Horological Society of New York

What Horological Society of New York does

The Horological Society of New York (HSNY) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization founded in 1866, operating as America's first watchmaking guild and one of the oldest continuously operating horological associations in the world. Headquartered in New York City at 20 West 44th Street, the society advances the art and science of horology through a multi-channel educational platform: in-person NYC watchmaking classes running since the 1940s, a Traveling Education Program that has reached Hong Kong and London, monthly public lectures hosted since 1866, museum-quality exhibits, and the Jost Bürgi Research Library housing extensive horological archives. The society publishes The Horologist's Loupe, a newsletter running continuously since 1936.

HSNY's programmatic surface is anchored by ten named financial aid offerings totaling $480,000 in 2026 funding, including student scholarships (Henry B. Fried, Charles London, Charles Sauter, Grace Fryer for women, Benjamin Banneker for Black students, Oscar Waldan for Jewish students, Andre Bibeau for veterans), school awards (Howard Robbins, Simon Willard), and the newly launched Independent Watchmaker Grant Program providing up to $50,000 per recipient for tools and startup costs. In 2025–2026 the organization awarded scholarships to 28 students and 4 watchmaking schools. HSNY holds an annual black-tie gala with a Sotheby's-conducted charity auction, the 160th Anniversary edition of which raised $1.2 million in March 2026.

The society serves approximately 2,000 members across 35+ countries, up from roughly 20 members in 2013, including watchmaking students, independent watchmakers, collectors, historians, veterans, and industry professionals. Revenue is generated through individual annual membership dues, tax-deductible donations (including appreciated securities and collectibles), grants from foundations such as the Vogt Foundation ($470,000 in 2025), and gala auction proceeds. HSNY is governed by a board of trustees (up to 12 members serving three-year terms) and operated by a small staff led by Executive Director Nicholas Manousos and Deputy Director Carolina Navarro. The organization has no proprietary technology products, no AI/ML capabilities, and its distribution runs through the website, in-person meetings, and traveling education rather than commercial channels.

Name

Horological Society of New York

Legal name

Horological Society of New York, Inc.

Website

https://hs-ny.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1866

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Horological Society of New York is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization, founded in 1866, that advances watchmaking through classes, scholarships, grants, a research library, monthly lectures, and galas for approximately 2,000 members across 35+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: HSNY receives tax-deductible donations from individuals and foundations. A transformative $470,000 donation from the Vogt Foundation in 2025 enabled scholarship expansion.
2. Membership Dues: Members pay yearly membership dues to join the society. Dues provide access to meetings, priority access to events, and membership benefits.
3. Donations and Sponsorship: Accepts cash donations, appreciated securities, and relevant collectibles. The society holds galas and auctions to raise funds, with Sotheby's conducting auctions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Horological Society of New York (HSNY) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization founded in 1866 that advances the art and science of horology. It delivers in-person watchmaking classes in New York City and via traveling programs, monthly public lectures, a research library, scholarships and grants for watchmaking students and independent watchmakers, and community events for roughly 2,000 members across 35+ countries.

