SNY celebrated the 2022 Gala & Awards Ceremony in style at the landmark Harvard Club of New York City, where 200 members and friends reunited to toast to one of the world’s oldest continuously operating horological associations.

Highlights from the evening included a presentation by HSNY President John Teifert of the Howard Fass Award, given this year to longtime HSNY member and horological bibliophile Fortunat Mueller-Maerki. Bestowed for the third time since its creation in 2016, the Howard Fass award is HSNY’s highest honor, given to individuals judged to have shown extraordinary dedication to the ideals which the Society pursues.

The lavish evening continued with the announcement of HSNY’s largest financial aid awarded to date — a sum of $100,000 to 15 watchmaking students and three watchmaking institutions across the country. Steve Eagle, HSNY’s Director of Education, presented a check to Robert Younger, a student of the Patek Philippe Institute in New York, who accepted the award on behalf of all recipients.

In between dinner courses and mingling, a lively bidding war took place for HSNY’s first-ever Lifetime Membership Card. Hosted by Isabella Proia of Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, the starting bid of $500 quickly escalated as attendees bid for the evening’s coveted auction item, among them Kevin O’Leary, the entrepreneur and businessman fondly known as “Mr. Wonderful” on the television show Shark Tank.

A hammer price of $18,000 ended the evening’s auction, with Jared Tramontano taking home bragging rights as HSNY’s first Lifetime Membership cardholder. Proceeds from the sale will benefit HSNY’s ongoing financial aid initiatives. The card grants the owner lifetime membership privileges at HSNY, including all aspects of all current and future membership levels. It was engine turned by Joshua Shapiro and hand-engraved by Artur Akmaev, and made from a 92.5% sterling silver alloy with tarnish-resistant properties 4-5 times that of traditional sterling silver. HSNY’s full Charity Auction will be held online in June 2022 and will be hosted by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo.

Gala supporters included A. Lange & Söhne, Collectability, Grand Seiko, HODINKEE, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, Slater Team at Compass, Vacheron Constantin, Collective, Watch Club Society, and Ulysse Nardin, along with HSNY officers, staff and fellows.

HSNY 2022 Financial Aid:

• The Henry B. Fried Scholarship for Watchmaking Students
• Cassidy Atkins, York Time Institute, PA ($5,000)
• Louie Barrera, York Time Institute, PA ($5,000)
• Levi Cooper, Lititz Watch Technicum, PA ($5,000)
• Evan Embrey, North Seattle College Watch Technology Institute, WA ($5,000)
• Benjamin Herring, Veterans Watchmaker Initiative, DE ($5,000)
• John B. Kim, Apprentice, OR ($5,000)
• Harold Liu, Contingent Student, Canada ($5,000)
• Eric Preciado, Veterans Watchmaker Initiative, DE ($5,000)
• Matthew Smithey, Paris Junior College Watchmaking Program, TX ($5,000)
• Robert Younger, Patek Philippe Institute, NY ($5,000)
• Edmond Zacapa, Lititz Watch Technicum, PA ($5,000)
• The Grace Fryer Scholarship for Female Watchmaking Students (NEW)
• Vernine Blaszczyk, North American Swiss Institute of Watchmaking, TX ($5,000)
• Andrea Vara, North American Swiss Institute of Watchmaking, TX ($5,000)
• The Benjamin Banneker Scholarship for Black Watchmaking Students
• Andre Booker, North Seattle College Watch Technology Institute, WA ($5,000)
• The Oscar Waldan Scholarship for Jewish Watchmaking Students
• Joshua Daniel Strick, Contingent Student, WA ($5,000)
• The Howard Robbins Award for Watchmaking Schools
• Paris Junior College Watchmaking Program, Paris, TX ($10,000)
• North Seattle College Watch Technology Institute, Seattle, WA ($10,000)
• Veterans Watchmaker Initiative, Odessa, DE ($5,000)