I am of course referring to the wealth of Amish that live out there.It is an interesting framework for watch *** in general. While new inventions and innovations are regularly announced from around the world, it is at its heart, a super retro industry. So for ultra developed America (relatively speaking) to finally come out with a complication it could have mastered a long time ago if it put effort in it is rather ironic. It speaks about our efficient and practical minds as Americans (before you go on a rant just think about it and how we have more or less rejected a lot of the "why do they do that" traditions of other countries"). This mentality often results in shunning fancy artisan work on a mass level like tourbillon movements that are more or less made solely for the sake of beauty, complexity, and tradition. A tradition that America has lost long ago, and is slowly regaining in certain communities.The RGM Pennsylvania Tourbillon Calibre MM 2 movement is based on the RGM Calibre 801 (which itself borrows design elements from classic American made pocket watches - think prior to 1900). As a tourbillon the movement is lovely in design and decoration. RGM has created over the last several years a bona fide classic watch makers workshop. Though only recently has the brand been very interested in being serious movement makers.
OK, so before you begin reading this I need you to start the above video of a choir rendition of "America the Beautiful." The video has some cheesy imagery of course, but interestingly sums up my swelling patriotic pride in America's first made (and designed) tourbillon movement. It is no surprise that this comes straight from Pennsylvania at RGM. The brand recently announced America's first made and designed watch movement (in a long time), and now its very first tourbillon. Hailing from Lancaster county, it is funny how this innovation in the American watch industry stems from a place where much of its population is living in the past.
