30 Best American Watch Brands and Their Best Watches

Land of the free and home of the brave...  And the watchmakers?

It's been 75 years since America was a haven for watch companies but the tide is slowly turning.  Despite the fact that labor costs tend to run high in America, many passionate watch brand owners have begun keeping work on U.S. soil instead of outsourcing it to less expensive locations.  Perhaps this is patriotism at its core, or maybe it's because brand owners want to oversee the watchmaking process to ensure all is done perfectly.

Regardless of the reason, American watches are one of the comeback kids of the 21st-century. Let’s take a look at some of the brands that either have a deep history in American watchmaking or are currently performing some of their watchmaking operations on American soil.

Hamilton

Founded in 1892, Hamilton was one of the largest US watchmakers in existence during the early 1900s. Their size earned them a military contract with the US Armed Forces during World War II. Although most of the watches Hamilton made in the early 20th century were pocket watches, they began producing wristwatches on a great scale during the war.

In 1974, Swatch Group purchased Hamilton and moved its operations to the booming watch landscape in Switzerland. Although Hamilton ceased to exist as a US brand, their place in its military watch history is secured. In recent decades since its Swatch purchase, Hamilton has produced some epic watches. Here are two of our favorites that Hamilton makes today.

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Khaki Field

When you look at this watch, is it a surprise that Hamilton was once known for its military watches? The Khaki Field is one of the most versatile military watches produced today. Due to its high quality matched with its entry-level price tag, the Khaki is a favorite amongst both watch fans and those who just need to buy a versatile timepiece. While the Khaki Field is a military watch at heart, it does come in dozens of colorways, finishes, styles, and sizes. So you can pick one up as small as 37mm or as large as 42mm in stainless steel, titanium, DLC, etc. The watch is also available in both quartz and automatic movements. Depending on selections, the Khaki Field retails for $495 - $1,695 USD.

Khaki Aviation: Pilot Pioneer Mechanical

The Field Khaki is to modern as the Pilot Pioneer is to vintage. This timepiece is a 36mm beauty that shares the design of a 1973 watch made for the British Royal Air Force. The Pilot Pioneer utilizes an H-Caliber movement with an 80-hour power reserve, to keep time for several days. And it does so in just under 10mm thick. The watch is held in place by an 18mm Nato strap in a complementing color. Pilot Pioneer is available in multiple colorways with multiple movement types - including a chronograph. The Pilot Pioneer retails for $845 - $2,095 USD, depending on selections.

Bulova

In 1875, Joseph Bulova founded the Bulova Watch Company in New York City.  While Citizen Watch Co. later purchased Bulova in 2008, the company has long been known for its New York roots.  Bulova aired the first US TV commercial in 1941, during a Brooklyn Dodgers game.  It later became the official watch of the Dodgers in the 1950's.  Its second brand of watches - Caravelle - became synonymous with NYC as well.

Bulova has been a company of innovation, partially on its marketing techniques and partially on its timekeeping technology.  Examples of Bulova's innovations include the fully electronic watch (the Accutron) and the world's thinnest wall clock - the Bulova Dimension - clocking in at 5/8 thick in the 1980's.  Bulova also had several contributions to innovations in space travel.  Today, Bulova still creates innovative and unique timepieces; two of our favorites are the Lunar Pilot and the Devil Diver.

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Lunar Pilot

Bulova is one of the watch brands most associated with space exploration and discovery. In 1971, for example, the Bulova Lunar Pilot Chronograph (the original version) made the voyage to the moon. One of those watches later sold for $1.625 million! Thankfully, Bulova has decided to recreate the classic timepieces for space fans in America (or around the world). The new Lunar Pilot is a clean, 43mm chronograph with a blue and white or black dial. Both colorways come with a stainless steel bracelet and a leather strap done in a Nato-style.

Bulova uses its proprietary high-precision quartz movement to power the watch - a movement that includes a chronograph complication. The Lunar Pilot includes a stainless steel bracelet with a quick-change function and a fitted leather strap. The watch and strap bundle retails for $895 usd.

Devil Diver

With vintage-inspired watches being a major trend in watchmaking today, Bulova brought forth another perfect retro timepiece - the Devil Diver. Hailing from their Oceanographer collection, the Devil Diver is actually a resurrection of a 1970's timepiece with the same name. And truthfully, it makes total sense due to the fact that the old-school vibes are present from the Bulova logo to the shape of the case. The watch sports an automatic 821D movement with a 42-hour power reserve.

Bulova fitted the watch with a 41mm stainless steel case, which protects the movement at a water resistance rating of 200m. Available in bright green and orange colorways, the Devil Diver retails for $795 USD.

Timex

There are few US-based brands more recognizable than Timex.  It is one of the oldest American watch brands currently in existence, as it was started in 1854.  Originally dubbed the Waterbury Clock Company, the brand became known as Timex in 1969.  The brand nearly faded away on multiple occasions, due to turbulent economic times or management challenges. But thanks to partnerships with the Ingersoll watch brand and Disney, the company was able to keep the doors open. 

The Timex company was named after its Timex model, created in 1950.  During the second half of the twentieth century, the company has evolved to become far from the entry-level timepieces it was once known for.  Timex is now a watch company full of variety - from entry-level watches under $40 to collaborations and vintage reissues over $200.

Q Series

Some of Timex's earliest watches after adopting the Timex name were the "Q" models. Timex's Q watches were popular and durable; they were affordable watches made for the masses. And recently, Timex released a second iteration of the Q line with new models.

The new Q models consist of several reissues that are replicas of original models and others that are new creations. All the Q models are a blend of vintage and modern styling, from the bold "Q" logo on the top of the dial to the rectangular indices. Multiple colorways are now available, in 36mm, 38mm, 40mm, and 43mm case sizes. Whether you owned an original Q model or this is your first exposure to it, your collection will properly represent vintage style if you pick one up. The Q models retail for just $160 - $240 USD.

Expedition

If you were a child of the 80's or 90's, there's a great chance that you owned a Timex Expedition. For many years, the Expedition was Timex's flagship collection and today it remains Timex's largest collection. Named for the many Expeditions its wearers could embark upon, the collection is full of tough timepieces at incredibly low prices. Expedition has basic quartz watches up to titanium automatic models. In recent years, Expedition has upped its game to include more complicated movements, colorways, straps, and case materials. From $40 up to $350 USD.

Brew Watch Company

Is there anything more American than a cup of coffee in New York City?  No, we’re not writing about coffee, but Brew Watch Co's, Jonathan Ferrer, has coffee as the underlying theme of his watches.  They've been making a huge splash in the watch industry over the past few years. Brew Watch Co. is original in that the timepieces are designed after espresso machines of various time frames, most vintage. So while you’re looking at your wrist, you’ll likely be reminded that you need to stop for coffee on your way to work.

As a resident of the city that never sleeps, Jonathan has created a brand that is a perfect fit for NYC.  And although his branding often mentions coffee, the watches are solid, vintage-inspired beauties you'll appreciate regardless of whether you enjoy a morning cup of Joe or not. Here are a couple of our favorite models from Brew Watch Co.

Metric

In keeping with vintage themes - this time inspired by vintage cars - Brew's Metric model is sleek. Available in 6 colorways - including 3 steel, 2 gold, and 1 PVD black - the Metric's case flows seamlessly into an integrated bracelet. The watch includes 2 recessed subdials for the functioning chronograph. Most of the models include a VK68 Meca-Quartz hybrid movement while an upgraded model includes an automatic movement without a chronograph. Metric has a 36mm x 41mm rectangular case and a thickness of just 10.75mm. The Metric models retail for $450 - $525 USD.

