As Riverdale students, we are constantly glancing at the time as we rush between classes, staring at the clock during particularly long periods, or savoring the time that we have left as we scramble to finish assessments. Most of us, however, do not recognize that behind every tick of a timekeeping device is an extensive art and science, the study of which is known as horology.
“Time is something that we take for granted,” said senior Eddie Landzberg, who has been a horology enthusiast since a young age. “Time is always there, and you might as well recognize that there is a whole science to just what the time is.”
As a sophomore, Landzberg founded the Riverdale Horological Society, a club that explores all aspects of horology and gives students the opportunity to see for themselves the mechanisms that make clocks and watches function.
“There is so much encompassed in horology, and a lot, if not all of it, is discussed in the club,” Landzberg explained. “For kids who are interested in art, there is a whole world to doing watch engravings and enamel paintings. For the more STEM-focused students, there is the engineering and science aspect of horology. For kids who are interested in history, there is the historical aspect of the evolution of time. We also discuss the economic side of horology, for kids interested in math or economics. There’s an aspect of horology that I’m sure anyone could resonate with.”
Ms. Jessica Shapiro-Weill, Upper and Middle School history teacher and the faculty advisor for the club, is also drawn to horology because of its multifaceted nature. “I personally think it’s fascinating that [horology] is this kind of merging of art and aesthetics with physics,” she said.
Ms. Shapiro-Weill initially became interested in horology when she noticed, while buying a watch for her husband, that there were not many mechanical watches for women; she attributes this to watches historically having more of a male appeal. “I was interested in why, which led me to start reading about watch mechanisms a bit,” she explained. “So when Eddie asked me if I would be the advisor, aside from supporting him, I thought that I would learn a lot.”
Landzberg can trace his passion for horology to the day that his grandfather opened the back of his pocket watch and showed him its movements: “I just remember looking at it and seeing the balance wheel oscillating back and forth, and I remember being fascinated by it. It’s like a beating heart, and around it I saw all of these ornate engravings that triggered the art side of me as well.”
Often, Landzberg explained, the artistic and scientific side to watches is overshadowed by their societal association with wealth and snootiness. “Most people just look at a watch as a fashion piece, or as a statement of wealth, but there is so much more to it. I almost despise people who see it just as a wealth thing, or who just wear a watch because it looks good and is a status symbol,” said Landzberg.
During the Horological Society’s meetings, one of Landzberg’s goals is to bring down these misconceptions about watches and horology by delving into the range of ways that horology can be approached. Each meeting has a different focus, whether on the engineering of watches, the intricate art on timekeeping devices, the history of time itself, or the makings of the watch industry. Currently, Landzberg is working with the New York Horological Society to arrange a watch-making workshop for the club members.
Senior Phineas Kraebber joined the Riverdale Horological Society after leaving the investment club his freshman year. Although Kraebber began with little knowledge of horology, it became a “newfound interest,” he explained. His interest in economics also carried over to the club during discussions about the corporate side of horology.
“Horology is something that people don’t usually pay attention to, but it’s interesting to learn about and it’s a cool hobby to have,” said Kraebber.
Today, in an age where Apple watches have replaced mechanical watches and where most young people cannot read analog clocks, horology has become a “dying thing,” Landzberg emphasized. “Being so passionate about it,” he continued, “I’m sad to see it decaying.”
Beyond raising awareness about the various aspects of horology, Riverdale’s Horological Society also hopes to help educate the “next generation of potential watch-enthusiasts,” Ms. Shapiro-Weill explained, in order to allow horology to survive.
“One of the main goals of the club is to introduce the concept of watchmaking to kids and to get them to see that it’s not about the brand, but that there is an art to it. Eddie does a really good job of demonstrating that there are ways to engage that are very accessible and affordable and that horology is really for everyone, not just people who are going to spend tens of thousands of dollars [on watches],” she said.
Currently, most members of the Horological Society are seniors, and Landzberg is looking for younger members to pass the club down to. So whether you want to specifically explore your passion from a horological perspective or are interested in horology in general, consider joining - the clock is ticking! The Riverdale Horological Society meets in room 2120 on Wednesdays Week I during D3 period.