Recently at the WatchTime New York show, Roland Murphy of RGM Watch Company showed off his newest collection of Art watches for men and women. Significantly different for RGM, which usually plays on the classical side of things (enamel dials or engine-turned dials) or American-inspired pieces (railroad watches), these timepieces are designed to inspire the art lover in all of us.
RGM Watch Co., based in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and founded in 1992 by Roland G. Murphy, is quite literally the only true American watch company standing. Unlike other brands that might build cases, dials or straps in America, RGM manufactures their own high-grade, in-house calibres that rival comparable movements from Switzerland. They’re a complete watch manufacturer. My first serious mechanical watch was a Model 107-P Pilot, an entry-level RGM piece (with an ETA 2892-A2) that’s also the oldest in their portfolio, produced since the mid-1990’s. They often use antique, hand-operated machinery to craft dials and to hand-polish components, mixing modern and traditional techniques to produce luxury watches that are often limited editions. Many have advanced complications, such as the Pennsylvania Tourbillon or Caliber 20 (with a 2nd type motor barrel and “Precise Moonphase”), and are painstakingly adorned with elaborate engine-turned (guilloché) dials and movements like the Model 801-EE. One of their most popular watch series was the Model 121-M William Penn line from the years 1999 to 2000, and in RGM style, they have reissued the watches in a very limited series of 10.
You may recall a few weeks ago we encouraged those in or visiting America to go out to Mount Joy, PA, for the 25th anniversary of American watch brand RGM. Some of you attended that weekend event on September 15 and 16, and from what we understand you were treated to not only a grand tour of the workshops but also the unveiling of three new RGM anniversary watches and a new RGM caliber. Among the watches:
For those lovers of American horology, RGM has something very special going on in Mount Joy, PA, next month that you may not want to miss. The American brand, founded by watchmaker Roland Murphy in 1992, celebrates its 25th anniversary with an open house on September 15 and 16, 2017. Additionally, on Saturday the 16th, following the morning open house, visitors will join Murphy for a three-hour private tour of the nearby National Watch and Clock Museum (NAWCC) in Columbia, PA. There, RGM will unveil several new watches made to celebrate the quarter-of-a-century birthday.
American-Made watches… Certainly a dream for many of our readers on the West side of the Atlantic. Watches that are really made (meaning with parts manufactured and assembled in the US) are rare, too rare honestly – and the Shinola-gate is not going to help this issue. However, such a dream is possible, with a brand named RGM Watch Co. – for Roland G. Murphy. The manufacture, which will turn 25 this year, celebrates this jubilee with a first watch, inspired by an also American-Made pocket watch, the RGM “Chess in Enamel”.
RGM and acoustic guitar company C.F. Martin & Co. share their home state of Pennsylvania. Martin’s not-for-sale two millionth guitar as well as the celebratory 50-piece limited edition D-200 Deluxe guitar. If you’re wondering how a guitar maker managed to incorporate watches into its products, read on as it look’s and sounds out of this world!