RGM Pennsylvania Series 801

RGM Pennsylvania Series 801. Model Reference: PS-801-EE.

RGM Watch Company was founded in 1992 by American watchmaker Roland G. Murphy. It started when he was in high school working half a day for a clock company in the cabinet making wood shop. His interest in timepieces grew quickly, and in the early 1980’s he enrolled in the Bowman Technical School in Lancaster, PA. In 1986, he furthered his training in Switzerland when he was accepted by WOSTEP, The Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Educational Program. After WOSTEP he was hired by SMH to work in product development for the Hamilton Watch Co. in Lancaster, PA. After a few years he was promoted to Technical Manager; he remained there until he started RGM in 1992.

Ever since, he has been “making history in watchmaking” in America. This simple phrase describes much of what takes place at RGM. Many of his ideas come from his vast knowledge and love of watch history in America and Switzerland and his years of restoring watches, which he still enjoys doing today.

The Pennsylvania series watches have a strong, bold but classic case style. With its large lugs and ribbed sides, the watch is architecture on the wrist. Each case is made in the United States and finished by hand, the perfect complement to the beautiful movement inside. Blending two old world arts, a Grand Feu real glass Enamel skeleton dial, and a hand cut Engine-Turned (Guillochè) main-plate, the craft applied directly to the movement, not the dial. Truly a work of Art!

Behind the dial is the American 801 movement. The 801 is inspired by America’s great watchmaking past. The bridges are reminiscent of the Keystone Howard Watch Company’s “Edward Howard” model, their flagship watch and one of the high grade watches of its time. The unique winding click is inspired by the Illinois Watch Company’s “Illini” model and the deep polished winding wheels are finished like those of the Illinois “Bunn Special.” Like the great Railroad watches from America’s past, the 801 has a high grade finish that denotes the quality of its construction.

Movement Caliber: In-House RGM Caliber 801, Manual wind, 19 jewels, 18,000 vph. Rhodium or Gold, Hand finished – Cote de Geneve, perlage. Unique 7 tooth winding click. Optional wolf’s tooth winding wheels. 90% made in the USA.

Functions: Hour / Minute / Second

Case: American Made Polished 316L Stainless Steel. 43.3mm X 12.3mm. Sapphire crystal front and back, 22 mm lug width and water-resistant to 5-ATM.

Weight: 2.8 oz. in stainless steel

Keystone Hands: A keystone is a central wedge in an arch that locks all other pieces of an arch in place. It is the part of an arch that all other parts depend upon. Pennsylvania’s popular nickname, “The Keystone State,” refers to this necessary element. The idea for RGM’s Keystone hands came from a set of hands Roland Murphy was given when he was in watchmaking school in Lancaster, PA. They were a thin set of gold hands with a Keystone on each hand. He found out from some old watchmakers that they were made by Keystone Watch Company which was in Lancaster, PA between 1886 and 1891. Never forgetting these beautiful hands, they eventually became the inspiration behind the Keystone hands he designed for RGM.

This watch includes these options:

STOP SECOND “HACKING SECOND” – With this option the balance and second hand will stop when the crown is pulled into set position.

OPTIONAL WOLFS TOOTH WINDING WHEELS – The beauty of these traditionally shaped teeth are another reminder of America’s great watchmaking past. Watches like the Howard “Edward Howard” model which was one of the highest grade watches of its time had the same type of winding wheels.

MOTOR BARREL SYSTEM – The Motor Barrel is an old American system used in the highest grade Railroad watches like the Illinois Bunn Special and the Hamilton 950. The Motor Barrel allows the mainspring barrel to ride between jewels when the watch is running. In America’s great watchmaking past there were two Motor Barrel types: one protected the movement if the mainspring broke; a later system reduced wear and friction, and made a more stable barrel in the movement. This watch uses the later system.

The watch comes in original packaging, with a set of documents.