Thank you Ahmed for reaching out and showing us your drawing and time lapse of our watch. We wanted to share your beautiful work so our followers, clients, and friends can enjoy it.
Keep it up!
Best Regards,
Roland
RGM
Come see RGM at WatchTime New York next week
We will happily show you our RGM watches and a few new things at WatchTime New York, October 18-20, 2024. See you there!
See link below for tickets
RGM Sponsoring - Watch Movement Decoration Master Class
Noted independent Swiss watchmaker Philippe Narbel will lead the five-day workshop.
The class will be April 28 - May 2, 2025 at the NAWCC School of Horology at 514 Poplar St, Columbia, PA.
Phone 717-684-8261
Enroll online at nawcc.org/education - click here for Watchmaker Master Class
RGM is happy to sponsor this unique opportunity.
RGM Watch Company Featured in a New Video
We are happy to share this video which features our watchmaking and how we make some of the parts that go into our RGM watches.
This video is part of a new series called “Great Works” from the Daily Mail.
William Penn Reissue - Limited Availability of 15
RGM Model 121/122-D William Penn Reissue
Back in 1999-2000, we introduced the first William Penn models. There were three versions back then: one with moon-phase, one with date, and another with a sub-second. The case design was taken from our original model 102J jumping hour watch, the Penn version is a bit larger.
We have parts remaining to make about 15 more date models; only new Guilloché dials need to be made.
The watch is named after the founder of Pennsylvania, William Penn.
Artwork for new 18K solid gold silvered Dial
We are now making these watches available for pre-order. Delivery Feb 2025
Click here for more details: https://www.rgmwatches.com/model-122d-reissue
We have made a small change on the dial as you will see on the artwork, we flipped the numbers on the power-reserve and the bottom half of the date ring.
Open-House at RGM Saturday, Oct 5 - Presentation at NAWCC Friday, Oct 4
RGM Open-House Saturday, October 5th
Location - RGM 801 W Main St. Mount Joy, PA 17552.
Time & Date - Drop-in between 9am and 3pm on Oct 5th
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Demonstrations - Engine-Turning (Guilloché) by Hand, Machining, Watchmaking, and Finishing. You can see how we make our watches.
Also, during this event, you can view, order, or purchase a watch including the following.
RGM Watch Co
New RGM Watches
Pre-Owned RGM Watches
Traded-in watches from other brands like Omega, Rolex, Hamilton, JLC, IWC, Tag Heuer, etc..
No Reservations needed
Free Presentation Oct 4th:
The day before at 2pm on Oct 4th, RGM’s Roland Murphy will give the slide presentation “RGM Watch Co. Inspirations from America’s Great Watchmaking Past” at the NAWCC Museum
NAWCC Museum
Locations:
Oct 4th at 2pm, NAWCC Museum 514 Poplar St, Columbia, PA
Oct 5th from 9am to 3pm, RGM 801 W Main St. Mount Joy, PA
RGM Model 25 "Birds of America" (Glossy Ibis)
The RGM Model 25 “Birds of America” (Glossy Ibis) is uniquely an American theme captured in miniature hand-painting on mother of pearl..
RGM founder Roland Murphy’s personal hobbies include wildlife photography, and he particularly loves to capture birds on camera. Using his experienced eye, he selected the Glossy Ibis from the famed Audubon plates as the motif for this unusually appealing dial. “I love the Birds of America images and the story of how they came about,” he says. The Birds of America is a set of prints by famed naturalist and painter John James Audubon published between 1827 and 1838; the 435 original prints made from engraved plates depict a wide assortment of North American bird species, many at that time perceived as rare. “Looking through Audubon’s Birds of America original images I narrowed it down to about five. After reviewing them, I thought the ‘Glossy Ibis’ would make a great first watch under the umbrella of the Birds of America theme,” Murphy explains the choice. The Glossy Ibis, today a common bird, was first documented in the New World in 1817.
