Independents

RGM at the GTE 2012

Roland Murphy came to the GTE with his 3rd US made in house calber. This calber is named the Caliber 20 to celebrate the 20th aniversary of the opening of his shop.  We got to see this nicely finished form movement, the first complete watch will be seen later this year.
The movement includes a so-called motor barrel.  This barrel was used in the best US made watches in the past and this is the only movement that I know of to use it today.  In a motor barrel not only the barrel arbor is jeweled to the plate and bridge as is standard practice, but the arbor itself is jeweled to the barrel case.  The barrel case carries the first gear in the gear train of a watch.

Let us think about this.  The barrel arbor is turned to wind the mainspring.  The energy stored in the mainspring then turns the barrel case to power the gear train.  Thus in a normal barrel the winding surfaces are jeweled, but the first turning surfaces in the gear train are never jeweled.  With a motor barrel the entire gear train is jeweled.  Note the jewel in the ratchet wheel seen below.

Also new this year in the 801 Aircraft watch.  This watch using the RGM manufacture 801 movement is modeled on the aircraft clocks made jointly by Elgin and Hamilton during WWII.  It is a very welcome development to see a pilot watch that is not like all the others.

The RGM Pennsylvania Tourbillon

In a traditional watch the mainspring is wound from by the central arbor and turns the watch mechanism from the outside of the barrel. In a motor-barrel design, everything is reversed, the watch is wound from the outside and drives from the arbor (it's more complicated then that, but that's the final outcome). This was critical in the time post-fusee and pre-unbreakable-mainspring, when a broken mainspring could destroy the guts of a watch an many different patents were taken out (safety pinions being the most common) to try and prevent this. A motor-barreled watch was immune, if the sprint broke, most of the power would be towards the steel winding gears, which could handle it. The invention of the unbreakable mainspring and the further development of the slip-bridle for automatic watches made this invention obsolete...

On the other hand it's a great little bit of American watch history for RGM to include.

I can't wait to see how that watch looks when done, that moon-phase is something else!

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After reading about the motor barrel in the new Caliber 20 and the history behind it, I was surprised to discover that the French Manufacture Pequignet also uses this technique in their Calibre Royal in house movement.  I was happy to find that this barrel configuration reduces friction and has increased stability as I will soon own one of their new models, the Royal Grand Sport with the Calibre Royal.  I was seriously considering purchasing an RGM PS 801 E, but then discovered the Pequignet brand and for a couple of grand less, I can get a day/date function as well as a 72-88 hour power reserve.

I do not love all of their watches, but I do own a pre-in house pilot that I like a lot.  This form movement with moon phase seems like it should be a real winner.  I like that RGM is an "honest" watchmaker, meaning that they are fairly straight forward about what they do, how they do it and don't pretend to be a 300 year old haute horology house with obscure nano-technology.  They make watches, mainly in steel, and several with in house movements.  Just that simple.  And the finishing keeps getting better.  Glad to see it.

Jeff

Thanks.

 

 

Vte

...wasn't aware that there is this company out there manufacturing their own movements. The movements look great - cant judge on the finishing however from the pics.

thanks for the interesting report,

Stefan

I can tell you that they not only make some fantastic watches but have great service as well. I really like most of their watches, and might have to pick up that new pilot watch.

For a number of years RGM seems to have held the title of "best brand largely made in the United States", but IMHO of late they have taken their place among the finer brands anywhere on the planet.  Their 801 movement is sublime, and these new movements look very interesting as well.  I have a custom RGM 300 diver which is my go-to weekend watch, and will have at least one more from this marque in the not-to-distant future if all goes well.

Thanks for posting.

Darren

Nice report and as an owner of a caliber 801, it is absolutely gorgeous and very well finished.  Congratulations to Roland on his 20th anniversary!

...the motor barel and the entire calibre is stunning.

RGM has really thought it out well and the watch is going to be another stunner!

..made in the USA!

The tourbillon is very well designed and executed!

This brand. The mouvements are very nicely finished indeed, very pleasant and attractive, I like very much this idea of motor-barrel, it makes sense to me.