Hands-On With The Charming RGM Model 222-RR

Sometimes, a watch that lands on my desk ends up being markedly different from the standard fare. It didn’t take me long to realize that the RGM Model 222-RR was one of them. This watch takes inspiration from some of the great American railroad stories from the early 20th century, which instantly makes the Model 222-RR interesting. Given that RGM has made a name for itself as one of the most important American watch brands, I was more than happy to wear this Model 222-RR for a few days, and it took me back to simpler times. As it turns out, that was just what I needed.

In all honesty, I generally do not pay too much attention to railroad watches. While they have a great history, their style is not typically up my alley. That said, I do greatly enjoy the stories that often accompany these classically styled timepieces. This RGM Model 222-RR certainly has an interesting story behind it. It comes with a Ferguson-style enamel dial and a classic pocket watch caliber inside. Add the tilted layout, and there is plenty of visual brilliance to adore. The watch also tells the fascinating tale of the American railroads of the early 1920s, and if there’s one thing I love, it is a great historical story.

Breaking down in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

If you are a regular reader of Fratello, you might have read about RGM Watch Co. The brand, founded by Roland G. Murphy, operates out of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the traditional heart of American watchmaking. Whenever I think of that area, I always remember a six-week road trip I took back in 2011 to explore the East Coast of the United States. It was truly a trip of a lifetime, with a little hiccup in Gordonville, just outside of Lancaster. Our Chevrolet Traverse broke down in the Motel 6 parking lot, so we had to get a replacement car to continue our journey.

Just outside the motel, a billboard highlighted Lancaster’s special place in watchmaking history. While being stranded wasn’t necessarily the best memory of the trip, remembering that billboard and the realization of where I was always makes me smile. Little did I know back then that five years later, I would pursue a career in writing about watches. Among them are timepieces by the brands from that area, including RGM Watch Co.

The story of the RGM Model 222-RR

Roland G. Murphy founded RGM in 1992. Over the past three decades, this independent brand has gained a reputation for creating great timepieces powered by vintage calibers, crafted with great attention to detail, and linked to stories from history. Because Murphy often uses movements designed for pocket watches, RGM’s offerings are usually quite large. While this Model 222-RR looks pretty large, it isn’t necessarily oversized by modern standards. Thankfully, it also nicely embodies the classic railroad style.

Let’s focus on the historical context as we go through the details. First, the Model 222-RR features a classic 41mm round-shaped stainless steel case with a 12mm thickness, a 52mm lug-to-lug, and a 50m water resistance rating. The substantial length is due to the traditionally styled long lugs. These hold a 22mm-wide strap, which suits the watch well. It ensures a nice visual balance with the case and dial. Of course, the dimensions are substantial, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well the watch fit my 18.5cm (7.3″) wrist. Additionally, a traditional railroad watch can be bigger in today’s context, which is why it didn’t look strange on the smaller wrists of other Fratello team members.

The brilliant Ferguson-style dial

Inside the fully polished case is a Ferguson-style dial. It is one of the most well-known aftermarket dials, originally patented by Louis Buck Ferguson in 1908. After obtaining the patent, Ferguson began selling these dials to railroad companies. Three years after patenting the dial, he had done enough successful market tests to jump off the deep end and start the Ferguson Dial Company in Monroe, Louisiana.

The first dials were actually created for Ferguson by the famous O’Hara Dial Company in Waltham, Massachusetts. As you might know, Waltham is another pivotal city in the history of American watchmaking. Before settling on the final design, Ferguson tried out many executions of a similar idea. The final design, known as the Ferguson-style dial, features large numerals marking every five minutes and an inner ring of smaller hour numerals.

Because of this unusual layout, every dial needed a set of custom hands. To match the position of the numerals, the hour hand would be significantly shorter, whereas the minute hand would have a standard length. To make things even clearer visually, the hour hand would be painted red to match the red hour numerals.