Retrograph

Brew brings the java with this one and makes it easier for you to enjoy your cup of joe too. The Retrograph is a barista's best friend, as it includes a timer system to properly extract the optimal flavor from a shot of espresso. The "extraction timer" is built into each watch by way of additional markings in the 25-35 second range. One variant of the Retrograph - the Method - also includes timing for coffee made with a French press and pour-over on the dial and the caseback. Including the Method and another fun variant - the 8-Bit Brew - there are a total of 6 colorways. The Retrograph retails for $395 USD.

Vortic

Almost 10 years old now, Vortic watch company was born out of American patriotism. Friends and business partners, R.T. Custer and Tyler Wolfe, had a crazy idea: to make a watch almost fully in America. The only problem was that, at the time, there were no companies producing movements in America at scale. The only feasible way they could fulfill their mission of making watches in America was to use old pocket watch movements. After all, there were tens of thousands of pocket watches produced in America during its watchmaking heyday in the early to mid-1900s.

Thus, Vortic was born. Vortic's business model consists of taking antique American-made pocket watch movements, fully restoring or repairing them, and upcycling them into wristwatch cases. The result is something you have to see to believe. The watches - dubbed the American Artisan Series - are essentially one-of-a-kind timepieces since the restoration process typically enhances the mechanical aspect of the watch, but leaves the cosmetic portion in the vintage state they are found. That is, except for the military edition that Vortic releases every year. Those timepieces utilize the GCT model of pocket watches produced in mass during World War II. Let’s look at one of our recent favorite watch models that Vortic has released as well as one of their recent military edition models.

The Lancaster, 197-199

As we previously mentioned, Hamilton was one of the largest US pocket watch manufacturers in the early 1900's, and their headquarters was in Lancaster, PA. The Lancaster models, then, are a tribute to the Hamilton watch company from which the movement and dial originated. The most recent Lancaster builds - models 197, 198, and 199 - are 47mm watches set in a titanium case. They feature one of Vortic's signature features - the crown at the 12 o'clock position. All 3 watches feature a white / cream dial and a gold-plated crown. The original Hamilton movements were manufactured from 1927-1932. These Lancaster builds vary in price but start at $4,400 USD.

Military Edition

Since 2019, Vortic has been making one special watch every year. Well, perhaps one isn't totally correct - Vortic makes 30-50 of its limited-edition Military Edition watches every year. The watch is made from a specific pocket watch, the AN5740-1, which the United States military commissioned during World War II for its Army Air Corps. Requirements for the watch were specific and strict, as they needed to keep accurate time for air strikes. Hamilton, Waltham, and Elgin each produced these watches for the US military. The watch dial is solid black with white 24-hour markers and minute markers. Front and center on the dial are the bold letters "G.C.T." which stood for Greenwich Civil Time, the former standard European time zone. As if the watch's phenomenal military design was not enough reason to buy the watch, Vortic donates a portion of its sales to the Veterans Watchmaker Initiative. Because of this, every year the military edition watch sells out within days. While the price of the Military Edition can vary, it typically retails around $8,000 USD

Colorado Watch Company

Oh, Vortic is also responsible for this next watch company we’ll discuss: Colorado Watch Company. After a decade of trial and error, working with antique pocket watches, Custer and Wolfe have finally found a way to produce modern automatic timepieces almost fully in America at scale. This is the culmination of a dream in a decade-long daily grind. The watches themselves, which we will discuss in a moment, look fantastic.  But the more impressive attribute is that over 85% of the cost of making a Colorado watch is spent on American soil.

Colorado Watch Company recently went live with a Kickstarter campaign which was successfully funded within its first week. If you missed out on the Kickstarter, they will be selling their watches online very soon. Here is a look at the two watch models Colorado Watch Company is releasing in their initial campaign.

Field Watch

In the vein of military watches, Colorado Watch Company first created a field watch. It is versatile, comfortable, and sturdy. As you look at the dial, you’ll see elements of red and blue that were borrowed from one of Vortic's rarest and most successful military editions. The dial of the field watch is made out of steel and is affixed to the movement with screws to ensure it stays in place. The results of the screws, machining marks, and overall design scheme give the field watch a rugged and industrial look. Once Colorado begins selling its watches, they will likely retail for $995 USD

GCT

If you enjoy the design of Vortic’s annual Military Edition watch but are looking for a smaller or less expensive rendition, Colorado Watch Company solved that problem for you. With the release of their GCT model, Colorado borrows several elements from the 2019 Vortic’s Military Edition, yet still gives this watch its own unique personality. Check out the stairstepping design on the dial and you’ll see what we mean. The GCT is slightly larger than the Field watch, but it is much smaller than its Vortic cousin. So you can turn heads while wearing a 42mm watch. The GCT will retail for $1,295 USD.

Ball

During the late 1800's and early 1900's, there was one American watch brand that was known for its precision and fine-tuned mechanics. It was thought of as the backbone of the American railroad system, keeping conductors on-time throughout the country. The brand? Ball.

In its heyday, Ball was the king of solid timekeeping. If you had a Ball, you never left home without it. Today, Ball has moved its headquarters to Switzerland and become a modern watch company. The timepieces they produce are sleek and masculine. Here are a couple of our favorites.

Roadmaster Pilot GMT

Available in 18 colorways, the Roadmaster Pilot GMT is a gorgeous timepiece. With similarities to the Rolex GMT Master II, the Roadmaster has a lot to brag about. It features a 40mm titanium case, with a titanium and stainless steel bracelet. Featuring a Swiss-made automatic movement, the watch ticks with a 38-hour power reserve. And although it’s a beauty to look at, the watch itself is tough - featuring 300m of water resistance, anti-magnetism of 4,800A/m, and anti-shock of 5,000G’s. The Roadmaster Pilot GMT retails for $3,249 USD and each colorway is limited to 1,000 pieces made.

Engineer III

If the Roadmaster is a tool watch, the Engineer III is its dressy watch equivalent. But it still has an inherent toughness to it - most, if not all, models feature extreme anti-magnetic protection to 80,000A/m (1,000 Gauss). Available in literally dozens of colorways and variations, there is an Engineer III for everyone. If you’re looking for a simple timepiece, the 43mm Legend or 40mm Pioneer variation is for you. For an incredibly luminescent variation, you’ll want the Marvelight - available in stainless steel and bronze. The 40mm Marvelight also has a Chronometer variant as well as a version with rainbow lume. All variants mentioned thus far have a simple, plain stainless steel bezel; if you’re looking for a marked bezel akin to a dive watch, the Outlier variant will be calling your name. A similar variant featuring GMT is the Maverick GMT.
A lot of variants? Yes, and we’ve barely scratched the surface. There are also models by the name of Jet-Set GMT, Hurricane Hunters, Endurance 1917 TMT, King, Dreamer, Bronze, 00RED, and Dreamer TIC. The Engineer III cases range from 31mm - 43mm and case materials include 904L stainless steel, stainless with TiC coating, and bronze. With the wide variety of variants, the Engineer III retails from $1,749 to $3,749 USD.