Audubon Plate of Glossy Ibis
The artwork as seen on the watch dial is based on the original Audubon print, but Murphy and his team arranged the image to fit the round format of the dial. The modified artwork was then miniature-painted by hand onto a mother-of-pearl background by famed French artisan
Miniature painting is an art form that requires myriad patience and training. Creating the dial begins with the artist sketching the motif lightly onto the mother-of-pearl with a pencil. Once satisfied with the outlines, she uses a delicate brush containing just one or two natural hairs to carefully apply paint to the motif, repeating this process about 20 times and firing the fragile mother-of-pearl dial in an oven heated to 90°C in between each application so that it thoroughly dries.
The modified movement powering this horological work of art is based on the sturdy and reliable ETA 2892-A2, though RGM has replaced the automatic winding system and modified the mainspring barrel to increase the power reserve to a full 53-56 hours. RGM also fits its own in-house gold winding rotor to the movement, which is decorated with perlage, côtes de Genève, and a rhodium-plated finish.
The 40 x 10.4 mm stainless steel case housing this ornithological masterpiece is made right in Pennsylvania using American steel and features a classically ribbed case band. RGM designed the case to shine a spotlight on the beauty of the dial with its large opening and thin, contoured bezel. The time is shown using blued-steel hands that do not disturb the beauty of the handcrafted bird.
John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove
While the miniature painting done entirely by hand makes the dial unique by default, this watch is not a unique piece and will be replicated on demand. Alternatively, clients may request their own miniature-painted watches using other bird motifs from the Audubon plates or other modifications.
Glossy Ibis in the Wild
Mr. Antoine Simonin Passed Away this Week. "Watchmaker and Instructor"
Antoine Simonin on the right, Roland Murphy center - 1986
Antoine Simonin -
Mr. Simonin was my watchmaking instructor at WOSTEP back in the mid-1980s.
He was at WOSTEP for 27 years “Watchmakers of Switzerland Training Educational Program”
Mr. Simonin was not only a school principal, but also an incredible mentor, guide, teacher, and watchmaker. He was also a watchbook publisher, thus sharing his passion and knowledge with a wider audience.
Simonin Editions - www.booksimonin.ch/home.php
Photo credit: Quill & Pad - 2020
The last time I was able to visit with him was in 2016; see these blog posts for some interesting stories.
Blog post from 2015 click here.
Blog post from 2017 click here
Many well-known watchmakers benefited from Mr. Simonin’s training, giving them, including me, a great start to a fine career.
He will be missed by many.
Our Condolences to the Simonin Family
Antoine Simonin on the left, Roland Murphy on the right - 2016
Custom RGM Model 25 Featuring a Welsh Dragon
The customer who commissioned this watch liked the “Kauai” watch we made a few years ago, so he wanted the same type of construction but with the Welsh Dragon as the centerpiece. As with many custom pieces, we do research and look for inspiration for the art we will create for the customer’s review and subsequent approval.
The watch is an RGM Model 25 with our in-house solid gold winding rotor and stainless-steel case. The dial parts are made of solid silver with blue galvanic plating on the background center, which also has hand-made Guilloche from our straight-line engine. The dial is made of 5 pieces, not including the screws and the name plaques are made of solid rose gold. The dragon is hand-engraved with deep accents.
The end result exceeded our expectations and the customers, it’s truly a stunning and unique timepiece!
RGM introduces the Model 500-WT World-Time
The classically detailed Model 500-WT World-Time watch is designed as a sport watch that is also ideal for travel when using the 24-hour GMT hand and World-Time bezel. To help ensure durability, the watch has two case-back gaskets, a 2mm thick sapphire crystal, and a high-quality screw-down crown. The bezel is deeply engraved, and the letters are ceramic-filled. The 3-dimensional designed ribbing on the case side creates a beautiful aesthetic for this versatile sport watch.
The bi-directional bezel is designed for quick adjustments and has RGM’s in-house made and designed click system.
Like all RGM watches the Model 500-WT World-Time is exclusive and thoughtfully designed.
