Just some months once more, I wrote a piece arguing that American watch manufacturing won’t be coming again. To summarize, manufacturing has to do with scale greater than anything, and it’s not possible to scale up a brand new American watchmaking business as a consequence of lobbying, labor and know-how deficits, and a scarcity of actual demand. However American watchmaking, which is unencumbered by scale, much less impacted by lobbying, and has decrease threshold for demand, could be very a lot alive and nicely. It must be famous that American watchmaking and the watchmakers that outline it embody a broad spectrum of totality, from those that make a single element to those that attempt to make just about every little thing in-house. 1776 Atelier is a brand new American model that sits someplace within the center, and the 1776 Atelier Mount Vernon serves because the entry level for the model, combining outsourced German elements with in-house ending for an attractive watch at an unbelievable value beneath $3,000.
It might be worthwhile to offer an explanatory preface relating to what it means to be an American model (or a model alleging any nationwide affiliation). Some might argue that an American model must do issues in America, and whereas that could be the perfect, the truth is that there are lots of, if not hundreds, of manufacturers which might be American that don’t do every little thing (or something) in the USA. You gained’t discover a automobile from Ford that’s totally made within the USA. You gained’t discover many Levis which might be made in America. And each Apple product will inform you it’s designed in Cupertino, however none are made there (or anyplace close by). But, all of those corporations are undeniably American. Being an American Firm begins with location and exists on a spectrum that goes from outsourcing every little thing to doing every little thing in-house. With regards to watches, in my opinion, I feel high quality is extra necessary than origin, and with the 1776 Atelier Mount Vernon, I discovered the steadiness was struck between outsourcing some elements and producing or altering others in-house to realize the best high quality attainable at this value level.
Let’s begin with the case. Measuring 40.5mm throughout and 11.8mm thick with its domed sapphire crystal, the totally polished case is produced in Germany by a producer that produces for some very high-end manufacturers. The watch wore nicely on my 7-inch wrist, although with dressier watches, I’m used to barely slimmer profiles. The lugs function what I’ll name “toes,” small descensions that protrude from the underside of the in any other case straight design. I do want the case was a bit extra dynamic and had sharper edges. Totally polished watches are liable to tender transitions; this may be resolved by utilizing contrasting finishes on totally different surfaces, which is the commonest strategy, or by making the angles between the surfaces extra outlined.
One of many results of an attractive dial, although, is that you simply change into extra forgiving of different elements of a watch that could be shy of good; I didn’t thoughts one bit the bigger measurement of this case or it’s edges or ending as a result of I used to be often too busy staring on the dial to note. On the wrist, you don’t take note of the case until the case does one thing particular. When it serves as the inspiration for a foremost attraction dial, it’s simply a part of the background.
The watch is accomplished with a branded pull-out crown (it has 30 meters of water resistance) and a 20mm quick-release strap that is made within the USA. 1776 Atelier provides 11 totally different strap choices for the Mount Vernon, together with alligator, calf, ostrich, and lizard. This pattern got here with an apparent alternative of blue alligator with matching stitching. I discovered it to be snug, and regardless of being padded, it required no break-in in any respect. The straps are outfitted with a branded polished deployant buckle that struck me as generic however ample.
When the watch was on my wrist, I used to be totally captivated by the German-made dial and fingers. That is precisely what I would like in a dial: depth, texture, and steadiness. The utilized polished railroad chapter ring catches each bit of sunshine and a little bit of colour, too. After I seemed immediately on the watch, the chapter ring took on a copper tone because it mirrored my pores and skin tone; once I first noticed the watch, I believed for a second the ring itself had a copper end. It sits atop a textured outer disc that additionally holds the brushed, utilized Breguet numerals, which I feel we will all agree are essentially the most refined of watch numerals. Whereas this blue and silver-white dial pattern is gorgeous, the 1776 Atelier Mount Vernon can be obtainable in all-blue or salmon choices, although I discover the salmon to be a bit a lot and suppose the watch does finest with the distinction between the hour ring and the guilloché.
