Earlier this year, iW took a road trip to Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, to sit down with RGM namesake and founder, Roland G. Murphy. Here, Murphy discussed American watchmaking and RGM's efforts to keep the art of fully in-house manufacturing alive.
Mount Joy is a small borough on the outskirts of Lancaster, in the heart of the Pennsylvanian Dutch Country. With the city growing smaller behind us, the urban landscape gave way to pastures and silos. Rock walls built before the Declaration of independence was drafted, peppered the fields.
An old bank came into view as the GPS announced we'd reached our destination. Emblazoned on the front doors, the RGM logo reflected the snow littered across the sidewalk.
For more than twenty years, RGM has produced bespoke timepieces from the remodeled Mount Joy landmark. Here, modern technology and tools from watchmaking past meet, and artisans take extra care in creating each part of an RGM timepiece, from the gears in a movement to the polish of a case.
Murphy's vast knowledge of American watchmaking history, especially that of several manufacturers once located in Lancaster, influences his own creations. From chronographs to tourbillons, RGM's range of creativity spans from intricate guilloche work to highly technical mechanics.
Murphy's passion for timekeeping is also found in his significant collection kept right inside the bank-- behind the still-standing vault door, that is.
]The collection includes military and nautical clocks as well as pocket watches from the height of the industrial revolution. As iW celebrates its 25th anniversary with what we call "The Year of the Collector," Murphy's dedication to the art of American-made watchmaking stands as a collection of knowledge unparalleled and well worth sharing.
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Mount Joy is a small borough on the outskirts of Lancaster, in the heart of the Pennsylvanian Dutch Country. With the city growing smaller behind us, the urban landscape gave way to pastures and silos. Rock walls built before the Declaration of independence was drafted, peppered the fields.
An old bank came into view as the GPS announced we'd reached our destination. Emblazoned on the front doors, the RGM logo reflected the snow littered across the sidewalk.
For more than twenty years, RGM has produced bespoke timepieces from the remodeled Mount Joy landmark. Here, modern technology and tools from watchmaking past meet, and artisans take extra care in creating each part of an RGM timepiece, from the gears in a movement to the polish of a case.
Murphy's vast knowledge of American watchmaking history, especially that of several manufacturers once located in Lancaster, influences his own creations. From chronographs to tourbillons, RGM's range of creativity spans from intricate guilloche work to highly technical mechanics.
Murphy's passion for timekeeping is also found in his significant collection kept right inside the bank-- behind the still-standing vault door, that is.
]The collection includes military and nautical clocks as well as pocket watches from the height of the industrial revolution. As iW celebrates its 25th anniversary with what we call "The Year of the Collector," Murphy's dedication to the art of American-made watchmaking stands as a collection of knowledge unparalleled and well worth sharing.
iW Magazine: iwmagazine.com
Instagram: instagram.com/iwmagazine
Facebook: facebook.com/iwmagazine
Twitter: twitter.com/iwmagazine
Pinterest: pinterest.com/iwmagazine/
YouTube: youtube.com/user/iWmag
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