RGM Featured in Europa Star magazine
Link to online article click here
“AN AMERICAN WATCH INDUSTRY REVIVAL IS A MISCONCEPTION”
By Sky Sit
FEBRUARY 2024
When it comes to American watchmaking, Roland G. Murphy’s name undeniably stands out. For decades, his brand has stood as an unwavering pillar in 21st-century horology. Beyond blending master watchmaking with artistic craft, RGM infuses it with a palpable American flair.
The 19th century in American watchmaking reads like a chapter from the Gilded Age, a spectacular era recaptured by HBO’s namesake dramatic series. It was a time that birthed the American system of industrialized manufacturing and precision timekeeping innovations.
However, as the 20th century witnessed the industry wane and its power shift to foreign hands, Roland G. Murphy chose to set up shop among the remnants of a once-vibrant nexus. He anchored himself in rich horological roots, nodding to the gloried, traditional craftsmanship.
Going independent in 1992, Murphy started his eponymous watch company in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. This region was once home to Hamilton, the country’s last major watch manufacturer, and where echoes of America’s horological golden days still linger.
A road less ordinary
Few independent brands can boast over three decades of excellence, with four in-house movements to their name to date. Even fewer hail from across the Atlantic. RGM has not only blazed the trail but also become a fixture in 21st-century American watchmaking.
Murphy’s reputation is widely recognized; pull up any list of notable American brands, and while other names may come and go, his is consistently cited. Beyond those shores, RGM has also made its mark internationally, garnering four GPHG nominations since 2015.
But unlike his Swiss peers, Murphy has had to navigate a barren landscape: “It’s always been harder for me because on this side of the ocean, I’m not surrounded by all of the allied industries that most of the other independents have. They have everything at their fingertips.”
Murphy understood the uphill battle of lacking local manufacturing supplies from his vocational training days in Lancaster and the esteemed halls of WOSTEP in Switzerland in the 1980s, to the years in technical roles with SMH (later the Swatch Group) developing watches for Hamilton.
As fate would have it
Despite maintaining, “my plan was never to get rich; it was just to make a living at what I love doing”, Murphy’s dedication has driven RGM from a personal pursuit to a respectable operation, boasting a full-fledged workshop with an 11-strong team producing under 300 watches a year.
The business has expanded from servicing and restoring, acquiring house specialities such as rose-engine guilloché, to gradually enhancing manufacturing capabilities to craft new and custom watches, incorporating Swiss movements, restored vintage calibres, and complications.
Murphy’s ambitions didn’t stop there. In 2000, he took the plunge to create RGM’s in-house movements. Turn the century back, and the mere concept of American haute horlogerie was virtually non-existent, let alone a future promising prospective patrons. It was a gamble few would have dared take.
Furthermore, Murphy’s progress was hindered by countless manufacturing obstacles that came from treading unchartered territory. Nevertheless, after seven long years of development, RGM finally introduced its first in-house Calibre 801, fit for dual use in pocket and wristwatches.
Extending American history
Thoughtfully designed and engineered for modern utility, this manual-wound time-only movement is a marriage of features inspired by antique pocket watches from bygone hero brands Keystone-Howard and Illinois. It transformed Murphy into America’s proud answer to the world’s elite watchmakers.
RGM has continued to mature, now boasting three additional in-house calibres (Tourbillon, Cal 20, and 801-SW), each crafted with 90-percent American-made parts. “We’re the only company making a tourbillon in North America. We hand-make the cage and build the movement in our workshop,” Murphy proudly states.
Their mechanisms also highlight antique wolf-tooth wheels, seven-tooth winding clicks, and a revamped motor barrel system inspired by classic American railroad pocket watches. Adorned with intricate decorations, these regulating organs serve as heartfelt tributes to the traditions of old-world watchmaking.
“We’ve always tried to take cues from some of the watch brands of the past. We’ve brought forward the qualities I admire because, 100 and 150 years ago, there were a lot of American brands,” Murphy recalls.
