1776 Atelier Liberty 250
1776 Atelier has launched the Liberty 250, a limited-edition watch celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States. The timepiece features a skeletonized, hand-decorated movement predominantly manufactured in-house from American-sourced materials, housed within an 18k rose gold case.
- Limited to 25 pieces
- Price: USD 44,000 excluding taxes
- 41mm 18k rose gold case
- 48-hour power reserve
- 50m water resistance
The Liberty 250's movement is based on the Unitas 6498 architecture but claims over 90% of parts are manufactured in-house, including the main plate, bridges, wheels, screws, and balance, from American-sourced brass and steel.
The movement features hand anglage, black polishing, solarisation grinding, hand engraving, thermal colouring, and hand-finished steelwork, with the openworked architecture resulting in 224 internal angles requiring over 200 hours of hand craftsmanship.
The watch has a two-piece layered dial with hand-finished bevels, satiné circulaire on upper surfaces, frosted recessed areas, and 62 hand-finished internal angles, finished in black rhodium.
Each watch is delivered in a handmade wooden presentation box incorporating a small piece of authenticated wood from a beam originally installed in Independence Hall in 1735.
The case is manufactured by RP Uhrgehäuse in Germany, featuring a polished top, brushed flanks, a concave bezel, and sapphire crystals on both sides.
The movement includes a free-sprung balance with four screws recessed into the balance rim, beating at 18,000 vibrations/hour.
The brand's founders, Jason Lu and Zach Smith, aim to restore the American watch industry through high-end, finely finished watches made in small quantities with an emphasis on traditional craftsmanship.
The movement's design includes a stud carrier resembling the "swan neck" regulator invented by George P. Reed.