Oak and Oscar

Eight years in and not stopping anytime soon. That's the status of American independent watchmaker Oak and Oscar. Watch enthusiast, Chase Fancher, started the company in 2015 in the suburbs of Chicago. While he wouldn't be considered a co-founder, Fancher's dog Oscar holds the title of mascot for the brand. The men behind Oak and Oscar are passionate about a few things: people, dogs, bourbon, and beer. One of their chief beliefs is that good people make great watches, which is why Fancher has assembled a team of all-stars to build the brand upon.

When it comes to timepieces, Oak and Oscar has a couple of classic design schemes that all of their watches embrace, but the company is not afraid to take some chances on new styles as well. For example, in 2022 the company made a limited edition run that put a piece of a curling stone on the caseback. Unusual? Yes. Just cool enough for Oak and Oscar to create? Also yes.

Humboldt GMT

With the Humboldt GMT, Oak and Oscar delivers a sleek and simple solution to GMT watch fans. Don’t take the simplicity for weakness though; the company calls it their “anti-fragile, anti-worry, go anywhere and do anything watch.” The 40mm stainless steel case includes 200m of water resistance in addition to anti-magnetic and anti-shock technology. Humboldt is also available in a titanium case.
Powering the adventure-ready watch is a Swiss-made Sellita SW330 automatic movement with a power reserve of 56 hours. One distinguishing design choice simple watch wearers will likely love is a very thin, simple bezel that blends in with the watch itself. It also features orange accent colors from the seconds and GMT hands. The Humboldt GMT retails for $1,975 - $2,250 USD depending on the bracelet and case choice.

Olmstead 38

The Olmstead is a classic field watch with a similar design scheme to the Humboldt. Instead of a GMT complication, the Olmstead features the straightforward Swiss-made Sellita SW300 automatic movement with 42-hour power reserve. Like the Humboldt, the Olmstead makes use of a sandwich dial with Super-LumiNova treatment on the digits. The Olmstead is available with or without a date indicator, to allow purists the chance at all 1-12 numerals on the dial. Sporting a 38mm case with drilled lugs and a case height of just under 11mm, the Olmstead is a comfortable field watch for whatever your daily life throws at it. One last note - the watch does have a stainless bracelet option, which is not common for field watches. The Olmstead retails for $1,525 - $1,725 USD depending on the bracelet choice.

LUM-TEC

Our next American brand is also out of the midwest. LUM-TEC designs, assembles, and tests its watches in the Buckeye state - Ohio. Its parent company, Wiegand Custom Watch, LLC, is a US-based OEM / ODM and custom watch manufacturer. LUM-TEC prides itself on service: owner Chris Wiegand welcomes customers to email him with questions, concerns, suggestions, and the like.  Their watches also come with some element of free lifetime service; quartz movements include free battery replacement for life, solar movements include pressure testing and seal cleaning, and automatic movements include lifetime timing adjustments. 

If the "Lum" didn't give it away, LUM-TEC is known for its incredible luminosity. While their different watches have varying degrees of luminosity, all feature a solid lume. Some include inner bezels in the luminescence, some feature two-tone lume, and others have the full dial illuminated. Here are a couple of our favorite LUM-TEC models featuring that intense luminosity.

Combat B49

With the Combat B49, LUM-TEC gives watch fanatics a tough 43mm field watch for under $600. The watch case is coated with a military-grade Titanium Carbide as well as a gunmetal PVD hard coating. Combat B49 stays relatively thin at 12mm case thickness. One of the coolest design features of the watch is its military numbering - the large numbers of 00, 6, 12, and 18 are complemented by smaller military numerals as well. The watch features a Swiss Ronda 515.24H movement, phenomenal luminosity, and 200m of water resistance. The Combat B49 retails for $580 USD.

Solar Marine 3

The Solar Marine 3 is a dark watch, similar to the Combat B49. The 316L stainless steel case is coated with a military-grade Titanium Carbide black PVD, and is bead blasted for added durability. Solar Marine 3 is 39mm in size, is 300m water resistant, and features a thin rotating bezel.
This watch is powered by a VS42A Japanese movement with an incredible 6-month power reserve. To remain battle-ready, the watch has drilled lugs and comes with a nylon military-style strap. As with the Combat B49, the luminosity on the Solar Marine 3 is impressive. The Solar Marine 3 retails for $550 USD.

J.S Shapiro

You probably haven't ever seen a high-end, luxury watch made in America. But there is a watchmaker who produces them - Joshua Shapiro. Shapiro is the founder and CEO of Shapiro Watches. A historian by trade, Shapiro fell in love with classic watchmaking techniques partially because of the history behind them. After years of producing engine-turned dials for other watch manufacturers, Shapiro decided it was time to create his own masterpieces.

The small company has been selling watches since 2018, but these are no ordinary watches. Its second series of watches - the Resurgence - features engine-turned dials made in America. In fact, the entire watch is fully American-made and embraces luxury at its finest.

Resurgence

For his second collection, Shapiro aimed to wow horologists. The dial is made with the classic engine-turned-watchmaking process, done in a way as to feature multiple gorgeous patterns on the same dial. An additional pattern can be seen on the case, as it was also made with engine-turning technology.
Shapiro gives the unique experience of letting consumers pick their movement - all of them are of course automatic, but they differ in appearance through the exhibition caseback. Available in 6 colorways, the cases are made from 18k rose gold, 18k white gold, tantalum, steel, or dark zirconium. Nope, not your average, everyday watch. These watches were born in California and embrace Hollywood-style luxury with price tags to match. The Resurgence retails for $70,000 - $85,000 USD, depending on case material.

Weiss

Weiss Watch Company was born from the mind of Cameron Weiss. A watch fanatic, he grew up loving watches and trying to repair them as early as 5 years old. After graduating college, Weiss attended an apprenticeship program wherein he learned the ropes of traditional watchmaking. He later secured certifications from Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin. Once he had learned the art of watchmaking over a 10-year period, Weiss launched Weiss Watch Company in 2013. 

Now 10 years old, Weiss Watch Company is alive and well. Weiss produces watches currently in 38mm and 42mm sizes, in both field watch and dive watch styles. While the watches are made in the USA, they feature parts from both the US and Switzerland. Recently, Weiss has released limited edition watches made with titanium cases.

Standard Issue Field

Weiss’ field watch, the Standard Issue Field, is a force to be reckoned with. The 38mm watch features a 316L stainless steel case and is just 9.2mm thick. Powered by an automatic movement with a 42-hour power reserve, the movement is visible through an exhibition caseback. The dial is simple, featuring digits 1-5 and 7-12 as well as a small seconds subdial at the 6 o’clock position.
The Standard Issue Field is available in several variations, including a 38mm, a 38mm with a date indicator instead of a seconds subdial, and a 42 mm. Those variations are available in 4 colorways and there is a limited edition 38mm in a “pink sand” dial colorway. The Standard Issue Field retails for $2,000 - $2,500 USD.

Astor + Banks

We travel once again to Chicago for the next American brand, Astor + Banks. Founder Andrew Perez is a self-proclaimed watch nerd and has had a lifelong love affair with watches. He started the company in 2012 to pursue his watchmaking passion in life. Astor + Banks assembles the watches themselves in Chicago and uses Swiss or Japanese movements to keep time.

Perez has built a microbrand that delivers clean watches with solid luminosity at an affordable price point. Astor + Banks has recently turned 10 and has fans at many of the major horology media conglomerates. 

