We love Engine-Turning here at RGM, in fact our first watch we ever made had a real hand cut Engine-Turned dial, its a hallmark of RGM.
Many companies stamp their dials to try and look like real hand cut Engine-Turning, but of course here at RGM we need the real deal.
We love Engine-Turning so much we have 5 machines and do our own turning in house.
FYI
Favre-Leuba will be relaunching the brand officially in 2017, RGM has been chosen as the US service center for after sales service of new model and vintage models.
RGM and pilot watches started back in the mid 90's with the model 107-P., since then we have made many different models but none more popular the the 151 versions.
151-PR
The first 151 models had cases made in Germany, after we made our first cases here for the Tourbillon and the 801 we were running low on the 151 cases. We decided it would be a perfect model to switch the case making to the USA, we have been making the cases here now for over 6 years.
The many faces of the 151 - We have several dial and hand options which help make the 151's very popular, and of course the pilot watch look is the main theme.
Below you will several variations.
151-A
151-P
151-PW
151-B
151-OP
We decided to bring back this limited opportunity we offered last year.
Here at RGM we price our watches at the price they sell for, we have the best quality at every price point so it makes sense. With that said we have decided to have a special on the model 455 chronographs from now until the end of the year.
Its a rare opportunity that will only be offered on our blog and social media, that way this special is for those who follow RGM only.
Today through December 31, 2016 anyone mentioning the special will get 25% off any model 455 Chronograph.
Link to all RGM 455 Chronographs
Enjoy!
RGM
Here at RGM we use 4 different companies for our watch straps. The reason we use more then one is different companies have different strengths and specialties. We use Stylecraft from the USA, Jean Rousseau from Paris France and USA, Hirsch from Austria, and Camille Fournet from Paris France.
Recently we visited Jean Rousseau's boutique and workshop in New York. They are a French company with most of their production coming from Paris. They opened their USA branch to be able to react to customer demand quickly. In the New York workshop they can make straps within a week on rush orders.
We visited so we could look at skins, colors, and linings so we can have a better idea what is possible.
This beautiful custom RGM was a delight to design with the client. He wanted a clean looking classic watch with our American made 801 movement. He also wanted to customize the movement as you can see. We took the watch to WatchTime New York last week to show in our display and it was very well received!
Dial- Custom Grande Feu white enamel with the track divided for easy reading of the time with just the hour hand.
Movement- Modified single hand RGM 801 with optional Motor-Barrel system and custom solid gold hand engraved balance bridge, with a precision Swan Neck regulator. The regulator will become a 801 option soon on our website.
We have done many of the WatchTime events over the last several years, it's great to get out and see many of our clients and friends an meet new ones.
This year we will be bringing a Rose Engine so we can demonstrate how we cut those beautiful patterns on our Engine-Turned dials. For those of you who have not visited our workshop this is a rare opportunity to see a Rose Engine working. It's not easy to move one of these around but we think it will be worth it.
We hope to see you there October 14 or 15
The RGM Model 107 is the oldest model in the our line-up and one of the smallest. If you need a smaller watch this could be just the one. It is also very thin, see specs below.
Case: 316L Stainless Steel, 35.0 mm x 7.5 mm. Sapphire crystal front and back, 18 mm lug width and water-resistant to 5-ATM.
Our Tourbillon movement is the second in-house movement we did following our Caliber 801, the Caliber 20 came later. We wanted to make a Tourbillon movement that had a large cage that would be easy to see from the front, back, and side. To achieve this we had to make our own cage which is not an easy thing to accomplish, but it does set us apart from many as very few watchmakers make their own Tourbillon cage and movement.
Here is a link to details about our Tourbillon "Click Here"
Last Friday WOSTEP in Neuchatel Switzerland celebrated its 50th anniversary with an open house, and had short lectures by several former students. I was honored to be one of the former students asked to speak at this momentous occasion.
Congratulation to WOSTEP for their dedication and advancement of watchmaking education!
From left to right in the picture is:
Maarten Pieters - Director of WOSTEP
Tim Gronefeld - Gronefeld
Bart Gronefeld - Gronefeld
Roland Murphy - RGM
Kari Voutilainen - Voutilainen
Stephen McGonigle - McGonigle
Stephen Forsey - Greubel Forsey
Jean-Patrice Hofner- President WOSTEP
In the past we made several models with galvanic color on our Engine-Turned dials. Like the 151-E dials pictured here, and also some of our old Chronographs, and the 110-A alarm watches.
