RGM 160M Review (Long Post)

[Terry Newton]

My RGM Watch just arrived today. For anyone who is not familiar with this brand it is made by Roland G. Murphy from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Here is a link to the website: http://www.rgmwatches.com. Here is the link and large picture of the watch I purchased: http://www.rgmwatches.com/160M.html.

It has the following features:

Functions: Hour, Minute, Seconds, Day, Date, Month, Moonphase, 24 Hour Indication, Chronograph with 30 minute & 12 hour register

Case: Stainless Steel / Sapphire Crystal and Sapphire Crystal Display Back (diameter 38.5mm/ thickness 13mm)

Dial: Solid Silver Engine-turned by hand (guilloche)

Strap: 20mm x 18mm with Stainless Steel Buckle Black Louisiana Alligator

Hands: Blued-steel with no Luminova

Price: $6,300.00 + $800.00 for an 18K White Gold Skeletonized Rotor

Movement: Valjoux 7751 , High quality Balance, Hairspring, Escapement, & Mainspring, Ball bearing rotor axle, Bridges & Plates have Perlage & Cote de Geneve finish, 26 jewels, Automatic winding

It fits real well though it is smaller in diameter than my SS Date Submariner and my TT GMT-Master II c. Being a chronograph it does sit up higher on the wrist due to the thickness of the movement.

Here are some pictures:

This is all of the goodies that arrived with the watch. It included an outer box, a plastic/wooden display box, a DVD on the RGM Watch Company, a warranty card, a 4X Loupe blue in color with RGM written on the side and in a plastic container, a brass tool to set the date, a RGM watch polishing cloth in a plastic envelope, an instruction booklet, a hang tag with RGM written on it, and the watch itself.

The warranty certificate

The 4X Loupe

The outer box

The beautiful watch box, black velvet lined, with RGM Stamped in gold inside the case

The warranty certificate, brass tool, watch polishing cloth

The RGM DVD

The front of the watch

Another picture of the front. Notice the moonphase

Last one. I'm not excited in any way, shape, or form

Resting on it's little pillow

The display back with the 18K white gold skeletonized rotor

Another display picture

Another display

The side of the case with the pushers

I love the watch so far. It is very elegant and classy looking. The rotor makes some noise when it is spinning as it has ball bearings to ride on. You can barely move the watch and watch the rotor spinning like there is no tomorrow. It is surprisingly smooth and fun to watch. It is better entertainment than TV. It will take some time before I can be fair about the timing though I trust the movement is world class being a Valljoux 7751. It shows genuine blued steel screws in the display which is the same blued steel used in the making of the hands. I had a choice to go with a Super Luminova dial and hands combination though I prefer the simple elegance of the blued steel hands. The date is an elegant hand pointing to an outer numbered dial with 1 - 31. The case is finely finished stainless steel which has been highly polished. The package also came with the latest issue of IWC Magazine which has an extensive article about the RGM Watch Company. I am hoping to get a chance at some time to go to Pennsylvania and have a tour of the company. In the mean time the DVD that was sent with the package is showing several of their finer watch makers and finishers completing fine watches.

If anyone has any questions about this fine timepiece, please let me know. It has been my pleasure to write my first watch review. Thanks for taking the time to look at this fine timepiece.

Terry Newton

[JJ Irani]

Bravo, Terry. What a superbly finished watch.....and those hands are something else!!

Your review compares with the best up there. Well written, pal. Kudos!!

[Incurable]

Just beautiful...

Only one thing missing... WRIST SHOT!!

[haakon59]

RGM is a great brand and I am happy that your watch seems to be working out well for you, congratulations.

[Letsgodiving]

That's a beauty. Great looking movement. I love their diver also. Congrats.

[DSJ]

WOW Terry! A gorgeous watch and a fantastic review with nice pictures! I'll have to see that baby when we get together some day. It is similar to Mort's Longines he reviewed a couple days ago, but with higher finishing, IMO. Nice to be supporting an American made watchmaker too! Thank you so much for sharing!

[Jedi]

Congrats Terry! The case is very beautiful, and the bezel to main case interfaces are very well executed.

Now, a question about the calendar function... is that an Annual Calendar complication? Ie. automatic jump from 30th to 1st if month in question does not have 31 days? February excepted...

[Terry Newton]

Nope. That would be a perpetual calendar feature and would add a fortune to the price of the watch. That is an extremely big complication to add to a watch. Glad you liked it. I am a faithful fan now.

Terry Newton

[Jedi]

Annual Calendar (generally):

- has month and date, no day
- jumps automatically from 30th to 1st when there is no 31st
- February has to be set manually

Perpetual Calendar:

- has month, day and date
- does it all automatically, mechanically programmed to a set number of years (limited by mechanical cams)
- usually February needs to be re-set manually, except in very few examples

All we need do now is wait for RGM's in-house movement to be cased up!

Wrist shot please Terry!!

