On September 15th and 16th 2017 RGM celebrated its 25th year of making watches with an open house at our workshop in Mount Joy, PA USA, and we unveiled 3 new models and a new movement caliber at the NAWCC Watch & Clock Museum in Columbia, PA USA.
The open house gave a glimpse of how we makes our watches, another highlight was seeing the hand operated Engine-Turning (Guilloché) machines in actions that decorate many of the RGM models.
At the NAWCC Museum our founder Roland Murphy gave a tour of the museum highlighting some of his favorite clocks and watches in the collection. Several display cases stood covered in the lobby. One by one, they were unveiled, introducing the new models for everyone to see.
The new movement is caliber 801SW, a sweep second (center second) version of the original 801 movement. This is the fourth in-house movement from RGM. The 801SW has a very classic build. Though similar to the original 801 movement, the sweep second version has many new and unique parts, including a new main-plate to achieve the center second function. Most center second movements have a wheel that is friction fit onto a pivot from the third wheel coming thru the bridge. To service the watch this wheel must be pulled off and pressed back on. The 801SW movement has the third wheel and the sweep drive wheel on the third wheel arbor. This double wheel sits under the bridge, eliminating the friction wheel system. This system requires more parts but is a more reliable construction.
The first model to use the new 801SW caliber is in the Corps of Engineers family. The 801SW-COE looks very much like the popular 801-COE, except for the large blued steel center second hand stepping around the Grand Feu enamel dial. Both watches are very similar but have a very different feel.
The second watch introduced is Model 222-RR (Railroad). Like other models in the 222 line, the Railroad model features restored Hamilton 921 or 923 movements. This model employs a case with the crown at the 1:30 position and a real Grand Feu enamel dial. The dial has a railroad theme, and is modeled after American railroad watches from the past with its Box car style dial. The blued steel hands are true to the classic form. The placement of the crown at 1:30 is reminiscent of watches from the early part of the 20th century. It’s also very natural to read the time when worn on the left wrist.
Model 25 is the third watch that was unveiled. This beautifully classic model is very similar to the Pennsylvania Series watches RGM already makes with its coin edge case and hand cut Engine-Turned dials. The 40mm cases are made in the USA and the movements are the reliable Swiss ETA 2892-A2, top quality version. The American-made dials are available in different Guilloché patterns and galvanic colors.
The previously introduced Chess Watch was also on display at the Watch and Clock Museum. It was the first model RGM introduced for their 25th anniversary. 2017 marks the most models ever introduced in one year by RGM, a fitting way celebrate a quarter century of watchmaking in America.