We can do many colors so if you desire some color with your Custom Guilloché (Engine-Turned) dial we can work with you to create a design thats just for you.
Some of the more popular colors are dark blue, copper or rose, and black or gray gold.
Add some color to your wrist!
The North Pointer RGM Model 254 "Richard Sachs" Limited edition watches were made several years ago. We only made parts for 20 watches, we can still make one or two watches if someone is interested.
Here is a link to information about the watch, Click Here
This is the second time RGM has had a watch in the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. The RGM 801-AS will be competing in the "Petite Aiguille" Category against 15 other watches. We are very excited and looking forward to this years event. Here is a link to the competing watches. CLICK HERE
FOUNDATION http://www.gphg.org
The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève was created in 2001.
The Foundation of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) -
The Foundation annually organises the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), which is intended to salute the excellence of worldwide horological production and annually rewards the finest creations and the most important operators in the watchmaking sector.
The GPHG prize giving ceremony held in November of each year at Grand Théâtre de Genève draws elite representatives of the international watchmaking profession.
The watches pre-selected for the GPHG, as well as the winners, take part in a travelling exhibition that enables an international audience to discover and admire the finest timepieces of the year, exceptionally united on this occasion. This exhibition is held each year during the months of October and November in the countries that generate the greatest interest in the watch market.
To serve the best interests of the industry, the Foundation of the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) ensures the expertise of an Advisory Committee of the profession. This Committee, which meets annually, is to advise the members of the Foundation Board, particularly regarding the selection of the jury. It is open to all leaders of watch brands and recognized experts in the field.
What could a 19th century sailing vessel and a 21st century watchmaker possibly have in common?
2004 marks 150 years since the launching of the venerable ship in 1854. Once being placed in commission by the US Navy (28 July 1855), this stately vessel served various roles, from squadron flagship to training vessel, for an entire century before being restored and installed in Baltimore as a monument to America's great naval heritage.
To celebrate the history of the Constellation, and to express his admiration for fine sailing vessels, RGM Watch Company of Lancaster, PA is preparing to issue the first in a series of limited-edition wristwatches, each bearing the likeness of a great ship. Featuring an original relief engraving of the Constellation on the silver dial, the first model (RGM ref. 170) will have an automatic movement in an elegant 18k rose gold case and will be offered as a limited edition of just 25 pieces.
Mr. Murphy and RGM's chief of design, Rich Baugh, both share a passion for fine timepieces and for things nautical. Mr. Baugh is a native of Delaware and grew up surrounded by reminders of that state's contributions to and reliance upon maritime commerce. As a result, his interest in sailing is strong and is a source of inspiration for projects such as designing the dial and caseback of the USS Constellation watch.
Not content simply to borrow the likeness of the ship for use on their watch Messrs. Murphy and Baugh recently completed a trip to the Inner Harbor in Baltimore to help give back to the ship that has inspired them. Their visit, a sort of pilgrimage really, was timed to coincide with an auction held aboard the Constellation on September 4, 2003. Various examples of nautical art were offered at the first (and expected to be annual) Constellation Art Auction & Reception held aboard the ship. Featured in the auction was an original pen-and-ink drawing by Mr. Baugh, which was the first of a pair of drawings used to determine the final design of the aforementioned wristwatch dial. The framed artwork depicts the ship, with her sails deployed, plying a calm evening sea. A similar image adorns the RGM watch, although the details of the side of the vessel are clearer on the dial than on paper, a fact attributable as much to the precision of the dial maker as to the more artistic nature of the framed drawing.
Mr. Murphy plans to create subsequent series commemorating other great sailing ships (Author's update: the HMS Victory watch was released in 2005). Understanding that each ship represents the hard work of designers, builders and crew, the RGM team plans to make each commemorative edition substantially different from the others. Where the Constellation watch features a side view of the ship, another watch in the series is expected to portray the English ship HMS Victory (the oldest commissioned warship in the world which was also Admiral Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar) from the stern as the ship sails away from view. Another watch is expected to display a dynamic image of the bow of a ship cutting through the waves. So that this series of watches will further stand out from the crowd, RGM is considering the use of engraved case sides and etched-glass casebacks on some future models. Suffice it to say, each watch, like the ship it represents, will have a strong and unique personality.