The longevity play
Despite mastering his genre, Murphy acknowledges the ongoing challenges of sustaining longevity in the industry, including the disappearance of previous suppliers. “That’s one of the reasons to increase our in-house capabilities in the last decade, reducing reliance on external sources,” Murphy explains.
However, he remains realistic about the allure of the “USA Made” label (which requires a product to be ‘all or virtually all’ made in America), stating, “If I wanted to go out of business, probably one of the quickest ways to do it is to set up an entire jewel manufacturing!”
“You have to pick what makes sense: what make sense for us to manufacture, what we enjoy doing, what’s going to have the most impact, what’s the most important thing to our customers.” Murphy pragmatically notes, “to make watches, you have to sell watches.”
Manoeuvring through this delicate balance, RGM’s catalogue brims with variety, showcasing a diverse range of designs, styles, and techniques across different product levels, with prices spanning from the low 3,000s to high six figures.
“Besides the new and custom watches, we always have the repair side. If one fluctuates, we have the other. And often in the past, when watch sales would dip, the repair side would rise,” Murphy rationalizes.
A test of resolve
That game plan was foolproof until 2020, when the pandemic caused an unprecedented downturn across the board. Just shy of its 30th anniversary, RGM faced a surreal reckoning with its future. “That had never happened,” Murphy recalls, “It was a strange thing to see both go down.”
Fortunately, Murphy’s no-nonsense approach and fiscal prudence paid off. “It’s very much about doing what we can with what we have, staying within our means. And that’s why I’m still here,” Murphy declares, as RGM marches into its 32nd year.
“From the start, our processes had to be authentic. Real hand guilloché, not stamped; genuine enamel, not ersatz finish. Our cases are solid, never plated. We insist on heat-treated blued steel hands, not painted. No faux watchmaking; everything must be real,” Murphy asserts.
This ethos sharply contrasts with an industry swept up in waves of resurgence and remakes. Armed with four decades of hard-earned wisdom, Murphy dismisses a popular notion about returning the American watch industry to the way it was.
“That’s not possible,” he argues. “The world has changed. Large-scale industrial movement manufacturing isn’t going to happen here. Now, the focus is on artisan craft, high quality, and high end in smaller quantities.”
Long live American haute horlogerie
This statement not only addresses the challenging complexities of a fledgling industry but also reinforces RGM’s unique niche within it, staying true to its artistry in a field teeming with new contenders vying for the title of true American watchmakers.
“We’ve taken our own route. While there are other American brands, we are all different,” Murphy reflects with satisfaction: “I’m proud of the path we’ve paved, the watches we’ve made, the reputation we’ve earned, and that today we have more creativity and capability than ever before.”
At 62, Murphy is showing no sign of slowing down. “Even compared to ten years ago, we do so much more than we did. I started before most of the other independents out there, and a lot of those are not doing much anymore.”
With his eyes set on RGM’s future in the annals of watchmaking history, Murphy declares, “We’re still climbing, still improving, and making new things.” His unwavering commitment ensures that the essence of the American craft continues to flourish.
RGM “Tiger in Stone” Stone Marquetry (Mosaic)
The RGM Model 25 watches have an American-made case inspired by our larger Pennsylvania Series watches. The case has ribbed sides, a beautifully contoured bezel, and is 40mm in diameter with curved-down lugs. The Model 25 fits most wrists very comfortably. The case was designed to highlight the dial with its large dial opening.
The Art -
The Tiger on the dial is composed of small pieces of different colored stones. Working with stone requires great skill as each stone has its own specific hardness; the marquetry craftsmen must have just the right touch. For all their beauty, hard stones are extremely fragile and difficult to handle. Each individual piece must be cut thin, shaped, and polished.
The reward for this demanding work is a miniature puzzle; each cut piece will have its own place in the tiny mosaic creating a beautiful piece of art made of stone.
Very few watchmakers offer this rare craft to their clients.
Teddy Baldassarre does a Watchmaker Q&A with RGM's Roland Murphy
Enjoy this friendly candid conversation between Teddy and Roland.
