Inside 1776 Atelier: Jason Lu and Zach Smith on American Watchmaking

Introduction

As the United States marked its 250th anniversary, American watchmaker 1776 Atelier introduced the Liberty 250, a timepiece that boldly claims to be over 90% manufactured on US soil. This ambitious creation not only celebrates a national milestone but also highlights the formidable challenges of producing a complicated mechanical watch without a robust domestic supply chain. The heart of the Liberty 250, the HP 917 movement, is a testament to relentless iteration, featuring newly fabricated components, a free-sprung balance, and an exceptionally refined finishing regime.

We sat down with co-founders Jason Lu and Zach Smith to delve into the 90% figure, the hurdles of US-based manufacturing, and what the Liberty 250 signifies for both the brand and the broader American watchmaking landscape. The following conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Why Build a Watch Company in the US?

Brandon Moore: What prompted you to start a watch company in the United States, despite the limited domestic supplier network and higher costs?

Jason Lu: This is where we live and where we wanted to build. The US has a rich history of ingenuity, and American watchmaking has a proud heritage. Just because much of the old infrastructure is gone doesn't mean it can't be reborn in a new form. Yes, there are challenges—limited suppliers, higher costs, and the need to develop many capabilities ourselves. We embraced this from the start. Manufacturing here is a core part of our story, and there's something compelling about being the underdog.

However, I never want anyone to buy our watches out of pity or to support American watchmaking despite a perceived compromise. If you think the watch is second-best, don't buy it. It must stand on its own merits, regardless of origin. Zach and I never set out to create watches that scream 'American.' Being American, some of that naturally influences our work. The Liberty 250 commemorates an American milestone, with subtle nods to US symbolism in its design, but the watchmaking itself adheres to traditional techniques respected worldwide—anglage, black polishing, engraving, and hand-finishing all belong to a universal horological tradition.

Rebuilding an Industry or Crafting Individual Timepieces?

Brandon Moore: Is your goal to make distinctly American watches, or to help rebuild a broader American watchmaking industry?

Jason Lu: I wouldn't say we're rebuilding an industry. No single independent brand, or even a handful, can do that alone. Watchmaking relies on a vast ecosystem—movement designers, machinists, finishers, toolmakers, case and dial makers, component suppliers, and educators. A few small companies can't recreate all that.

Look at established centers like Switzerland, Glashütte, and Japan. They have large brands and small independents, industrial manufacturers and high-end finishing specialists, plus an entire network of suppliers and schools. The capability is distributed across the whole network. Independent watchmaking is just one piece. Our contribution is to demonstrate that this level of capability can exist in the US. We hope others see that, develop their own skills, and build something from there.

The 90% Claim: How It's Calculated

Brandon Moore: You describe the Liberty 250 as 'more than 90% manufactured in-house from raw American materials.' How did you determine that figure?

Jason Lu: The 90% is not a lab-grade calculation but a fair estimate based on the actual substance of the movement and the amount of manufacturing we do in-house. There's no universal method for such a figure. Some use value-based tests, weight, or component count, but none are well-suited for watches—a main plate shouldn't be equated to a jewel or pin just because each counts as one component.

When you look at the movement as a whole, the structural parts, regulating components, wheels, screws, and supports are overwhelmingly made by us from raw material. On that basis, more than 90% is defensible. For the Liberty 250, we manufacture the wheels, pinions, balance wheel, crown wheel, ratchet wheel, main plate, bridges, screws, click spring, hairspring stud holder, and even the locating pins. Heat treatment is also done in-house. We could buy pre-treated blanks, but we prepare our own raw American brass and steel, giving us control from an earlier stage than typical for a small independent maker.

The hairspring material is sourced, but we form and bend it ourselves, so the final functional component is substantially our creation. What remains external is a short list: jewels, mainspring, raw hairspring material, sapphire crystal, and the solid-gold case, which is made for us in Germany.

Comparison with Earlier Models

Brandon Moore: How does the Liberty 250's domestic content compare with earlier 1776 Atelier watches like the Montpelier and Mount Vernon?

Jason Lu: The Liberty 250 has the highest American content and the most intensive finishing we've done. It has 222 internal angles and requires nearly 200 hours of hand-finishing per watch. The Montpelier was also highly finished with substantial US content—we made the main plate, bridges, screws, pins, dial, and hands here. The wheels and gear train were Swiss, but we reworked them extensively, including cutting and finishing the bevels. The balance wheel was Swiss. The case was from the same German maker, and the crystal was external.

The Mount Vernon took a different approach. We made the main plate, bridges, screws, and pins, while the gear train and balance were Swiss. Every movement component is decorated or finished by us. The case and crystal are Swiss, and the dial and hands are German. Final assembly, finishing, and regulation are done in the US. Most Mount Vernons feature fully hand-engraved movements, making métiers d'art central to its identity.

Regulatory Landscape and the Future

Brandon Moore: The FTC's 'all or virtually all' standard for 'Made in USA' claims seems stringent. Is there any indication of a percentage-based alternative?

Jason Lu: To my knowledge, the FTC shows no intention of moving to a percentage-based system. The trend is toward stricter enforcement, with civil penalties over ,000 per violation. Each separate label or claim can trigger additional fines, so we don't take this lightly. The rule is meant to stop companies from importing nearly complete products and slapping an American flag on them.

That makes sense, but it's an all-or-nothing standard, which is tough for an industry where the domestic supply chain has largely disappeared. Canada offers a tiered model that could be adapted: 'Product of Canada' requires 98% Canadian content, while 'Made in Canada' starts at 51% with substantial transformation there. I think 51% might be too low, but the structure is logical. The Liberty 250 would easily clear the lower threshold. If we were aiming for 98%, we'd likely make the case in the US too.

Such a framework could preserve a demanding top tier while giving emerging industries a path to rebuild. But for now, we operate within the current rules, and our 90% claim is qualified and transparent.

As we look ahead, 1776 Atelier remains committed to pushing the boundaries of American watchmaking. The Liberty 250 is not just a celebration of history but a statement of what's possible. We're proud to be part of a new chapter in American horology, and we hope our journey inspires others to join in.