The Colliding World of The Horology Club Europe & Le Carage

The rise of curiosity in watches has sparked many thrilling initiatives to share the fervour and information for watches and associated fields of curiosity. One such initiative is a watch membership, whether or not on-line or bodily. Like-minded folks join over watchmaking usually, particular manufacturers, and even particular watches, which is nothing new, and it’s a superb technique to construct a neighborhood. Frank and I have been not too long ago invited to hitch The Horology Membership Europe, a brand new department of one of many strongest watch accumulating communities round. Becoming a member of them for his or her first Dutch occasion, partnering with car-community platform Le Carage and Le Membership Amsterdam, we have been fortunately shocked by the quick camaraderie and knowledge that exists inside THC Europe!

The Horology Membership was initially based in Hong Kong by a trio of watch fans, Helbert Tsang, Johnathan Chan and Carlos Pang, who have been on the lookout for a brand new technique to join over, properly, watches! This began in 2021 and rapidly grew right into a tight-knit neighborhood with greater than 800 members primarily based on three pillars: Collect, Educate, Create. Whereas the pillars are fairly self-explanatory, they focus strongly on bonding over a typical theme. The neighborhood is open to all ranges and niches, from classic to trendy and from high-end to accessible watchmaking. The Horology Membership branched out into watchmaking as properly, because it introduced its first collaborative watch in 2022 in partnership with Habring², with Cartier, Trilobe, Sartory Billard and Holthinrichs following within the Austrian unbiased watchmaker’s wake.

The European Chapter

Venturing out to Europe not too way back, The Horology Membership Europe has since discovered greater than 800 members keen to attach and change ideas over watches. The driving pressure behind the membership are Wouter van Wijk, Frank Smits and Stan Duin, however they welcome initiatives from members. This was made abundantly clear throughout our first Dutch get-together in Amsterdam, at a spot known as Le Carrage, the place a gaggle of members gave a riveting lecture by Alessio Zegna on classic Patek Philippe watchmaking with a number of uncommon and unique examples on show. Subsequent to that, persons are invited to organise their very own small gatherings, known as Fireplace conferences, at their very own house. After all, it’s on the discretion of every attending member to stick to the three pillars.

The Horology Membership x Le Carage & Le Membership

The primary Dutch occasion was hosted at Le Membership, the fashionable lounge inside Le Carage in Amsterdam. Le Carage is sort of much like The Horology Membership, apart from the main target is on vehicles as a substitute of watches. Once more, it revolves round a shared ardour – gathering to bond, change and broaden information, and organising thrilling occasions for its members. Le Carage additionally provides automobile care companies together with storage, upkeep, detailing and so forth. Strolling across the Le Carage facility through the first THC occasion revealed an eclectic mixture of high-end trendy sports activities vehicles, in addition to basic vehicles from all ranges. To me, as each a automobile and watch lover, it was fairly thrilling!

However the partnership goes past Le Carage offering a venue for The Horology Membership Europe’s occasion. Watchmaking and automobile tradition have all the time intertwined in numerous methods, so it’s pure for the 2 communities to bond. It’s a pure match, and due to this, I wouldn’t be shocked if extra collaborative occasions are organised sooner or later.

For extra info on both of the communities, please go to TheHorologyClub.com and Le-Carage.com.