Back in the 19th century, American watchmaking held a prominent place on the global stage. Companies like the Waltham Watch Company, originally founded in 1850 as the Boston Watch Company, were at the forefront of precision manufacturing. Their 1857 Model Waltham Watch introduced the concept of interchangeable parts, changing the game entirely. The Elgin National Watch Company and Hamilton followed suit, pushing mass production capabilities during a time when American craftsmanship sought to rival the Swiss and English horological titans.
For decades, American watchmakers led in producing reliable timepieces for both railroads and the general public. But after World War II, the tide shifted. Swiss brands such as Rolex and Omega began to dominate globally. Meanwhile, Japan’s Seiko and Citizen offered precision at unbeatable prices. The industry took a hit during the Quartz Crisis. Bulova’s innovative Accutron, launched in 1960, was a milestone but couldn’t compete against low-cost quartz technology. A combination of missed opportunities, global competition, and steep manufacturing costs pushed the U.S. industry into decline.
In more recent years, brands like RGM Watches and Shinola have been instrumental in the revival of American watchmaking. These companies opened the door for others committed to local manufacturing and fine finishing, often matching the standards set by Swiss ateliers. We reached out to the founders of J.N. Shapiro, RGM, and Cornell Watch Company to learn about the challenges they’re navigating and what inspires their 2025 designs.
J.N. Shapiro
Josh Shapiro’s entry into horology might seem unconventional. With degrees in U.S. history and a background in teaching, his journey began in a machine shop where a deep-seated interest in mechanics took root. Eventually, Shapiro started crafting engine-turned dials for others before founding his own company in 2018. His launch model, the Infinity Series, quickly made waves. By 2020, operations had expanded into a new workshop in California. Today, Shapiro builds watches with handcrafted guilloché dials and has also developed his own in-house calibers.
Shapiro highlights the difficulty of vertically integrating production in the U.S. “The biggest challenge is our lack of a watch labour force combined with the fact that the Made in the US label means the watch has to be made in the US,” he explains. “The Swiss can still source components from Asia and still qualify as Swiss-made, which creates a massive competitive advantage.” Despite this, his business has thrived, and the recent launch of a 37 mm Infinity Pure model underscores his ability to evolve with the market. “I feel 37 to 38 mm is the sweet spot right now. It also fits me nice personally.”
At $26,000, the Infinity Pure is priced for collectors but remains more accessible than his fully in-house movement pieces. Each features a hand-cut Infinity weave guilloché dial, surrounded by a brushed steel chapter ring and polished hands. With models like the blackened zirconium dial version, Shapiro strikes a refined balance between traditional and modern aesthetics.
RGM Watches
Roland G. Murphy helped reignite interest in American horology with the founding of RGM in 1992. Located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, RGM has survived major shifts in the market, from online forums to the Instagram age. A graduate of WOSTEP in Switzerland, Murphy built his reputation on high-quality manufacturing, though he still grapples with the challenge of nurturing domestic talent. “Training and keeping skilled watchmakers and technicians is imperative,” he says, noting the niche nature of U.S. watchmaking moving forward.
Though some components come from Europe, Murphy believes in maintaining consistent pricing despite rising import costs. “Clients come to us because we are an American watch company,” he notes. Still, economic uncertainty makes planning difficult, and Murphy acknowledges that his team sometimes has to take calculated risks.
RGM offers models for a range of budgets. Their Model 300 Diver provides a robust tool watch, while the Pennsylvania Tourbillon, priced at $125,000, stands as a flagship of American-made horology. It’s the only serially produced tourbillon in North America with a fully in-house movement. Earlier this year, the brand released the 801/40-CE, a 40.3 mm watch created in response to demand for smaller cases. “Many of our clients were requesting a smaller watch with an RGM in-house movement,” Murphy explains. The watch features a grand feu enamel dial and the Calibre 801, a hand-wound 19-jewel movement with meticulous finishing.
The Cornell Watch Company
With heritage revivals trending—like Urban Jürgensen returning to the spotlight and Breitling bringing back Universal Genève and Gallet—The Cornell Watch Company joins the movement with deep American roots. Originally founded in Chicago in 1870, the company was short-lived due to the Great Chicago Fire. In 2024, Chicago collector John Warren partnered with Roland Murphy to launch the Cornell 1870 C.E., inspired by classic pocket watches. Now, Warren introduces the Lozier, a minimalist model available in continuous production.
Warren believes the biggest hurdle has been market education. “There is a widespread misconception that watchmaking in the United States is inherently more costly—that is not the case,” he says. “You get what you pay for, and we decided early on that we didn’t want to compromise on quality.”
Drawing inspiration from Cornell’s railroad-era designs and Chicago’s architectural legacy, the Lozier leans into minimalism. The dial’s three-step frosted German silver design, paired with polished leaf hands and custom Chicago Roman numerals by typographer Samuel Baker, reflect careful attention to detail. Measuring 37.4 mm, the Lozier uses a Swiss Selita SW300 movement, but its case, crown, dial, and hands are all crafted at Hour Precision in Columbus, Ohio, on Kern 5-axis CNC machines by Swiss-trained artisans.