[Terry Newton]

Hi Lee:

You are excellent in your posting of the difference of the annual vs. the perpetual calendar. I get confused about the distinction. I do not believe it has the annual feature. If I did not post it above in my review, it ain't there as I was pretty thorough.

I am really excited about their in-house movement. The fit and finish of their workmanship is incredible. So far it seems slated to be a manual wind movement but it is beautifully done. I've been looking at the one they are posting on their site and drooling. I don't think I can afford anymore watches for now. I am at my spending limit though there are so many that I would like to add to the collection.

You have an amazing collection. That F.P. Journe is incredible.

We seem to be suffering from quality control issues in this country. We are getting to be such a throw away society anymore that it makes it easy to spot quality as it is the exception rather than the norm. Our vehicles are a perfect example of this. I live in the state where the Big Three auto makers are and we are suffering from a greater recession than the rest of the country. The auto plants have lost thousands and thousands of workers which has had a trickle down effect for the rest of the state.

Thanks again for looking at my watch. I value your opinion.

Terry Newton

[Rockrolex]

Terry, that is one gorgeous watch. In another thread I said no watch so far this year has tickled my fancy enough to get out the plastic. This one could be the one that does it.

I love the complications and the dial and hands are beautiful. Of course the inside is nothing to sneeze at either. But then, I don't wear my watches with the back side up, so I would hardly notice it.

Enjoy that puppy in good health.

[Jedi]

Terry, you're very welcome. It took me several tries before I worked out the whole calendar thingy!

The current issue, April 2008 of International Watch has more info on the RGM movement. Just picked up the issue today, it was delayed because of Basel and SIHH embargoes.

RE: Economy, I think RGM in a small way is showing how good American craftsmanship can be, and while I say this without having seen an RGM in the flesh, I've ridden a couple of Harley's and old F150s and am still wearing a pair of 501s from the 80s (while they were still made in the US!!) to know that it's one thing Americans can get right... quality. Hopefully this is a trickle upstream.

And Rock, with an exhibition case back, it's something to enjoy, for me anyways, at the end of the day, with a glass of something nice, and some quality time with one's treasued timepiece!

[Terry Newton]

O.K. You talked me in to the wrist shot. I also am throwing in another glance at the exhibition back. I am old and my hands are not as steady as in my youth. I need to get a tripod as I discarded many pictures that were so blurry one could barely discern that it was a watch being photographed. Here goes:







I love the moon phase. I also left the timer running to make it look like the seconds hand. The dial on the left has the seconds counter and the 24 hour indicator.

Thanks again for looking at my review.

Terry Newton

[Incurable]

Looks great on the wrist. Talk about 'eye-candy'. I love the solid silver, guilloche/engine turned dial. It would appear the shorter hand on the 9 o'clock sub-dial is the seconds and the longer the 24 hr. counter. The 160 has all the complications a person could want all rolled up in a classic, attractively designed and detailed package. Kudo's to RGM and to you for choosing them.

[Mort]

Hi Terry,

That was a great review, and a beautiful watch.
Wear it in good health.

[AZ Ferrari Man]

Spectacular.

[Andad]

Hi Terry,

Good work and excellent pix.

[meloncap78]

That is one beautiful piece of work Terry!! The dial is stunning and the movement......no words.

[boa2]

I'm sure you will enjoy it for many years. RGM is a real treasure.

[Terry Newton]

Gee All. I just realized I did something stupid and got rid of some pictures in photobucket that were inferior and realized I destroyed my review. I will post the pictures here. There are a couple of wrist shots and some of the back of the movement.











Hopefully this clears up my dumb mistake. These are better pictures anyway.

Terry Newton

[DSJ]

Gorgeous. Can I assume it's back now?

[Terry Newton]

Originally Posted by DSJ

Gorgeous. Can I assume it's back now?

Yup. Although I'm bummed as I wrecked my original review. Now it has a bunch of holes where the pictures used to be. Anyway, like I said, these new ones are better pictures than what I did earlier.

I'm not the greatest photographer anymore. I bought a nice Leica digital about four years ago and have hardly played with it.

Terry Newton

[Jedi]

Terry, are you considering getting the totally in-house built RGM??

[Terry Newton]

Originally Posted by Jedi

Terry, are you considering getting the totally in-house built RGM??

Yes. It's awesome looking and a beautiful watch if customized a little better.

Terry Newton

[oneillba]

Terry, what an outstanding watch. I could see how a person could get lost in watching the action and all the finely turned pieces. Don't wear it while you are driving is my only advice. Great review to boot. Wear it in good health!

[mickeydainish]

Nice one Terry..... Tx for the review.... gr8 pics too....:-)

[vman]

Awesome watches. I know that one of my future purchases will come from those guys.

[topcat30093]

Terry
Congratulations on your new timepiece.
Its a lovely looking watch, I have never heard of them before.

[gmt master x]

Terry, congrats, thats a beauty, looks great on your wrist.