Fortitude Pro

Speaking of clean watches, the Fortitude Pro is a perfect example of this. Astor + Banks design is a mix between a field watch and an officer’s watch - durable and classy. The Fortitude Pro features no numerals on the dial - just simple hour indices. Measuring 38.5mm in diameter, the stainless steel case features water resistance of 200m and magnetic resistance of 20,000A/m. The Fortitude is available in 4 colorways and is available in similar “Light” and “Pro” versions. The Fortitude retails for $675 USD.

Autodromo

About 15 years ago, watch and automotive fan Bradley Price identified a gap in the watch industry: watch and auto crossovers. As a resident of New York City, Price spent many years without a car despite the fact that he loved cars. When he finally purchased one - a vintage Alfa Romero - he was inspired by the tachometer and felt like it would make a phenomenal watch. The rest is, as they say, history.

After a decade and a half in the industry, Autodromo has become one of the most definitive sources for automotive-inspired timepieces. And the fact that their current lineup includes watches as low as $500 is icing on the cake. Let's take a look at our favorite model here.

Vallelunga

When Autodromo originally launched the brand a decade ago, they did so with the Vallelunga model. Now that the brand has begun to make waves in the auto-themed watch genre, they have released an updated anniversary edition of the Vallelunga. The design is very similar to the original model - a nod to the tachometer on vintage sports cars. Look at the dial and you’ll see the striking resemblance. The watch itself sports a Miyota 8315 automatic movement with a 60-hour power reserve, which will keep it ticking regardless of how long your road trip lasts. The watch is 40mm in diameter, with a height of just 12mm. It features a leather strap which is lugless in nature and resembles old driving gloves. The Vallelunga retails for $695 USD.

Devon Works

Our next American brand is also closely tied to the automotive industry. Instead of Autodromo's focus on vintage cars, Devon Works focuses on cars of the modern era and of the future. Founded by Scott Devon in 2010, Devon Works is known for its use of "time belts". This technology is similar to the belts of a motorcycle's engine and consists of numbers that pass by the dial on nylon belts reinforced with fiberglass. The result is a futuristic and distinctly vehicular feel that is probably unlike anything you've ever seen. 

Devon originally designed the watch for Honda as a nod to a concept car but the watch quickly moved from the sidelines to becoming the main event. Shortly after developing its first timepiece, Tread 1, Devon Works received accolades from the Geneva Grand Prix by becoming the first American brand to be a finalist in the Best Design and Best Concept watch categories. The Tread 1 and Tread 2 are unique not only in design but also in the fact that they are powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion cell battery. The battery powers the onboard microprocessors and can run about 2 weeks on a single charge.

Tread 1

The original Devon Works masterpiece, the Tread 1, is guaranteed to turn heads. Looking at the timepiece, your eyes will be drawn to the time belts as well as the watch's large size and square shape. The placement of the crown at the 6 o'clock mark is yet another eye-catcher. Although the watch is full of "eye candy," the major attribute you'll be drawn to is the use of the time belts. There are two intersecting belts on the Tread 1 - the numbers on the horizontal belt tell the hour and those on the vertical belt tell the minutes. The Tread 1 is made in the United States; the watches are so unique that Devon Works partners with an aerospace engineering firm for their production. Unlike some futuristic and innovative timepieces that only offer 1 colorway, Tread 1 has 6. The Tread 1 retails for $18,450 to $25,000 USD depending on colorway.

Tread 2

With the Tread 2, Devon Works attempted to distill its impressive design into a slightly more subtle package. The Tread 2 still features time belt technology but with 2 vertical belts instead of intersecting vertical and horizontal ones. Tread 2 sports a Richard Mille or Franck Muller-shaped case - similar to a rectangle with curves instead of corners - as opposed to Tread 1's square-shaped case.
In addition to normal timekeeping functions, the Tread 2's articulating crown lever and push button system can trigger a seconds and chronograph display. Available in 7 colorways, the Tread 2 is an evolution from Devon's first iteration, as it shares several design elements with the Tread 1 but in a more comfortable and slightly more standard package.
All Tread 2 Styles are currently out of stock.

RGM Watches

The year is 1992. Not many American watch brands exist - at least, not many that actually complete much of the watchmaking process on US soil. This was the setting for Roland G. Murphy to start the RGM Watch brand. A classically-trained watchmaker in both America and WOSTEP in Switzerland, RGM learned watchmaking techniques for modern and vintage watches.

Fast-forward 30 years. RGM is now one of the better-known American watchmakers and has built a reputation of quality and of taking American-made farther than most of the competition. How so? With an American-made case on the 151 models, with the first serially-produced American-made tourbillon - the Pennsylvania Tourbillon, etc. RGM has mastered vintage charm, although they do have modern beauties available as well. Here are a couple of our favorites from RGM.

Model 250 Vintage

Many vintage watch designs are timeless - styling just as well today as they did 30+ years ago. Such is the case for RGM’s 250 Vintage model. The silver dial with clean boxes surrounding it is simple yet has powerful presence. Combine that with flame-blued hands as well as a brushed and polished stainless steel case gives wearers a truly classic look. Posting the 250 Vintage is the RGM Valgranges - a Swiss-made automatic movement with 35 jewels. One point that distinguishes the 250 from an actual vintage timepiece is its size - this watch cements its strong wrist presence with a 42mm size. The 250 Vintage retails for $3,500 USD.

Model 500 GMT

Every man needs a truly versatile timepiece in his collection and the Model 500 GMT seeks to fit that bill. With this watch, RGM offers wearers a watch with military watch styling, water resistance, and a GMT movement complication / accompanying bi-directional bezel. Powering the watch is the RGM-ETA 2893-2 - a Swiss-made automatic movement with 21 jewels. Available in both a grey and green colorway, the 316L stainless steel case fits most wrists at 41mm. The matte-finished dial features 3-6-9-12 numerals with simple hour and minute indices. Surrounding the dial is a stainless steel bezel with 24-hour numbering. The GMT hand is the only pop of color, ending the hand with a red arrow. The Model 500 GMT retails for $4,450 USD.

Kobold

Kobold Watches is named for Michael Kobold, its chief founder and head watchmaker. He started his company under the tutelage of master watchmaker Gerd-R Lang - founder of Chronoswiss. Kobold began working with Lang in 1995 and shortly thereafter began Kobold Watches as an avenue to sell rugged watches.  In 1998, just after starting the first series of Kobold watches, Kobold became the first watch brand to sell watches online. 

That was not the brand's only first. Kobold also released the world's first mechanical watch with chronograph, GMT, day/night, and date complications. Michael Kobold was also the first watchmaker to climb Mount Everest, a feat that influenced Kobold's watches for years to come. Check out these beauties from Kobold.

Sir Ernest Shackleton

The Sir Ernest Shackleton is a tribute to its namesake, who is one of the greatest polar explorers to ever live. The watch mixes vintage timepiece design with military style to give wearers a high-end tool watch. A simple dial, featuring minute indices and digits 1-12, is accompanied by a copper hue. Those elements are complemented by a blue Alligator strap and a polished 316L stainless steel case. The result is a crisp, clean, and legible watch suitable for either the elements or whatever life throws at you. This timepiece is rarer than a polar expedition, as no more than 25 of this model are made every year. Kobold’s Sir Ernest Shackleton, designed and engineered in the United States, sports a 43.5mm case. Kobold combines the case with a screwdown crown to protect the ETA 2824 Swiss-made movement to the depth of 100m.
The Sir Ernest Shackleton retails for $5,750 USD.

