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.”