Masks are optional but strongly encouraged.

About Laurent Ferrier

The son and grandson of watchmakers, Laurent Ferrier, the emblematic figure of the brand that bears his name, is profoundly attached to the excellence of traditional watchmaking crafts. His lengthy experience in the fields of horological design, technical research and watch design demonstrates his inventive nature.

Laurent Ferrier develops his own watches, from conception through to production. After 37 years of working for the same firm, the Geneva-based watchmaker decided in 2009 to found a brand dedicated to fine watchmaking. He develops his own watches, from conception through to production and in doing so is backed by his son Christian, a guarantee of continuity.

About Christian Ferrier

After a training in mechanics, Christian Ferrier started his career in a research lab specialized in aerospace. Soon enough, his passion for watchmaking took over and he left the aerospace industry. When Laurent Ferrier decide to launch his new venture, he immediately asks his own son to join the team. Since the beginning, Christian Ferrier managed the technical design of the very first movement ever made by the brand. He now works with his father in the creation department, perpetuating the family tradition.

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

Patented in 1801 by Abraham-Louis Breguet, the tourbillon is one of the most revered and enduring horological inventions of all time. The story behind the invention is fascinating and leads to many questions. What were Breguet’s insights that led him to create it? What were the significant timepieces featuring his invention that left the Quai de l’Horloge workshop during his lifetime? Today, the name “tourbillon”, which Abraham-Louis Breguet gave to his invention, is known universally in the watch world. Less well known are technical reasons which led to its creation. At the September 9, 2021 meeting of the Horological Society of New York, Emmanuel Breguet and Jeffrey Kingston will explore these topics as well as the modern evolution of this now-iconic mechanism.

About Emmanuel Breguet

Emmanuel Breguet is a direct descendent of founder Abraham-Louis Breguet. He is the historian of the house of Breguet and the author of numerous books on the life of Breguet and the landmark timepieces he created.

About Jeffrey Kingston

Jeffrey Kingston is an author and frequent speaker on watchmaking. He has given talks throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. He is the Editor of Breguet’s magazine, Le Quai de l’Horloge. In a former life he was an anti-trust lawyer and was lead counsel in the proceedings against Microsoft in Brussels that led to the landmark judgement in 2004.

Anthony de Haas, Director of Product Development, A. Lange & Söhne, Dresden, Germany
Robert Hoffmann, Head of the ZEITWERK Assembly Department, A. Lange & Söhne, Glashütte, Germany

In 2009, A. Lange & Söhne launched the ZEITWERK, a mechanical timepiece with a digital time indication, realized by jumping numerals. “At that time, we thought that it would be a unique piece of our collection”, remembers Anthony de Haas, Director of Product Development at the German watchmaker. However, the new concept turned out to be so successful that a new watch family grew out of it, consisting of seven different models today.

At the June 2021 meeting of the Horological Society of New York, Anthony de Haas and watchmaker Robert Hoffmann, Head of the ZEITWERK Assembly Department, will talk about the synergy between dial and movement design, the power of constant-force escapements and how tradition inspires today’s watchmaking.

About Anthony de Haas

Anthony de Haas has been Director of Product Development at A. Lange & Söhne since 2004. In his position, he is responsible for the creation of all new timepieces, from product strategy to technical concept and product design. Before joining the company, the native Dutchman worked with Renaud et Papi, the complications developer of Audemars Piguet, and other prestigious watch brands, where he held leading positions in technical departments as well as in sales and marketing. He is a qualified watchmaker, having completed six years of micromechanics studies. He lives in Dresden, is married and has two daughters. In his spare time, he loves playing the drums and ice hockey.

About Robert Hoffmann

Robert Hoffmann is Head of the ZEITWERK Assembly Department, where the passionate watchmaker takes responsibility for this unique product line of A. Lange & Söhne. As a native of Saxony, he completed his education at the Lange Watchmaking School and subsequently worked for several years in the company’s chronograph department. He gained experiences abroad as Head of the Prestige Watchmaker Department at Swatch Group UK before returning to A. Lange & Söhne in 2015. The father of two children finds a balance with his challenging professional activity in sport and in enjoying handmade crafts.


HSNY lectures will be streamed live via Zoom for the foreseeable future. All lectures remain free and open to the public.