Soarway

If water resistance draws you to the Sir Ernest Shackleton, check out the family of divers Kobold also produces. The Soarway, which is available in a 41mm, 43mm, and 43mm “Seal” variations, aims to give wearers a tough tool watch with eye-catching militaristic design. While the 3 variations all go by the name “Soarway,” they actually have a lot of variety in their design.
Soarway Diver 41 is distinguished by a matte black dial with simple hour indices, surrounded by a bezel with 20-55 minute marks. The 41 is available with a polished case as well as a tan DLC one, is just 10mm tall, and is 100m water resistant. Soarway Diver 43 is unique in that it blends Arabic numerals with Roman numerals - the top numerals are Roman and the bottom numerals are Arabic. Unlike the other two Soarway models, the 43 also features a date indicator and a deeper water resistance. Actor and Kobold brand ambassador, James Gandolfini, designed the 43mm Seal variation of the Soarway. That timepiece has a tall height of 17mm and a very wide rotating bezel surrounding a relatively small dial. The Soarway Diver variants range between retail costs of $4,750 and $5,650 USD

Keaton P. Myrick

Named after its founder and watchmaker, Keaton P. Myrick, is an American watch brand that is fully focused on its craft. Myrick produces no more than 1 watch per month, to ensure they are both the utmost in quality and that they remain handmade, high-end timepieces.

Myrick’s motto is “a passion for tradition,” a term he lives out by weaving traditional watchmaking methods with new techniques to ensure the past is never left behind. He designs and builds his watches by hand, so each has the opportunity for some level of customization. Uniqueness and rarity are the quintessential elements of a Myrick watch.

1 of 30

If you’re lucky enough to be one of the few enthusiasts who owns a Keaton P. Myrick watch, you’ll probably only bring it out for special occasions. The dial has a metallic look similar to that of the movement itself. The hands are either partially or fully flame-blued, and the face of the watch features a seconds subdial. Myrick’s watches also feature simple branding and the unique number of the watch on the dial. While the 1 of 30’s overall presentation and dial are masterpieces, the real star of Myrick’s timepieces are the movements. The Caliber 29.30 uses 18k rose gold whenever possible and is strong from both an aesthetic and a mechanical standpoint. The truly unique aspect of Myrick’s movement is that some aesthetic changes can be made in conjunction with the buyer’s preferences. If you want to go through the Myrick buying experience, you’ll need to contact Keaton Myrick directly for pricing and details.

DuFrane Watches

“Keep Austin Weird.” That’s the motto of Austin, Texas, the home of DuFrane Watches. While there's nothing strange about the DuFrane brand, its founder Steven loves Austin. So much so, that he names all of his watch collections after notable landmarks and historical figures from Austin. In addition to bringing Austin into his watches via their names, he also brings Texas in with a Texas star on the watch’s dial, crown, or caseback.

Since 2016, Steven has been merging watchmaking fundamentals with modern styles. But bringing the past into the future in an affordable way is what DuFrane is all about. A prime example of this is the fact that the name "DuFrane" is Steven’s mother’s maiden name and he named the watch brand after her because of the way she encouraged his love for watches as a child. Here are a couple of DuFrane’s recent gems that we absolutely love.

Waterloo

Named after the original name for Austin, the Waterloo is a perfect blend and style and simplicity. Perfectly sized at 39mm, the Waterloo is available in a stainless steel or rose gold finish. Those case finishes match perfectly with the hammered copper and linen dial color/texture options. The textured dials are surrounded by a thin, copper strip on which the 1-12 digits sit. That copper strip is then encircled by a thin bezel in the selected case finish.

While the Waterloo styles as a fashion watch, it holds up to everyday life like a tool watch. It features 100m of water resistance and an Incabloc shock resistance system. The water-resistant case protects a Swiss Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement with 26 jewels and a 38-hour power reserve. The Waterloo includes a leather strap, rose gold link bracelet, or mesh bracelet. It retails for $560 - $670 USD depending on bracelet choice.

Barton Springs II

The Barton Springs series is named after a spring-fed swimming area in Austin - a perfect spot to cool off in the Texas summers. As refreshing and cool as its namesake, DuFrane’s Barton Springs II is simple in design but bold in color. The watch is available in 3 colorways - Hill Country Wine (purple), Slate Grey, and Black Gilt - and each colorway only has 100 total timepieces produced. 42mm wide and made of 316L stainless steel, the Barton Springs is 200m water resistant - just in case you need to take a dip in the actual Barton Springs.

The dial includes simple hour markers and is surrounded by a thin uni-directional bezel without much distraction. Barton Springs makes use of a Swiss-made Ronda R150 with a 38-hour power reserve. It includes 2 straps with it - 1 comfortable nylon NATO-style and another that is rubber. These watches retail for $560 USD.

Detroit Watch Company

Detroit Watch Company is the first of two brands we'll discuss that hail from Motor City - Detroit, Michigan.  Detroit Watch Company just celebrated its tenth anniversary - starting in 2013. The brand was launched by a husband and wife duo - Patrick and Amy Ayoub. Patrick spent 3 decades in automotive and watch design, both in the US and in Europe. Amy was born and raised near Detroit, and also spent 3 decades in a successful design career. 

Why Detroit? Both Patrick and Amy have an affinity for the city - both for its monumental contributions to the automotive industry and for its French roots. The two of them have founded a brand that thrives both on creating traditional timepieces as well as a subsection with a distinct racing theme. Our favorite Detroit Watch Company timepieces are as follows.

City Collection 313

Like Hawaii’s famous 808 telephone area code, 313 is an area code covering Motor City (Detroit). Detroit Watch Company used this area code concept both as a way to identify the collection name and as inspiration for the design itself. Check out the unique dial - the digits are akin to the digit selection on a vintage rotary telephone. The style used for the digits help them stand out against the black or white dial. The collection has actually been expanded to include other area codes around the country.

The City Collection 313 includes a 42mm case that is just 9.4mm in height. That case protects a Swiss-made Sellita 200 automatic movement with a 38-hour power reserve. The 313 is available with an exhibition caseback to view the movement. The City Collection 313 retails for $1,095 USD.

Le Mans Classic Chrono

One of Detroit’s driving forces is cars - fast ones. So is it any wonder that Detroit Watch Company would want to celebrate fast cars with a timepiece collection? The Lemans Classic Chrono, from the M1-Le Mans collection, might just be the perfect racing watch. This specific timepiece is in a light blue and orange color but the M1’s also include tributes to other racers in pink and white; blue and white; and red, white, and blue. The dial features 3 chronograph subdials, day and date windows, and tachymeter.
The timepiece has a stainless steel case in a 42 or 44mm diameter. The 50m of water resistance it offers protects the Swiss Valjoux Eta 7750 automatic movement with 25 jewels and a 48-hour power reserve. An exhibition caseback shows the beautifully ordained movement. As is typical for racing watches, the look is completed by a strap with racing stripes stitched onto the sides. The Le Mans Classic Chrono retails for $1,995 USD.

Jack Mason

There’s just something about Texas. For Peter Cho and Craig Carter, co-founders of Jack Mason watches, Texas is home. They are proud to be Texans and have made it their mission to bring the watchmaking community to Texas. Not just that, but Jack Mason also aims to represent Texas in all their watches (either subtlety or in a bold way). 

For example, if you pick up one of their new Strat-O-Timer GMT watches, you’ll see the back of the watch stamped with the words “Designed in Texas, Assembled in the USA.” That same watch features a Texas star on the dial - another nod to the Lone Star State. Most of Jack Mason's watches also feature the colors of the Texas flag as the counterbalance on the seconds hand and a small Texas star on the crown. Our favorite way to support Texas pride is with these timepieces.