The central portion and the subsidiary seconds dial each function a really cleanly stamped guilloché. Even beneath macro, the engraving is well-defined, with no actual signal of mushy transitions. Reality be instructed, I don’t use a loupe to learn the time on my watches, so my customary — particularly at this value level — is what I see with my unaided eyes. The guilloché sections are demarcated and totally encircled by utilized brushed rings. The primary dial has a radiant scalloping sample that catches mild in a refined means, the troughs and ridges shifting barely. The small seconds includes a waffle sample akin to the Royal Oak sample, a kind of micro tapisserie.
There are two issues I’d prefer to nitpick in regards to the dial. The primary is the handset. Whereas the model is an ideal match, I felt they had been undersized. I by no means truly had bother studying the time, however I feel they may stand to be a bit wider tip-to-tail, in addition to barely extra dimensional. The opposite factor I don’t love is the “Atelier” within the model textual content at 12 o’clock, which, to my eye, clutters the badge, and the stylized “1776” could be extra impactful with out. To its credit score, I discussed each of those to the model and was instructed that it’s actively contemplating alternate options in each instances.
A lot of the in-house work performed by 1776 Atelier is targeted on the handwound motion. The 1776 Atelier Caliber 621.1788 is predicated on the ETA/Unitas 6498, working at 21,6000 vph with a 53-hour energy reserve. What does it imply that it’s “based mostly” on the 6498? The model’s purpose was to make use of a basic motion structure as a basis whereas utilizing as many proprietary US-made elements as attainable. The primary plate, 3/4 bridge, and steadiness bridge are all distinctive to 1776 Atelier and made within the USA. The truth is, the principle plate has been made narrower than a typical 6498 to permit it to suit the 40.5mm case (these accustomed to 6498-equipped watches will know they’re often 42mm or above). The jewels, hairspring and steadiness, and 18k rose gold-plated gear practice are all Swiss. To preface all the small print in regards to the motion’s ending, I’ll say that I don’t routinely ogle actions, however I discovered myself admiring this one for a bit each time I placed on and took off the watch. I knew the motion had as a lot if no more to supply than the dial, and I needed to get pleasure from it.
What’s extra spectacular than the proprietary elements is the ending performed on the motion. There are three ranges of ending obtainable, with the one proven right here being essentially the most primary. The engraving on all of the bridges is completed by hand, as is the perlage on the principle plate and the polished anglage all through. Up shut, you may see this isn’t the identical stage of ending you’d see from masters like Philippe Dufour or J.N. Shapiro, however neither is the worth. For beneath $3,000, that is spectacular hand ending, and similar to with the dial, is unimpeachably stunning when noticed casually with the unaided eye.
The customized ending on the crown and ratchet wheels is completed with laser engraving, with the 13 stars on the crown wheel representing the unique 13 colonies. Lastly, black rhodium plating is utilized to the bridges and foremost plate, whereas different elements are rose gold-plated, together with the mainspring barrel seen by way of a cutout above the ratchet wheel (you’ll additionally use a blade-style click on spring, which permits for a smoother however nonetheless tactile winding expertise). However this is only one execution — the model provides totally different plating choices, chamfering and black sprucing of the screws, double snailing of the ratchet and crown wheels, and customized engraving of the bridges.
I stated up prime that the 1776 Atelier Mount Vernon is an attractive watch at an unbelievable value. That’s true, however to get to the sub-$3k pricing, there are small sacrifices made: the fully-polished case transitions, the simply okay clasp, the stamped dial. All these issues are nonetheless, objectively, very nicely performed and engaging — I didn’t discover myself dissatisfied or turned off by any of the issues I’ve criticized. Quite the opposite, I felt your complete bundle was cohesive, and my expertise on the wrist was wholly optimistic. The Mount Vernon provides the identical as watches that value 3 times as a lot or extra, with none significant sacrifice, all whereas championing what it could of American watchmaking. Pricing for the 1776 Atelier Mount Vernon relies on the dial and ending choices chosen, beginning at $2,900 USD. For extra data, please go to the 1776 Atelier website.
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