Have you heard the hype and read the press about homegrown timepieces being handmade in the United States? Is it a fact that hard-working citizens of America have really jumped back into Horology? Have the spirits from the fields in Lancaster called skilled watchmakers back to the bench to work on new and exciting calibers? Can it be true that outsourcing and mixed parts assembly is really a thing of the past? Can American brands look into the eyes of customers and say “we made this watch with our own two hands for you, soldier, wear it with pride and pass it to your kin” without crossing their fingers behind their backs? Are overseas factories manufacturing watches without assembling them as a selling point for American watch companies? Do watch companies have no shame about peddling goods to the people of USA without telling the truth about who produced them? Does the current watch consumer have any idea of the difference between assembly and “In-House” movements? Are we making money for the people in the Land of Opportunity by teaching them skills at the watch bench? Are these watches being built by certified watchmakers? Is the watch industry all smoke and mirrors? Does banner ad marketing and social media have more influence than reality? Is the mirage of “America Made” so encouraging, that if it looks like water in the distance it must taste that way too? Has this been going on for a long time? Is there a watch called “The American Classic” with not one part that is made with the Spirit of Liberty? Do you really care if watches are made here or just like telling your friends “it’s American”? Is there a such thing as a truly American watch? Are we asking the right questions? Is every component, case, dial, hand, movement, luminescent material, spring bar, stitch, thread, hairspring, balance wheel, gear train, crown, stem, made here in the good ol’ US of A? Does the watch world need tighter border control? Do we need Timepiece Immigration Reform? Are other watch bloggers promoting the illegal immigrants of the American watch industry? Well, do we know the difference between shit and Shinola?
Wow. Someone finally had the balls to say what we were all thinking. Good man!
Anything claiming to be “American Made” is rubbish. No watches are made in America anymore. Lots of liars in the market nowadays.
TYVM you’ve solved all my problems
Fast and Heavy. A real crowd pleaser i bet. It sounds like war in a song..And you know how us Australians love glorifying war.(being cheeky not really)..it sounds painfully sick..And i think thats the theme. This song reminds me of when i crashed the family air-loom the kingswood. My parents screamed and screamed at me. Until I started moshing to the sound of the screams it made me want to crash more cars or set the house on fire. It was my way of buying front row tickets to the best show in town>. Cool song men…8.9
Is this the Shinolanized mimicry of Pete Wells’ Guy’s American Kitchen & Bar review? Is this a shameless aping of style or some more pointed parallel irony? Is this original? Is this an honest way to write?
So many questions, one answer. RGM has the highest percentage of the watch made in America. I believe they’re the only watch company in the US producing an in-house mechanical movement. The rest use movements from Japan China and Switzerland. Correct me if I’m wrong.
Shinola is ‘assembled’ here, but others in varying degrees from RGM which is basically 100% american made to others like Kobold, like Devon, Vortic, Keaton Myrick, Niall are pretty close to “Made in USA” through and through.
Made in America has a great potential. I came across a lot of quality stuff from the US…but watches? hmm never, not in Europe at least