Canton Day Date Automatic

Sometimes you can’t beat a classic. The Canton Day-Date is Jack Mason’s classic and it’s a beauty. Available in 4 colorways, the Canton features simple hour indices as well as 12 and 6 numerals. It also features day and date windows at the 3 o’clock mark. Encircling the dial is a thin stainless steel bezel which flows into the 40mm case. The timepiece measures 12.7mm in height.

The Canton looks like a dress watch but acts like a tool watch. Jack Mason believes their watch can handle whatever life throws at it - and backs that up with a lifetime warranty. Water resistant to 100m, the watch beats to the tune of a Miyota 820A automatic movement. The Canton Day-Date retails for $399 USD.

Strat-o-Timer Americana

A little bit vintage, a portion tool watch, and a pinch of dress watch. Mix it together and you’ve got the Strat-o-Timer GMT. The timepiece has a lot going for it, but the biggest highlight is the 48-click two-tone bezel - done in the style of the Rolex GMT-Master. The Americana colorway features a red and blue bezel; the Espresso colorway features brown and black; and the Dark Night features blue and black. Jack Mason also recently released a special edition Dr. Pepper colorway in red and maroon. Powering the Strat-o-Timer is a Miyota Caliber 9075 - a true GMT with Jump Hour. With 24 jewels and a 42-hour power reserve, the movement is visible through an exhibition caseback. The case is spot-on for most wrists at 40mm in diameter and 13mm thick. Jack Mason includes a navy tropic strap with the Strat-o-Timer as well as a second strap of the buyer’s choosing - they especially recommend the 7-link bracelet. Strat-o-Timer retails for $999 USD.

Nodus Watches

Durability. Sustainability. Beauty. These are some of the hallmarks of the Nodus Watches brand. Nodus was created in Los Angeles in 2017. In that short 6-year span, Nodus has become known for its ultra-durability. Part watch designer and part watch research lab, Nodus is on a mission to improve watchmaking manufacturing techniques in both their efficiency and effectiveness.

Assembled in California, Nodus Watches represents the interstates and intersections of life. The brand comments that its name, which is defined as a complication or knot, is all about how the life a person lives intersects with their passions and pathways. Nodus' ultimate goal is for their watches to stand the test of time and also serve as a reminder for wearers to live out their passions in life. Here are a couple of Nodus' recent reminders. 

Unity

At first glance, the Unity looks like a stellar, simple watch. But upon further examination, we see that the Unity is a nod to the beauty found in nature. The bezel features a ceramic insert that has been polished to a shine. Close-up, the dial features not just a sunray pattern but also texturing akin to an orange peel or tree bark. The blue and pink colorways are a dichotomy of subtle yet bold, in the way a flower’s coloring is.

The Unity ticks to the beat of a Miyota 9015 automatic movement, featuring 24 jewels and a 41-hour power reserve. At 36.5mm, the case is designed for nearly any wrist. 316L stainless steel is the material of choice for the case and it’s water resistant to 150m. Unity retails for $700 USD.

Sector Deep

While the Unity collection embraces beauty, the Sector Deep embraces another of Nodus’ foundational traits - durability. The Sector Deep is a serious dive watch for a serious diver. But in the Deep, Nodus has created a watch that is bold and masculine - suitable not just for divers but also anyone who wants a tough timepiece. And tough it is - water resistant to 500m and using double the sapphire crystal and caseback thickness compared to their other diving watches.

Sector Deep utilizes a 38mm stainless steel case but adds on a wider 42mm black DLC bezel (to allow for easy adjustments in diver’s gear). The watch is available in a blue colorway with the crown on the right (standard) and a black colorway with the crown on the left (lefty / destro). Powering this deep diver is a Seiko TMI NH35, with 24 jewels and a 41-hour power reserve. The Sector Deep retails for $599 USD.

Barrelhand Watches

Our list includes many American watchmakers who specialize, or pay homage to, classical watchmaking techniques. As a pioneer in the potential future of watchmaking, Barrelhand Watches is not one of those companies. Barrelhand approaches watchmaking as a way to unite different vocations across a common goal - creating new techniques to sustain watchmaking over the long haul. One of the biggest applications of that vision is the use of 3D printing.

Barrelhand was started in 2014 by Karel Bachand, former NASA engineer who specialized in 3D printing. Bachand fell in love with watchmaking and saw it as a new platform for 3D printing to revolutionize. Thus, Barrelhand was born. Over the span of 2014 - 2020, Bachand harnessed technology, built a company, and built an infrastructure to manufacture watches. Then in 2021, it sold its first timepiece - the Project One. The timepiece was limited to 10 pieces and featured the world's first 3D printed movement bridge. Barrelhand is now at work on its second timepiece - the Monolith. This timepiece promises to use 3D printing in even more ways to produce an excellent watch not only for consumers but also for actual space exploration.

Project One

As mentioned above, the Project One was Barrelhand’s first timepiece. This watch was groundbreaking, as it included the word’s first 3D-printed movement bridge. To function properly, the bridge was printed in steel and was done 4x thinner than a human’s hair. With this accomplishment, Barrelhand gives a glimpse into the future - into what could be possible for the watch industry as a result of emerging technology. Seven years in the making, the Project One feels more like a feat of engineering than selling a fashion timepiece. That being said, the watch is highly fashionable and it looks absolutely unique. Barrelhand refers to the mechanics as an “engine” versus just calling it a movement, and the exposed portions of it seem to earn that title. Powered by manual winding, the watch will tick for 50 hours when fully wound. Only 10 pieces of this very rare timepiece were made and they retailed for $30,000 USD.

Shinola Watches

Shinola, like Detroit Watch Company, also hails from Detroit, Michigan. A relatively young company, Shinola just celebrated its dozenth anniversary and has built a pretty major company since then. Intertwined with the company’s history is where they built the company -  Detroit is in Shinola’s DNA.

The company tries to do as much work in-house as possible; it owns a new facility to aid in watch manufacturing and later opened its leather factory to do leatherwork in-house. Shinola also attempts to partner with other manufacturers to keep Shinola watch work on US soil. Our favorite Shinola pieces are as follows:

Runwell

With the Runwell, Shinola delivers their quintessential daily-wear watch. The watch was one of the earliest models the company produced and it has expanded into an entire collection today. Today, the Runwell is available in dozens of variants (40 to be exact), including: numerous colorways; in 41mm and 47mm models; as a simple quartz, as an automatic, and as a quartz with chronograph complication; as a sport model; and in a 10-year anniversary limited edition. While there are some differences between the models, they all have a similar overall design scheme of bold numerals 1-12 akin to a field watch. All models except the sport feature a thin, simple bezel. Some of the Runwell models feature a seconds subdial while others feature a central seconds hand. Most of the models are powered by Shinola’s first movement - the Argonite 1069, which is a quartz movement assembled in Detroit with Swiss and other parts. With the wide variety of models available, the Runwell ranges in price from $595 to $1,500 USD.

Canfield Sport

If the Runwell is your everyday watch; the Canfield Sport could be your everyday sport watch. The Canfield Sport is one of the sleekest sports watches we have seen - rising to the challenge of both form and function. Available in 10 total variations inclusive of multiple colorways and both 40 and 45mm case sizes, there is a Canfield Sport for you. Both the 40mm and 45mm case are made from stainless steel and some colorways include a PVD finish.