Product overview

The Horological Society of New York (HSNY) operates as a unified nonprofit educational platform rather than a commercial product company. Its core offerings center on horology education through multiple channels: direct instruction via NYC-based watchmaking courses and a Traveling Education Program reaching international audiences; financial support through 10 named scholarships and grant programs (including the Independent Watchmaker Grant offering up to $50,000); and scholarly resources including the Jost Bürgi Research Library with extensive archival collections. The organization also engages the horological community through monthly lectures since 1866, annual galas with Sotheby's charity auctions, traveling exhibits, the Howard Fass Award for dedication to horological ideals, and The Horologist's Loupe newsletter published since 1936.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Independent Watchmaker Grant
• Henry B. Fried Scholarship for Watchmaking Students
• Andre Bibeau Scholarship for Veteran Watchmaking Students
• Benjamin Banneker Scholarship for Black Watchmaking Students
• Charles London Scholarship for Watchmaking Students
• Charles Sauter Scholarship for Innovation in Horology
• Grace Fryer Scholarship for Female Watchmaking Students
• Howard Robbins Award for Watchmaking Schools
• Oscar Waldan Scholarship for Jewish Watchmaking Students
• Simon Willard Award for School Watches
• NYC Watchmaking Education
• Traveling Education Program
• Jost Bürgi Research Library
• The Horologist's Loupe
• Monthly Lectures
• Annual Galas and Charity Auctions
• Howard Fass Award
• HSNY Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• Scholarship recipients increased from $160,000 (2025) to $480,000 (2026)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Sotheby'sflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 March 2026Sotheby's conducted the auction at HSNY's 160th Anniversary Gala at the Plaza Hotel, helping raise $1.2 million for the society's scholarship programs.
• The ArmourycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 March 2026Presented the after-party for HSNY's 160th Anniversary Gala, supporting the society's fundraising efforts.
• National Watch & Clock MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHSNY's friends at the National Watch & Clock Museum provided vintage copies of The Horologist's Loupe from the 1930s through 1980s, which were scanned and made available for public access.
• The Hour GlassminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership mentioned in press coverage; The Hour Glass is a partner non-profit organization.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• WOSTEP (Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Educational Program): Switzerland-based nonprofit training program producing professional watchmakers through a two-year curriculum, partnered with schools and brands globally. Comparable to HSNY's educational mission in watchmaking, but focused on formal vocational training rather than a member society; relevant peer because it sits at the intersection of nonprofit status, watchmaking education, and scholarships.
• Gemological Institute of America (GIA): Large U.S. nonprofit educational institution offering gemology credentials, scholarships, and research. Provides a relevant scale analog — a credentialed, tuition-and-donation-funded trade education nonprofit in an adjacent luxury hobby vertical (watches vs. gemstones) — illustrating how HSNY could evolve its education and credentialing footprint.
• National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC): U.S.-based nonprofit association for watch and clock collectors and horology enthusiasts, with national chapters, a museum, library, and educational programming. Closest structural analog to HSNY — a member-driven horological society offering scholarships, library resources, and events — though older, larger, and collector-focused rather than watchmaker-focused.
• Fédération Horlogère (FH) / Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry: Swiss industry federation representing watch manufacturers, coordinating industry training standards (CIP), and supporting technical watchmaking education. Relevant industry-level peer because it underwrites formal watchmaking training on a much larger scale, defining the educational ecosystem in which HSNY's scholarships operate.

Others

• The Hour Glass: Asia-Pacific watch retailer with a long-running education and philanthropy arm (notably the Hour Glass Todd-Swiss partnership) supporting horology education. Listed in HSNY's coverage as a partner nonprofit organization and an adjacent ecosystem player supporting scholarships and watchmaking education.
• Sotheby's (watch education/auction partnership): Global auction house whose watch department and educational programming serve collectors and the horological community. Listed as the auction partner at HSNY's 160th-anniversary gala and representative of luxury auction / collector education verticals that overlap with HSNY's mission and donor base.

Emerging players

• HODINKEE: Digital-first horology media and education platform featuring original editorial, an online shop, and HODINKEE School classes. Competes for attention and education with HSNY but with a younger, consumer-leaning audience; cited in HSNY's press coverage and representative of digital-native competition to traditional society-based education.

Direct peers

• Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI): Geneva-based nonprofit association of independent watchmakers founded in 1985 to promote independent horology. Comparable to HSNY's Independent Watchmaker Grant audience and ecosystem: supports independent artisans (a key HSNY customer segment) and represents the creation side of the horological ecosystem HSNY serves.
• British Horological Institute (BHI): UK-based learned society founded in 1858 promoting the art and science of horology through education, a research library, and membership. Operates the Clockmakers' Museum and offers horological training; essentially HSNY's peer organization across the Atlantic with a comparable membership/scholarship/library model.
• National Watch & Clock Museum (NAWCC): U.S. horological museum operated by the NAWCC with extensive watch and clock collections and archives. Listed as a partner of HSNY with direct overlap on library and archival resources, exhibitions, and educational programming targeting horological enthusiasts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HSNY1866

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Horological Society of New York