The details of the dial and the pocket watch caliber

For the Model 222-RR, RGM created a white Grand Feu enamel dial inspired by the classic Ferguson style. This dial features a minute track on its periphery, with large black minute numerals placed inside. Indicating the minutes is a large, blued-steel hand that looks quite majestic. The hour numerals sit inside a razor-thin black circle, adding a nice bit of detail. Lastly, there is a small seconds indicator at 6 o’clock.

But one glance at the small seconds is also a reminder that the dial is tilted 45 degrees. The rotated dial and resulting 1:30 crown position are more details that refer to early 20th-century timepieces. We know this style from classic driver’s watches as well. The first that comes to mind is the Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921, which I adore, especially the stunning platinum version. Additionally, as you will surely know, the rotated dial makes reading the time very easy when the watch is on the left wrist. For this RGM Model 222-RR, it is a nice design twist that harks back to the history of American watchmaking.

The vintage Hamilton pocket watch caliber

Inside the stainless steel case, RGM uses a Hamilton 10-size pocket watch movement. RGM was the first brand to use these in wristwatches. The vintage movements are completely rebuilt from the ground up, ensuring all parts are in optimal condition. This includes replacing the old mainspring with a modern one made specifically for this movement. All the steel parts of the caliber are polished by hand on a tin block to look better than in their original condition. Additionally, one watchmaker reassembles and adjusts the caliber to make sure it runs smoothly.

RGM uses both the 921 and 923 calibers for the Model 222-RR. The first was made in large numbers and has 21 jewels, but the 23-jewel version is much rarer, with only 4,000 examples ever produced. Both manual-winding movements operate at 18,000 vibrations per hour and offer a 45-hour power reserve. The watch I tried featured the 923 caliber, containing beautiful blued screws and circular damaskeening (the American term for Geneva stripes). This finish makes the vintage caliber look beautiful, and it is a joy to behold through the case back’s sapphire display.

Wearing the RGM Model 222-RR

Brushing up on the history of railroad watches, reading the specific backstory of the RGM Model 222-RR, and then putting it on the wrist evokes a different feeling than most other watches. Knowing the backstory brings this piece to life in a completely different way than just judging the product itself. In terms of wearability, the 41mm case fits my wrist like a glove. Its size and substantial lug-to-lug turned out to be perfect for my 18.5cm wrist. The sturdy leather strap with contrasting stitching helps a lot in this regard. It ensures the watch sits firmly on the wrist while still offering great comfort. A nice detail is the steel pin buckle, which, like the dial, features tastefully sized RGM branding.

Somewhat surprisingly, I quickly felt very comfortable reading the time on the rotated dial. I found it to be quite natural, especially with both hands on my laptop keyboard for most of the day. With the watch on the wrist, I also got a great feel for the beautiful enamel dial. It looks crisp and feels relevant while telling that early 20th-century story of the great railroad watches. Not only did it make me love the watch even more, but it also triggered me to start reading about American railroads and how they played a big role in exploration and the economic development of the West.

Final thoughts on the RGM Model 222-RR

I also thoroughly enjoyed seeing the vintage caliber in action through the case back. The large sapphire display allowed me to explore every detail of this nicely improved and reassembled caliber, which is a huge part of the watch’s great appeal. Overall, I had great fun wearing this beautiful RGM Model 222-RR for a few days. It was a nice break from the usual watches we review at Fratello, and it felt like a proper breath of fresh air. Additionally, it inspired me to read more about classic American railroad watches.

But most of all, this RGM Model 222-RR is a very well-made piece that shows the power of storytelling and great, traditional watchmaking. From examining the individual components to the feeling of winding the caliber with the large onion-style crown and then wearing it, it’s a proper experience. That made my time with the watch much more meaningful, and I can only compliment RGM for making it happen. As mentioned, the RGM Model 222-RR is available with two movements via RGM’s official website. The version with the 921 caliber sells for US$8,950, while the version powered by the 923, when available, costs US$10,950. What you get in return is a wonderful timepiece that taps into compelling historical stories. In the end, that is exactly what I want my watches to do.

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