For more information on RGM watches, contact the company at 717-653-9799 or visit www.rgmwatches.com. To learn more about the USS Constellation and the upcoming 150th anniversary celebrations, visit www.constellation.org, call 410-539-1797, or visit the ship at Pier 1, 301 East Pratt Street, in the Inner Harbor of Baltimore, Maryland.
RGM 801-A Inspired by ........
The Hamilton/Elgin 37500 Aircraft Clock were produced by both The Hamilton Watch Co. and The Elgin National Watch Company in 1944/45.
Both companies were contracted to join forces and come up with a reliable Elapsed Time Clock for the U.S. Navy because Jaeger LeCoultre could not meet the demands and the result was the 37500. Many of these beautiful timepieces have survived due to the fact the United States had Air Superiority towards the end of the war. There is no difference between the Hamilton marked and Elgin marked clocks just the name on the back.
The 37500 came with a few different dial colors, the most common were the non Radium Fluorescent dial with Green and Yellow markings.
Clocks were installed for Navigation and noted as a KEY instrument from the pilots that flew by them. Some of the more famous Aircraft were the F-4U Corsair and the F-6 Hellcat but the 37500 was found in many Naval Aircraft.
In our 801-A the look and color contrast is unique, yet visually appealing. The layout is technical, but still easy to read at a glance, with a pilot watch look that is unmatched.
ehind the dial is our American 801 movement. Like many things that we do at RGM, the 801 is inspired by America's great watchmaking past. The bridges are reminiscent of the Keystone Howard Watch Company's "Edward Howard" model, their flagship watch and one of the high grade watches of its time. The unique winding click is inspired by the Illinois Watch Company's "Illini" model and the deep polished winding wheels are finished like those of the Illinois "Bunn Special". Like the great Railroad watches from America's past, the 801 has a high grade finish that denotes the quality of its construction.
For many years the model 160 was a very popular model for us, it has been out of our line now for a few years.
The watch is 38.5mm and has a nicely finished Valjoux 7751 movement. Of course it has a hand cut Engine-Turned dial, an real blued steel hands.
We found enough parts to build a few more pieces. If interested please email us at sales@rgmwatches.com.
We have been making bespoke and customized watches almost since the beginning of RGM 24 years ago. We have refined many techniques to make a watch personal to the individual.
The choices are many, from a full bespoke piece to the many ways to customize an existing RGM model. Often we will design a custom dial based on the desire of the client. Or it might be a special engraving or etching of the case-back crystal.
When it comes to the movement we can modify one of our American made calibers or a Swiss movement. Some customers want a vintage movement, or a complication added to a movement.
We can also offer many of the old world techniques that very few others can. From our in house Engine-Turning "Guilloché" to real glass fired enamel like the dials of old.
We also offer hand engraving or high tech deep laser engraving. This can be done on the case-back or on the side of the case.
Many clients like to have a custom dial made, or some will have a printing added to an existing dial.
We offer many options to suit most any desire and budget, just ask and we can help you with your project to put a unique piece of time keeping on your wrist, or even in your pocket.
The Rhodium sword hands are the standard hands on the new 151-PR model. We had request from three different clients to put these sword hands on the 151-B, so we decided to make it an official option.
The hands work very well with the dial, and are a beautiful match. One more way to make your watch the way you want it.
Regards,
Roland
Ever since I first read the chapter on Engine-Turning in George Daniels book "Watchmaking" I was fascinated and knew I had to pursue this wonderful old world craft. I am happy to say the journey was a successful one. Roland
What is Guilloché (Engine-Turning)?
A centuries-old craft that involves the use of antique machines to engrave delicate patterns on metal watch components. The fruits of this craft, very nearly a lost art, can be found adorning all manner of watch parts including cases, dials and movements. Engine turning is the act of cutting geometric patterns in a rotating metal surface with a stationary cutting tool called a rose engine. A similar type of engraving can be done with a straight-line engine, which is used for such patterns cut either vertically or horizontally.