The Horological Society of New York unveils six lots for their 2023 charity auction
Zach BlassWhile the field of watch enthusiasts, collectors, and buyers is rapidly growing, the number of watchmakers is unfortunately not. Most young children continue to aspire to be astronauts, Navy Seals, athletes, or Tik Tok influencers. It would be a very surprising moment for a parent to hear their child say: One day, I want to be a master watchmaker. Here lies the conundrum. How does the industry and tradition adapt in order to meet the growing demand for mechanical timepieces? Well, one organisation which has long fostered a community for horological education is the Horological Society of New York. Among monthly lectures and meetings, the HSNY hosts, both in New York City and in special travelling classes, offer watchmaking experiences where watch-lovers can get hands-on and learn more about movements, their assembly and disassembly. But a big moment for the HSNY each year is their annual charity auction, with special lots offered for sale to raise money for the HSNY’s various watchmaking scholarships.
Carolina Navarro, HSNY Deputy Director, explains: “We’re excited to be offering six incredible lots for our 2023 auction. Thanks to the generosity of our donors and the talents of Phillips, we hope to raise as much money as possible to meet our mission and provide financial aid to watchmaking students.”
This effort makes a serious difference in the mission to keep watchmaking alive and provide aid to prospective watchmakers. HSNY explains: “Thanks to the success of last year’s auction, HSNY also awarded $125,000 in financial aid to 20 watchmaking students and four U.S. watchmaking schools during the [April 2023] gala.” The below six lots from the “Timepieces for HSNY: 2023 Charity Auction” Presented by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo will help provide awarded scholarships at next year’s gala.
Lot 1: F.P.Journe Signed Books
A collection of six brand new and highly coveted books on independent watchmaking, all signed personally by François-Paul Journe. Generously donated by F.P.Journe.
Anything Journe these days is super collectable, but this lot surely appeals to true lovers of the celebrated watchmaker. No hype, just six fantastic books signed by Journe himself.
Lot 2: H. Moser & Cie. “Streamliner” Wall Clock
A brand new Aluminium Quartz “Streamliner” Wall Clock. Generously donated by H. Moser & Cie.
Ever wish you could have your own watch wall clock after watching an episode of About ‘Effing Time? In the primary studio located in Bamford’s Hive, the walls are filled with these sorts of wall clocks. This lot gives you a chance to hang your very own Streamliner on the wall – whether in your office, or at home (if your partner allows it).
Lot 3: Oris Big Crown Calibre 473
A brand new stainless-steel wristwatch with blue lacquer dial, date, five-day power reserve, warranty and presentation box. Generously donated by Oris.
As far as daily wearers go, the Oris Big Crown Calibre 473 is very hard to beat. It is a handsome watch, with an attractive light blue lacquer dial, that packs in a 10-year warranty-backed in-house manually wound calibre with five days of power reserve. Simply wind it on a Monday, and you can make it through a full business week.
Lot 4: NOMOS Glashütte: Tangomat GMT (sapphire caseback)
A brand new stainless-steel world time wristwatch with GMT indicator, date, warranty card, setting pin and presentation box. Generously donated by NOMOS Glashütte.
A Bauhaus-loving traveller’s dream, Nomos have cleverly devised a means of having a worldtimer wristwatch that does not have the busyness or dial-crowding most world timers may have. No globe-motif, nor rotating city ring. You simply have a GMT indicator at 9′ position, with an aperture at the 3′ position displaying the appropriate hour of the second time zone.
Lot 5: Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Classic Medium Thin
A brand new stainless-steel reversible wristwatch with warranty and presentation box, and complimentary personalisation on the reverse side of the case through Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso Engraving Services. Generously donated by Jaeger-LeCoultre.
The JLC Reverso surely needs little introduction for most reading this, but the flagship reference carries a rich history rooted in its sporty origins as a watch to withstand the rigours of polo. The flippable mid-case carriage allowed wearers to protect the crystal of the dial during a polo match – simply flipping it over to let the metal caseback take the brunt of any shocks incurred. Now, ironically, the watch is typically considered more formal than sporty, and the wide variety of references and complications will dictate how the second side of the case is used. The Classic Medium Thin model here offers a pure take on the JLC icon, and bundled with the lot is a complimentary personalisation with the caseback a blank canvas for you to do with as you wish. Very cool.
Lot 6: Laurent Ferrier Bridge One in stainless steel
A brand new stainless steel rectangular-shaped wristwatch with certificate and presentation box. Generously donated by Laurent Ferrier.
The Reverso is not the only rectangular watch up for sale, you also have the opportunity to win a Laurent Ferrier Bridge One. Ferrier, formerly of the Patek Philippe Advanced Research Department, created his own independent manufacture that offers top-class movement decoration and a classic-meets-modern design sensibility. The highly cambered case of the Bridge One wears well on the wrist, the frosted grey dial is clean and crisp, but oh man – the movement. This is a watch you will, at times, wish you could wear in reverse just to stare at the movement all day long. Alas the camber will prevent you from doing that though.
The “Timepieces for HSNY: 2023 Charity Auction”, presented online by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo will run from July 6-11, 2023. Click here to head to the auction landing page.