Compelling is a word I do use often when it comes to independent watchmaking. The products and the people behind them both contribute to this. As one delves deeper, finding out who these amazing artisan watchmakers really are, what motivates them to create and why they produce these superb executions of micro-mechanical horological art, it grabs the heartstrings.
Recently, I began a conversation with a fellow, who I’d followed for a year or so on social media, observing and noting his direction, talents and general demeanor. His claim to fame in the horology field was mostly with big brands, graduating quickly from what Watchmakers know as the most prestigious complication school in Switzerland, WOSTEP school in Neuchatel. Then after owning a few private restoration service centers he went onto heading up Chopard complications atelier for North and South America, designing & teaching Chopard’s in-house complicated watchmaking courses to name a few. He also happens to be the former insane (in a good way!!!) lead guitarist and co-founding member of the multiple Grammy nominated heavy metal band Anthrax, so music, another extremely time sensitive exercise, is in his blood.
He looked and sounded like the part, so more observation ensued. It was only in the past 3 months or so, did I realize that he had the chops for and had in fact created a new caliber! Excited to see this, I hungrily absorbed each new revelation and my admiration gained steam. Having followed and worked with several other Haute Horlogerie or high end watchmaking independent watchmakers here in the USA, I was intrigued and excited for what appeared to be a unique watchmaker doing what no one had done here in my adopted country, for around 100yrs.
A wholly designed new caliber, that is being made in the USA by one guy, an American named Dan Spitz.
One can read up on his website about his childhood, which is where he got the horology bug, by being exposed to high end watches through his grandfather’s vintage watch and jewelry store in the Catskill Mountains of upstate NY. As an artist, he is compelled to do what he does at an extraordinary high level of passion. His skills have been honed over 40yrs and counts many of the current crop of artisan independent watchmakers as dear friends as Dan and most have all come out of the WOSTEP school in Neuchatel around the same time. He admires their skill, courage and passion to create what is not an easy life for themselves. There are many barriers in the traditional watch business, and being able to create his own caliber, from the ground up, as an original mechanical design in the US is a task not easily done, in fact, not since the pocket watch era has it been. Years of study and practice to hone his traditional watchmaking skills are only one part, additional years of school to learn how to program the Watchmaking specific CNC machine’s (he’s also built himself) together with the 3D CAD/CAM needed for producing small series of the worlds most precise parts, repeatedly, is a whole field of study unto itself. Dan has an impressive array of skills with which to practice and aim to perfect his craft.
Dan has spent years acquiring and restoring extremely rare precision Swiss ancient machines for the manufacture all by himself and spent the hours and money to acquire many traditional old school hand tools with which to deliver his craft. Unless one wants to only make a watch or two a year, at this high level of execution, with all the hand finishing that goes into it, a prototype CNC machine is required to produce the accuracy of parts necessary. This accuracy is what I’m told around -2 microns and +0 microns. It all takes time and for one person to master all these different disciplines is very, very rare.
From my perspective, there are perhaps less than 25 people on the planet with the skillset Dan has. When one considers all the tasks a Master has to accomplish in order to get to this place currently and be able to produce a handmade watch of this quality by himself. That speaks volumes to me as an observer specifically of the Independent Watchmaking field for over 20 yrs now.
I’m excited to announce that Dan & I have entered into an agreement whereby Independent in Time have agreed to represent his work here in the USA and aid in his sales by providing clients a person to talk to, answer questions and promote his work together with the other renowned Independent artisanal Watchmakers who I’ve been working with for years. I’m happy to support American Independent Watchmaking at this level and we look forward to expanding the scope of Dan’s work. In addition, I’m supporting (and I think we all should) him by helping to eventually bring in up to three USA traditionally trained watchmakers who want learn the production aspects of independence in America from a Master Watchmaker, and gain practical skills, while helping him produce the still tiny quantities he plans on.
His workshop with the myriad of tools and rare machines, will be available for use by these watchmakers “after hours” for their own projects and ultimately we want to create and help fund a scholarship like organization that aids these young and trained apprenticing watchmakers to gain the tools & equipment required to help USA independent watchmaking, and themselves get their micro mechanical art out there. Once they’ve gained the skills needed at Dan’s manufacture the plan is to help them further make sure there first timepieces get into the hands of collectors that would appreciate and support American Haute Horlogerie, at it’s highest form. Open source watchmaking is what he is about and Dan is keen to create a legacy for American watchmaking that he feels proud of with this next stage of his horological work.
Let’s not forget Dan’s new Libre’ Excentrique oil-less escapement is part of a 4 year research and development partnership with some of the planets finest Watchmakers who develop for some of the big brands. An open source escapement that will be available to these young Watchmakers to use, for free!
I look forward to working with Dan for many years to come and helping him forge this long forgotten path for American Watchmaking.
Cheers,
Tim