Powering the watch is the Argonite 5040.F - Shinola’s most complex quartz movement. The watch includes a dual calendar aperture to give the watch a unique finish. Unique finishes do not stop there though, as the thin bezel serves as a time-telling reference without distracting from the dial of the watch. The Canfield Sport ranges in price from $995 - $1,295 USD.

Walden Watches

Oscar Waldan spent decades in the watch industry as a designer, working with brands like Tiffany & Co. and Tourneau. In 1979, Oscar Waldan started his own watch company to produce Swiss-made watches. While the watches were originally made in Switzerland, the company has since moved to America and has settled in New York.

Today, Waldan’s watches are assembled in the United States - a road not many companies have gone down in the age of rising coats. Instead of moving operations overseas to save costs, Waldan embraces its American roots by bringing more and more of the watchmaking process to the U.S. In recent years, Oscar Waldan decided to keep the company in the family, by bringing son Andrew Waldan on board. Waldan has recently released a couple of beauties - here are our favorites.

Heritage Professional

With the Heritage Professional, Waldan tows the line between everyday watch and dress watch. The bold numbering could be considered field watch style, but the font and overall theme point more towards a dressy watch. Aside from the digits, the clean dial only has some small branding items, luminescent dots at each hour marking, and a small seconds sundial. The simple bezel in 316L stainless steel then flows into the rest of the case as you would expect in a dress watch. However, the watch’s 50m of water resistance and very thin height of 8.6mm make for a perfect everyday watch.
Powering the Heritage Professional is a unique movement - an Ameriquartz Cal. 70200. This movement is an American-made quartz movement, hand assembled and tested on US soil. The dial (and the movement itself) is branded with Ameriquartz, so you can be patriotic whenever you wear the watch. As an added cherry on top of the sundae that is this watch, it retails for just $299 USD.

Vaer Watches

In 2016, Ryan Torres and Reagan Cook founded Vaer in Venice Beach, California, with a simple, narrow focus: make the perfect affordable everyday wristwatch. A watch that can go from the beach to the boardroom without missing a beat. Vaer contrasts their watches against smart watches, extravagant luxury timepieces, and needing multiple one-function watches.

Seven years and 60,000 watches later, Vaer continues with its narrow focus. In addition to their focus on creating extremely durable watches, Vaer also maintains a narrow focus on increasing the percentage of work done on US soil. This allows for maximum quality control and ensuring the Vaer brand stays solid for years to come. Vaer has hit a home run with several of their watches; here are our top picks.

C5 Design Navy

With the C5 Design Navy, Vaer may have produced the perfect field or tool watch. Bold numerals at every other number from 2-12 grace the dial as do simple hour/minute indices. Contrast those with the solid navy dial and the simple, brushed stainless steel case and you’ve got a watch with superb simplicity. The watch is available in both a 36mm and 40mm to fit your preference and it is water resistant to 100m. It’s also just 11.4mm thick.

One of the defining attributes of this timepiece is how it’s powered - the C5 includes a Epson VS-22 solar movement. If you know solar, you know that means that 6 hours of charge time in the sunlight can provide a massive 6 months of ticking! This watch is a winner, especially when you consider that it has 2 straps included and a starting retail price of just $259 USD.

DS4 Meridian Navy

The C5 is an everyday and/or field watch; the DS4 Meridian Navy, on the other hand, is an everyday and/or dive watch. Inspired by famous dive watches by Omega, Rolex, and Doxa, the DS4 is a military dive watch to write home about. The DS4 shares several specs with the C5 - including the Epson VS-22 solar movement, 2 staps included, and the watch itself being assembled in the USA. It’s also available in 2 different sizes - 38mm and 42mm.
Where the DS4 stands apart from the C5 and from other competitors is its bezel - it includes an aluminum bezel with 10-50 digit minute markers and alternating minute indices. The bezel surrounds a simple military-style dial with minute and hour indices. The navy colorway is our favorite but the DS4 is also available in black. The DS4 retails for $359 USD.

Resco Instruments

Resco is an American military watch brand created by a member of the military, Navy SEAL R.E. Smith. Created in 2009, Resco Instruments focuses heavily on merging form and function. All of Resco’s watches are in a sleek, military style but they also retain excellent durability. Resco has a mantra that their watches should be equally at home “Downtown” as well as “Downrange.”

American patriotism is alive and well in Resco, deeply rooted in its founder’s military background. All of their watches are designed, assembled, and tested in Coronado, California. As fans of military watches, we especially love Resco Instruments timepieces. Resco Instruments’ flagship timepiece is the BlackFrog.

Black Frog

Available in 3 slightly different variations and with both quartz and automatic movements, the BlackFrog is as tough as they come. Stealth and durability abound in the BlackFrog; to that end, the blacked-out dial has minimal luminosity to prevent giving away one’s position in life-or-death situations. Note that only the hands, along with a circle at the 12 o’clock marker, do have still luminosity.
While the 3 variations have slight variety in terms of dial markings and luminosity, the dials are matte black with simple hour indices and branding on them. The UDT model includes a date window while Gen 1 and Gen 2 do not. BlackFrog Gen 1 is 200m water resistant, while Gen 2 and UDT upped the ante with 300m. Gen 1 and 2 are made of stainless steel with black DLC, while the UDT is made of titanium with a black DLC. The BlackFrog models retail price starts at $1,905 USD.

Accutron

After mentioning Bulova above, we would be remiss if we skipped one of their most unique offshoots - Accutron. Originally an arm of the American Bulova brand, Accutron recently became an independent brand after Citizen purchased Bulova. Their mantra says it all: it’s not a timepiece. It’s a conversation piece.

In 1960, Accutron released a monumental revolution to the watchmaking landscape: the most accurate watch movement made to-date. With the Accutron Spaceview 214, Accutron created and released a new movement that was fully electronic. Powered by Accutron’s signature tuning fork, the watch was accurate to 1 minute per month. And since this time, Accutron released another revolutionary movement - the Spaceview 2020. With timepieces like these, Accutron has cemented its reputation as a watchmaker of innovation and technological prowess.

Spaceview 2020

Accutron made a huge breakthrough in the watch industry back in 1960. That timepiece has been revisited, revamped, and reiterated in the Spaceview 2020. Not only did Accutron improve the retro-industrial look of the original timepiece, they once again released an entirely new movement to shake up the watch industry. This time around, Accutron released a proprietary electrostatic movement, powered by twin turbines that rotate as the wearer moves. This energy then serves to power two motors - one for the minute and hour hands and another for the fluid second hand. Visually, the Spaceview 2020 shows an inside look at the mechanics of the watch itself, through cutouts in the dial itself. Although you probably wouldn’t expect it in a groundbreaking timepiece like this, the Spaceview 2020 has a total of eight colorways. Most colorways feature some portion of the dial in Accutron’s signature green but some feature more than others or a different background dial color to complement the green. The Spaceview 2020 has a diameter of 43.5mm and is water resistant to 50m. It retails for $3,650 - $5,000 USD depending on colorway and there is also a limited edition gold version for $19,600 USD.