Dr. Sandrine Girardier, Historian and Museum Curator, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Grégoire Boillat, Montres Jaquet Droz Museum Curator and Watchmaker-Rhabilleur, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland

Jaquet Droz has an incredible history that includes more than just timepieces. Founded in 1738, the Swiss manufacture is well-known for its prodigious androids, fashionable birdcages and pocket watches with animated scenes. Jaquet Droz's amazing automatons complement their watch and clock expertise, making their work very desirable for collectors around the world.

Pierre Jaquet-Droz was born in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland in 1721. Jaquet-Droz founded a watchmaking workshop and grew it through a combination of technical, artistic and commercial skills enabling it to reach international markets. His son Henri-Louis further developed the family business and diversified production. At this time, a significant portion of the manufacture's work found its way to Chinese dignitaries.

At the May 2021 meeting of the Horological Society of New York, Dr. Sandrine Girardier will discuss the main phases of the careers of Pierre and Henri-Louis Jaquet-Droz during the second half of the 18th century. Dr. Girardier's lecture will be enhanced by live demonstrations of special collection pieces currently at the Jaquet Droz Maison with Watchmaker-Rhabilleur Grégoire Boillat.

About Dr. Sandrine Girardier

Sandrine Girardier was born in 1983 in Lugano, Switzerland. After completing her university studies in Neuchâtel, she began preparing a thesis in history dedicated to the watchmakers Jaquet-Droz and Leschot and obtained her doctorate in 2018. As a museum curator, she has been devoting herself for more than 10 years to the management of collections and the creation of exhibitions. In her work as a freelance historian, she also specializes in various heritage collections, as well as undertaking cultural and educational activities, all while continuing research and publication.

About Grégoire Boillat

Grégoire Boillat was born in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. After completing a Watchmaker-Rhabilleur degree in Le Locle he started his career by working on the production lines of a famous chronometer brand, and mastering many watch manufacturing processes. He then specialized in customer service and vintage watch restoration. Grégoire is also a part-time teacher in the Le Locle watchmaking school, and has been working for Jaquet Droz for 10 years. His passion for the brand and antique pieces gave him the opportunity to be the curator of the brand’s museum collection, and he is now in charge of the demonstrations, new acquisitions and customer support for vintage and antique pieces.

HSNY lectures will be streamed live via Zoom for the foreseeable future. All lectures remain free and open to the public.

Mark Cho, Co-founder of The Armoury, Co-owner of Drake's, Over-Enthusiastic Watch Enthusiast, Hong Kong

April’s lecture will begin at 9PM EDT (GMT -4) to accommodate local time in Hong Kong (GMT +8)

Is there such a thing as an ideal watch size? How many people really think they have small wrists? What is the relationship between perception and preference?

In his career as a clothier having watch-related conversations with his customers, Mark Cho, Co-founder of The Armoury and Co-owner of Drake's, noticed more than half of his clients uttered the same phrase: "I have small wrists". It was a curious phenomenon, which prompted Cho to conduct a survey from 2018 to 2021 called "The Ideal Watch Size Survey" to try and understand what was going on. For the Horological Society of New York’s April 2021 lecture, Cho will present his findings to these questions and more.

About Mark Cho

Mark Cho spent his formative years in the UK and US and graduated from Brown University. He is the co-founder of The Armoury, a high-end men's clothier in Hong Kong and New York, and co-owner of Drake's, a British heritage brand with shops worldwide. He has over 10 years of experience as an entrepreneur in high-end men's clothing and tailored clothing. Cho has been a watch collector for over 15 years and is currently in his second year as a member of HSNY. His interests in horology range from vintage to modern, two-handers to grand complications. He has written for Robb Report, Watches by SJX, and The Rake Japan as well as been interviewed by HODINKEE, Revolution, and A Collected Man. His favorite color right now is olive.

HSNY lectures will be streamed live via Zoom for the foreseeable future. All lectures remain free and open to the public.

Ann Micklos, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Engineer, Merritt Island, Florida

For the Horological Society of New York’s March 2021 lecture, former NASA Engineer Ann Micklos will discuss the general history of watches in spaceflight, which leads to her personal story about a watch that flew on a Space Shuttle. The watch was a gift that had the honor to fly on Columbia, STS-107. Unfortunately, Columbia and her crew were lost during her entry into Earth’s atmosphere. However, the pain for losing the crew and Columbia was slightly dulled with a watch which was meant to get back to her owner.

