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New in the Library: "Watchmaking Explained" by Kalle Slaap
New in the library this week is Dutch watchmaker Kalle Slaap's "Watchmaking Explained." This book, published in 2025, claims to be the first new watchmaking book since 1982! The watchmaking industry moves slowly and a lot of the watchmaking texts in our library are still very relevant, such as Henry B. Fried's classic "Watch Repairer's Manual" or George Daniels' "Watchmaking." That said some updates to the literature are very welcome, and Slaap has done an amazing job of bringing watchmaking instruction into the 21st century with lots of glossy color photographs and QR codes on nearly every page linking to videos that accompany the text.
Welcome to the Jost Bürgi Research Library
The Jost Bürgi Research Library at the Horological Society of New York is among the largest horological libraries in the world, containing over 25,000 items on all aspects of the study of time and timekeepers. The collection includes a vast array of books, periodicals, audiovisual materials, rare ephemera, and more.
The 2,000-square-foot library is located on the fifth floor of the General Society Building on Midtown’s historic “club row.” From its double-height arched windows, patrons can enjoy views of the Harvard Club of New York City.
The HSNY Library also hosts educational exhibits and special events. The collection was generously donated by Fortunat Mueller-Maerki and named after innovative Swiss clockmaker Jost Bürgi.
Hours & Appointments
We are open to the public Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 5 PM ET. The library is closed on all major holidays and the last week of August and December. Anyone may browse the library without an appointment. For research visits, please make an appointment. To learn about and search our materials, please use our online library catalog.
Note: The catalog is continually updated and may not include all currently available resources. For other questions, contact library@hs-ny.org.
Reference Requests
If you are not able to visit us in person, please email us at library@hs-ny.org with your research topic. We can help you find some answers to your questions or direct you to resources that may be useful in your research.