Teddy Baldassarre talks Watches with RGM's Roland Murphy
You can see a few watches from the collection of Roland Murphy, RGM’s founder. Enjoy the interesting stories behind a few of his watches.
See the video below.
RGM's First Open House in 4 Years - Saturday October 7
RGM Open-House Saturday, October 7th
Location - RGM 801 W Main St. Mount Joy, PA 17552.
Time - Drop in between 9am to 4pm
———
Demonstrations - Hand-Made Engine-Turning (Guilloché), Machining, Watchmaking, and Finishing. You can see how we make our Caliber 801 movement.
Also, during this event, you can order or purchase a watch including the following.
New RGM Watches
Pre-Owned RGM Watches
Traded-in watches from other brands like Omega, Rolex, Hamilton, JLC, IWC, Tag Heuer, and others.
No Reservations needed
Also, we will have watch straps and other items available for purchase. And free watch magazines and auction catalogs.
Roland Murphy to Speak at the Horology Club In Washington D.C.
Roland Murphy will speak at the Horology Club in Washington D.C. on September 14. The presentation will be about "Inspirations from America's Great Watchmaking Past" and how that has influenced our current RGM Models.
Custom RGM Model 25 (Bermuda)
RGM Custom Bermuda Watch
The Bermuda watch was ordered by a client who had seen pictures of the Model 25 Kauai watch we made a few years ago and wanted the same watch with Bermuda in place of Kauai. I searched images to see the shape of the island of Bermuda, I realized with its shape another approach would be necessary. Bermuda has many tiny coves and small islands around it so it would not be practical to try and make the watch precisely like the Kauai watch.
RGM Custom Kauai Watch
I thought about different options and after finding an image of a very lovely antique map of Bermuda, I knew making a dial that resembled this map would make a beautiful unique watch. After explaining the idea to our client he agreed and the project was started.
After some artwork was done and ideas exchanged we added a small ruby in a gold setting at the precise location requested by our client. Another idea was to make the chapter ring blue since the map was all in silver.
Antique Map of Bermuda
We photographed the watch with a brown strap and a pink strap which is how it was delivered to our client, the pink strap reminds him of the pink sand of Bermuda.
The end result was another beautiful unique watch that has a special meaning to its owner.
Hodinkee's Watches in the Wild Ep.2 - Featuring Watchmaking in Lancaster, PA
This new episode of (Watches in the Wild) features Lancaster County’s rich history in watchmaking. With visits to the NAWCC watch and clock museum, the original Hamilton watch factory building, us here at RGM Watch Co, and much more.
Watches In The Wild is a new series from HODINKEE exploring the intersection of watches and culture around the world.
INSIDER makes Watch Repair & Restoration Video with RGM
Insider asked us to make a repair and & restoration video with them. We proposed a few watches and they picked a WWII-era Rolex military pocket watch.
The video is intended for a broad audience so it only touches on some of the highlights of a restoration. It’s not a step-by-step documentation of all the needed work, but it does show many of the specialized skills required to do this type of work.
Tour the NAWCC Museum with RGM's Roland Murphy
RGM’s Roland Murphy will be hosting a free tour of the NAWCC Museum on Saturday, February 11, 2023, at 9:30 am. The NAWCC is the “National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors”. The address is 514 Poplar St. Columbia, PA 17512. No reservation is needed, just show up and mention you are there for Mr. Murphy’s tour.
The last tour Mr. Murphy gave was 4 years ago in 2019.
Mr. Murphy has arranged for the regular museum fee to be waived so this is a totally free event. Of course, we always encourage donations to the museum, which you can do in person if you desire. You might also want to consider becoming a member.
The tour will take about 2 hours or so, and Mr. Murphy will feature items in the museum that he personally likes and feels are significant. There are many items of interest in the museum including clocks, watches, complicated watches, watchmaking tools, machinery, and much more.
Also, after the tour if you have an old watch you would like to show Mr. Murphy he will be glad to look at it and give you his comments about it. Mr. Murphy has many years of experience restoring and collecting vintage and antique watches.
Video tour we made in 2011