Best 7 American Watch Brands

The American watch industry has a rich history of innovation, resilience, and a commitment to quality craftsmanship. While the American watch industry is far from what it used to be, some companies carry that legacy forward, pushing for a revival.

To get an American-made label, a product must meet the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) “Made in the USA” policy, which stipulates that “all or virtually all” of the product’s materials and labor must be domestic. This includes all significant parts, processing, and labor.

To be clear, while the brands below are American, some watches they sell may not meet the “Made in the USA” criteria. However, some certainly do. That said, let’s explore the best American watch brands, each with a unique story, style, and offering.

Timex
Typical price range: $50 to $300
Watch types: Quartz, automatic winding, manual winding

Few brands capture the essence of American watches as effectively as Timex. Established in 1854 in Waterbury, Connecticut, Timex has built its reputation on crafting durable, reliable, and affordable timepieces. At one point, the company’s famous slogan was “It takes a licking and keeps on ticking,” underlining the durability and robustness of its watches.

Although many Timex watches are now made in the Philippines and use Japanese movements, Timex is still considered a top American watch brand. Iconic models like the Timex Marlin, Q Timex, and Timex Weekender remain fan favorites, and it’s the company’s loyalty to affordable prices and stylish designs that have resulted in its popularity.

Shinola
Typical price range: $395 to $3,995
Watch types: Quartz, automatic winding, manual winding

Shinola has become a symbol of Detroit’s industrial revival, bringing watchmaking back to the Motor City. Founded in 2011, the brand focuses on high-quality components and timeless American design. Shinola’s Runwell collection is a prime example of its dedication to enduring aesthetics and precision assembly.

Beyond crafting watches, the company invests in local jobs and manufacturing, embodying a commitment to revitalizing its community. While Shinola was embroiled in controversy in 2016 with the FTC regarding its “Built in Detroit” claims (the company uses watch parts from around the world), again, it’s hard to deny the American-ness of the brand itself.

Weiss Watch Company
Typical price range: $2,400 to $4,000
Watch types: Automatic winding, manual winding

Based in Los Angeles, Weiss Watch Company was founded by Cameron Weiss, a certified watchmaker who hand-assembles every timepiece. Weiss watches, like the Standard Issue Field Watch, are known for their rugged, utilitarian designs and use of high-grade materials.

While the company is best known for its American-made field watches, Weiss also offers diving watches. By emphasizing American-made components, Weiss stands as a leader in the resurgence of domestic watchmaking. Weiss watches are made in the U.S.A. and the company is recognized as a leader in today’s American watch brand space.

RGM Watch Co.
Typical price range: $3,250 to $90,000+
Watch types: Automatic winding, manual winding

RGM Watch Co., based in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, is one of the few American brands producing in-house mechanical movements. Established in 1992 by American watchmaker Roland G. Murphy, the company balances traditional techniques using antique hand-operated tools with innovations permitted by automated machines to make its luxury watches.

RGM’s collection, which includes dress watches, complicated timepieces, dive watches, chronographs, and much more, offers both in-house-made movements as well as modified Swiss-made movements. Along with catalog pieces, such as the Caliber 801 models, RGM Watch Co. also manufactures bespoke timepieces and operates a restoration workshop.

Vortic Watch Company & Colorado Watch Company
Vortic typical price range: $3,000 to $6,000
Colorado typical price range: $1,100 to $1,900

Vortic Watch Company specializes in breathing new life into vintage American pocket watches. Founded by R.T. Custer and Tyler Wolfe in 2013 and based in Fort Collins, Colorado, the brand repurposes vintage and antique pocket watches from the likes of Hamilton, Waltham, and Elgin, transforming them into one-of-a-kind wristwatches. Due to the nature of how these pocket watch conversions are made, these are truly one-of-one pieces.

A few years back, the duo launched a spin-off brand called the Colorado Watch Company with the goal to make from-scratch American-made watches at scale. The automatic movements that power the watches are supplied by Fine Timepiece Solutions, which does source pieces internationally but assembles them in Arizona. The Colorado Watch Company currently offers the Field Watch and GTC (a.k.a Greenwich Civil Time, used by the US Army from 1924 to 1952) models with plans for much more in the future.

Autodromo
Typical price range: $475 to $1,800
Watch types: Quartz, automatic winding, manual winding

For automotive enthusiasts, Autodromo — founded in New York by industrial designer Bradley Price in 2011 — offers timepieces rooted in vintage racing aesthetics. Its various collections pay homage to different eras of motoring.

For instance, the Vallelunga is a nod to the racing tachometers of the late 1960s, the Prototipo Chronograph offers a seventies vibe, the Group B collection is inspired by rally cars of the 1980s, and Group C digital watches pay tribute to endurance cars of the same era. While designed in Brooklyn, Autodromo watches are assembled in Hong Kong and powered by Japanese Miyota movements.

Abingdon Co.
Typical price range: $499 and $975
Watch types: Quartz, automatic winding

The Abingdon Co., founded in 2007 by pilot Abingdon Mullin, is an American watch brand with a mission to create functional, durable timepieces designed for women. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, the company specializes in watches tailored for aviation, scuba diving, and other demanding activities. Some of the company’s models include the Amelia pilot watch, the Marina dive watch, and the Jackie chronograph, packed with features tailored to women in traditionally male-dominated industries.

Abingdon watches are designed and assembled in Las Vegas, but the company sources parts from around the world. Some of its movements are supplied by the aforementioned Arizona-based Fine Timepiece Solutions.

Whether American-made, American-designed, or American-based, these top American watch brands showcase the diversity and creativity of the U.S. watch space. Perhaps we’ll one day see a new golden era of American watchmaking — similar to the past. Which of these brands caught your eye? Do you already own an American watch, or is there one you’re hoping to add to your collection? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!