Astronaut

As part of its strategy to reiterate timepieces of the past to pay tribute to where the company started, Accutron brought back another classic. The Astronaut was originally released in 1968 and stood out from other watches due to its “day/night” bezel. To symbolize day and night, the bezel has a white background and black numerals on one side vs. a black background and white numerals on the other. The two perfectly complement the solid black dial and white indices. Astronaut includes indices at every hour as well as triangle-shaped indices on the half-hour to aid in using the GMT function to its fullest potential. Accutron went high-end for the mechanics on this timepiece; the Astronaut features a Swiss-made SW330 GMT movement with a 56-hour power reserve. The movement is protected by a 41mm case with a 100m water resistance to it. Affixed to the case, wearers will appreciate a comfortable yet stylish bullet stainless steel integrated bracelet. The Astronaut is limited to 300 pieces made and retails for $3,500 USD.

Hesili Watches

We return to New York for a new brand, which has been selling watches for just about two years. Hesili watches was born out of a watch enthusiast's love for neo-vintage dress watches. The company was the result of a collaboration between its founder and the founder of Carpenter Watches. The two worked together to produce a watch that embraced the allure of vintage watches but with a modern movement and overall motif. 

The brand's first collection, The Original Series One, makes use of a Swiss automatic movement to maximize its quality. For such a young company, the quality of its first watch collection is impressive and definitely feels more expensive than it actually is. Hesili truly blends vintage with modern in a sleek finish.

Series 1

For its inaugural release, Hesili went with a combination everyday and dressy watch. The Series 1 features a relatively simple vintage-inspired dial with numerals, hour indices, and a grid circular pattern to mark minutes. The numerals and indices are either rhodium-plated or red-gold plated to give them a solid polish. Surrounding the dial is a thin bezel made from the same 316L stainless steel that the case uses.
The Series 1 is sized just right for most wrists at 40mm. Within the case, a Swiss-made STP 1-11 automatic movement keeps time with a 44-hour power reserve. To maximize the quality of the watches, Hesili produced them in Switzerland. Available in 5 colorways, these Swiss-made beauties set the tone for the brand and retail for just $595 USD.

RPAIGE Watches

Rpaige may be the only watch company headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii. The company is the proud creation of Richard Paige, a 4th generation watchmaker. Throughout his diverse career in the watch industry, Paige founded high-profile watch stores, TimeZone.com, an online watch repair school, and a few special edition watches prior to starting Rpaige. Paige started the watch brand as an avenue for his watch production.

The company has a business model similar to Vortic that we discussed above; Rpaige uses a variety of antique wristwatch or pocket watch movements in the production of new timepieces. One of the coolest parts of Rpaige is that most of their watches outline the movement used in the watch - be it a pocket watch movement or from some other vintage wristwatch. Here are a couple of our favorite Rpaige timepieces.

Unicus 3

We’ve talked about a couple of brands that have a business model of reusing or upcycling antique pocket watch movements into timepieces. With Rpaige’s Unicus, the company reveals to collectors the exact movement used in the upcycle - the A. Schild, which was made in 1950 for a Rolex sister brand called “Unicorn” watch company. The Unicus is a vintage-inspried timepiece that may be a go-to for classy dress-up events. That said, it can also dress down to an everyday watch and can withstand the same due to the 50m of water resistance and an Incabloc shock resistant system. The Unicus 3 keeps a relatively simple appearance, as the dial is primarily white. The dial also includes Roman numerals and a grid-style minute marker system. While the Unicus only comes in the standard colorway, the white dial contrasts beautifully with the stainless steel mirror polished case and complementing brown leather band. The Unicus was limited to 20 pieces made and retailed for $1,200 USD.

Crash of '29

Unusual stories produce unusual timepieces. Such is the case for the Crash of ‘29. Inspired by the great stock market crash which led to the Great Depression, the watch is probably the first you’ve seen with a case shape like this. The watch is 100% art deco and has a tapered or stair-stepped design from the top of the watch to the bottom of it. As if the case wasn’t powerful enough, Rpaige chose a solid black background for this dial with white letters and numbers. As is the case for Rpaige, we learn exactly which movement was used in producing this watch - a “12 size” American pocket watch movement. The watch may not be for all buyers, as it’s a large 49.7mm in diameter/width and 57.5mm from top-to-bottom. The watch case and bezel are made from surgical-grade 316L stainless steel. Limited to just 49 pieces made, the Crash of ‘29 retailed for $3,500 USD.

Dumoreau Watches

California is home to numerous watch companies we discussed and Dumoreau is one of the newest ones on the scene. In 2020, architect and product designer, Carlo Aiello founded Dumoreau in Huntington Beach, California. He founded the company because he was an avid watch collector and was passionate about producing an American watch. 

Aiello is a tenured designer, having won awards for his architecture. His work has made it to the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and the Sam Francisco Museum. He used his design muscles to produce the DM02 - a 300-piece limited edition timepiece available in 4 colorways. Let's take a look at the DM02.

DM02

With the Dumoreau’s DM02, we find a timepiece that is high-fashion and high-versatility at the same time. The dial’s 2-piece construction with a central textured circle is the highlight of the watch and is truly stunning. A detail like that really makes the watch feel like an expensive dressy watch, further supported by the polished 316L stainless steel bezel. Within the bezel yet outside of the central textured circle are bold numerals 1-12 and a gridbox circle akin to that of a field watch.
The DM02 has a 39mm case that is just 9.5mm tall. Powering the DM02 is a Swiss-made Sellita SW 210-1 with a 42-hour power reserve. After adding in an exhibition caseback and 100m of water resistance, this might be your new favorite dress / field watch combo. Dumoreau produced 4 colorways and they retail for $1,250 USD.

TSAO Watches

Our tour around the country concludes with Tsao Baltimore, which is headquartered in - you guessed it - Baltimore. Alan Tsao established the company in 2017. Aside from a love for Baltimore, Tsao focuses on attention to detail in its watch design. Another major focus for Tsao is to make as much of the watches locally as possible. 

In just 6 short years, Tsao has grown the company immensely and it offers many different models to match your mood. From pilot watches to vintage ones, and from simple watches to GMTs, Tsao offers numerous styles each with multiple colorways. Here are a couple of our favorite ones.

Legacy Steel

As you might expect for a coastal town like Baltimore, Tsao has an excellent dive watch available for collectors - the Legacy. Legacy is not your average, everyday dive watch due to its super compressor look and functionality. The addition of the second crown is the most notable difference from a traditional dive watch but the Legacy is far from a 1-trick pony. The dials make use of bold hues and numerals as well. The inner bezel includes digits 1-11 to ensure easy timetelling along with the larger, bold 3-9-12 numerals.
Aside from the fantastic hues and the super compressor look, the watch is just a phenomenal timepiece in general. It features 200m of water resistance to keep in step with whatever life throws at you. The 40mm 316L stainless steel case protects an MD-1 movement - Tsao’s own automatic movement.
Legacy Steel retails for $899 USD.

Balt-Pilot Recon

Named after the Martin 187 Baltimore (A-30) airplane also from Maryland, the Balt-Pilot is a fantastic aviation watch. Using bold numerals of varying sizes and minute indices, along with hands in the pilot watch motif, the watch has a neat appearance and is quite legible. The 40mm case will fit many wrists and the case is made from Ti2 Titanium with a 1200HV hardened coating.
Within the case, the watch ticks to the beat of a Miyota 9015 automatic movement. The case protects the movement with up to 200m of water resistance. Available in a whopping 14 colorways (and 11 more in the Balt-Pilot World Timer series), you should have no trouble finding a timepiece that completes your look. Several varieties include black DLC as an added style option. Each colorway of the Balt only has 50 available timepieces. The Balt-PIlot retails for $750 USD.

If you liked this guide, be sure to check out our Best Swiss Watch Brand Guide here.