HSNY lectures will be streamed live via Zoom for the foreseeable future. All lectures remain free and open to the public.

Photo credit: Blue Planet Photos

Kelly Yoch - Director of Client Relations, Watches of Switzerland, USA

The face of watch collecting has changed dramatically over the last few years. Brands have mimicked designs based on the success of their competitors, and attitudes have shifted towards attaining rather than collecting. Star factor, Instagram likes and fast money have all become important in today's watch world. Auction houses are seeing record prices for watches that were considered basic not long ago, and some retailers have not been playing fairly. All of these factors determine how and why we shop for certain watches. So where does that leave us? At the February 2021 meeting of the Horological Society of New York, Kelly Yoch will discuss how we can get back to collecting what we love instead of what is expected.

About Kelly Yoch

Kelly Yoch started her career in the jewelry and watch industry in 1997 with Hamilton Jewelers in Princeton, New Jersey. In 2005, Yoch was one of 17 Americans chosen to participate in Patek Philippe’s advanced training initiative. In 2006, Yoch became the General Manager of Tourneau in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Two years later she was chosen to be one of four consultants hired for the Patek Philippe Salon at the Tiffany & Co. flagship store in New York City. It was at Tiffany & Co. where Yoch spent the majority of her career. In 2020, Yoch joined Watches of Switzerland as their Director of Client Relations.

Christian Selmoni, Vacheron Constantin Heritage & Style Director, Geneva, Switzerland
Roger Michel, Institute for Digital Archaeology Executive Director, Oxford, United Kingdom

Join Vacheron Constantin Heritage & Style Director Christian Selmoni as he shares some of Vacheron Constantin’s most incredible timepieces and the stories behind them. Institute for Digital Archaeology Executive Director Roger Michel will join Selmoni in exploring the intimate ties between the notion of time and the ingenuity devoted to its measurement through successive eras. The lecture will focus on a variety of timepieces from Vacheron Constantin, all steeped in history. 

Zoom Webinar to begin promptly at 1:00pm Eastern Time (US and Canada).
Webinar registration is required.

About Christian Selmoni

Born in 1959 to a Swiss family of watchmakers in the Vallée de Joux, one of the historical birthplaces of watchmaking, Christian Selmoni serves as Style and Heritage Director at Vacheron Constantin.

Christian joined Vacheron Constantin in 1990 as Sales Administration Manager, becoming Purchasing Manager in 1992, and Production & Purchasing Director in 1996, during which time he played a key role in overseeing all aspects of manufacturing and sourcing.

In 2001, he was tasked with incorporating all product-creation aspects of Vacheron Constantin – from concept to final prototypes and product launch – into a unique Product Department, notably responsible for the design and development of the company’s famous 250th anniversary elements.

Christian was appointed Artistic Director at Vacheron Constantin in 2010, with responsibilities including the long-term definition of products and future “product” tendencies for the Maison; its creative aspects as well as the development and consolidation of the Métiers d’Art workshops (artistic crafts such as enamel, engraving, gem-setting and guillochage), together with Les Cabinotiers workshop which includes design and development of made-to-order timepieces.

In 2017, Christian was appointed Style and Heritage Director. Within the Heritage department, his main responsibilities are to enrich and develop the Maison’s heritage, as well as to extract designs and design elements from the past to nurture Vacheron Constantin’s present and future creations. In addition, he consolidates and develops relationship with international press, clients and watch collectors.

About Roger Michel

Roger Michel is the Director of Oxford's (UK) Institute for Digital Archaeology (IDA). The IDA, in collaboration with national governments, leading universities, and global NGOs, documents, preserves and protects cultural assets around the world.

The IDA's current exhibition at Oxford's History of Science Museum, "Heartbeat of the City," celebrates the addition of Swiss watchmaking to UNESCO's world intangible heritage list in 2020. It explores man's fascination with the tiny machines that have fundamentally changed his relationship to time through the stories of innovation, courage and artistic achievement that they tell.

Michel has been collecting watches for 40 years and has amassed a private collection of more than 3,000 timepieces, with a focus on watches that are connected to important and memorable moments in history. He is a graduate of Harvard and Oxford Universities and was on the faculty at Boston University for 25 years.