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A student at his bench in the Horological Society of New York workshop, bent over his work under a bench lamp, with the class behind him
Horological Society of New York
Private classes · Manhattan

A private class at HSNY.

Book the Horological Society of New York's workshop in Manhattan for your own group. Two to eight guests sit at real watchmakers' benches for two to four hours and take a mechanical movement apart, with a professional watchmaker beside them. The same classes and conditions as TimeTechnics private classes, held at HSNY.

Request your class Choose a class & see prices
i.Yours alone

Your guests, your date, our workshop.

How a private class works

A private class at HSNY is booked by you, for people you choose. Nobody else buys a seat. You choose the date within the workshop's class times, the Society's workshop in Midtown Manhattan is set up for your group, and the whole session is built around you.

Your private class
Who attendsOnly your guests, 2 to 8
WhenWeekday evenings (Mon, Wed, Fri, 6 to 8 pm) or Saturday mornings (9:30 am to 1:30 pm)
WhereThe HSNY workshop, Manhattan
Length2 or 4 hours
You payOne price for the whole class, no travel fees
A watchmaker with a loupe works on a movement held in a movement holder at a bench in the HSNY workshop
At the bench in the HSNY workshop, Manhattan.
ii.The occasion

Good reasons to gather at the bench.

a.

Celebrations

A birthday, an anniversary or a retirement. A gift people remember, shared with the people who matter.

b.

Collectors' circles

Your watch club or a group of friends who already talk calibres over dinner and want to work on one.

c.

Teams & offsites

Precision, patience and some laughter. A team activity that leaves everyone with a new skill.

d.

Client evenings

For boutiques, banks and brands: bring your best clients to the Horological Society of New York for an evening at the bench.

iii.Choose your class

Five classes, one price for the group.

Pick a class and the number of guests to see the price. Each step builds on the one before, so a longer class takes you further into the movement. See what each class covers →

Number of guests

Prices are in USD for the whole class, including the instructor, the HSNY workshop, benches, tools and movements.

Horology 101-103 · 8 guests
$4,400
$550 per guest

Held at the HSNY workshop in Manhattan: no travel expenses are added.

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Horology 101, 102, 103, 104 · 2 hoursMon, Wed, Fri · 6–8 pm

Weekday evenings, depending on instructor availability.

Horology 101-103 · 4 hoursSaturday · 9:30 am–1:30 pm

The full movement, on a Saturday morning.

A participant wearing glasses and finger cots works on a movement with tweezers A participant wearing a loupe uses tweezers on a movement held with pink finger cots The instructor points to a jewel on a large screen showing a movement during a lesson on lubrication
iv.How it unfolds

Your class, step by step.

Timing and what to expect

Two-hour classes take place after work, on weekday evenings; the four-hour Horology 101-103 takes place on Saturday mornings. Every class follows the same steps. The two-hour classes focus on one system of the watch, while the four-hour class goes all the way through a complete movement.

  1. 01

    Arrival at HSNY

    Your guests arrive at 20 West 44th Street, Suite 501. Benches, lamps, tools and a movement for every guest are already set up in the workshop.

  2. 02

    Welcome & the big picture

    A short visual introduction: how time is kept, how a movement is built, and why some watches cost what they do.

  3. 03

    The movement explained

    On screen, the instructor walks through the movement in front of each guest and the system the class focuses on.

  4. 04

    Tools in hand

    Loupe on, tools in hand. Everyone learns to hold tweezers and turn a screwdriver like a watchmaker.

  5. 05

    Take it apart

    Step by step, guests disassemble what their class covers, from the timekeeping system in Horology 101 to the complete movement in Horology 101-103, with each step projected on screen and the watchmaker at their side.

  6. 06

    Put it back together

    The careful part: reassembling every part until the balance starts to swing again. In the four-hour class, a short break comes before this step.

  7. 07

    Debrief & watch talk

    Questions, the watches on everyone's wrists, and stories from the trade to finish.

v.The practical side

The workshop is ready. Just bring your guests.

HSNY provides

  • Professional watchmakers as instructors, sometimes two for one class
  • A watchmaker's bench and a bench lamp for every guest, in the HSNY workshop
  • Screwdrivers, tweezers, loupes, finger cots and parts trays
  • A mechanical movement for every guest
  • The visual presentation and every step on a large screen
  • Set-up before the class and tidying up afterwards

You bring

  • Your guests, 2 to 8, on time for the start
  • Reading glasses, for those who use them
  • Curiosity: no experience is needed
Horological Society of New York20 West 44th Street, Suite 501, New York, NY 10036
B, D, F or M train to 42 St–Bryant Park, then a short walk north.
vi.In class

Concentration, then pride.

The instructor leans over a participant's bench while others work on their movements
A participant with a loupe concentrates on his movement under the bench lamp
A participant wearing glasses and a loupe works on a movement with tweezers
Two participants lean into their work at carbon fibre benches in a boutique
Close-up of a participant with a loupe working on a movement with a pointed tool
"Everyone arrives curious. They leave knowing exactly what is happening inside the watch on their wrist."
Vincent Robert · Watchmaker, FHH master trainer
vii.Questions

Before you ask.

Does anyone need experience?

Not for Horology 101 or 101-103: they are designed for complete beginners, and collectors who already know their calibres enjoy them just as much. Horology 102, 103 and 104 go deeper into one system of the watch and require Horology 101 first, taken at HSNY or in a private class.

How much does a private class cost?

One price covers the whole class: from $1,300 for Horology 101 with 2 guests to $4,400 for Horology 101-103 with 8 guests. The prices are the same as TimeTechnics private classes, with no travel expenses since the class takes place at HSNY.

When are private classes held at HSNY?

Two-hour classes take place on weekday evenings, Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 6 to 8 pm, depending on instructor availability. The four-hour Horology 101 to 103 takes place on Saturdays from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm.

Where does the class take place?

Only at the Horological Society of New York workshop: 20 West 44th Street, Suite 501, New York, NY 10036, near Bryant Park. If you would rather have the class at your home, office or venue, book a TimeTechnics private class instead.

Is this the same as a TimeTechnics private class?

Yes. The classes, the group size, the length and the prices are identical. The only difference is the place: the class is held in the HSNY workshop in Manhattan.

Do guests keep the movement?

The movements and tools are part of the workshop equipment and stay at HSNY. If you would like your guests to take something home, ask us when you request your class.

What language is the class taught in?

Classes at HSNY are taught in English. Ask us if you need another language.

How far ahead should we book?

Ideally four to eight weeks ahead, as dates depend on the workshop's availability. Ask anyway if your date is close.

More than 8 guests?

Groups are kept to eight guests at most, so everyone has real access to the watchmaker. For a larger group, ask us about two classes back to back.

viii.Request your class

Reserve your class at HSNY.

Fill in what you know. The form writes a request email for you to send to us, and we reply with the workshop's availability and a confirmed quote.

vincent@hs-ny.org

Close-up of hands steadying a movement holder while a hand-winding movement is worked on
Class price at HSNY$4,400
Your request is ready

Copy it into an email to vincent@hs-ny.org, or open it in your mail app.


        

          
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