Celebrating A Classic

In 2022, the American watchmaker's 30th anniversary, RGM added a striking blue dial version of its vintage-inspired Model 600. We went hands on with the bicompax pilots' chronograph.

- By Roger Ruegger

The Model 600's design was inspired by military and pilot chronographs of the '60s and '70s.

-Roland G. Murphy's RGM Watch Company is located in a small town in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, an area with a rich history of watchmaking in America's past. Thanks to Murphy's vast knowledge and love of watch history in America and Switzerland, and his huge experience in restoring and creating watches, RGM itself has become an important chapter in America's watchmaking present in the last 30 years. “The goal was to make a living doing what I love, said Murphy. “It wasn't about becoming a big international company, I always wanted to stay small and stay involved in doing what I like.

Some examples of this? In 2008, Murphy conceptualized and executed the first American-made, in-house movement since 1969. Given the name Caliber 801 (the address of the company's workshop in Mount Joy), Murphy followed it up in 2010 with the Pennsylvania Tourbillon, containing RGM Caliber MM2 (for “manufacture movement 2), with a tourbillon that was fully constructed in the horological heartland of Lancaster County. In 2013, RGM celebrated its 20th anniversary with the firm's third in-house movement (and its first shaped one), Caliber 20. Five years later, movement #4 was released, which used Caliber 801 as a base and added a central seconds hand. In 2019, Murphy returned to Caliber 801 once again with a skeletonized take that took him over a year to develop.

For the hour and minute indication, RGM went with white syringe-style hands.