SJX Watches
In the Crosshairs: Dewey Vicknair’s Bespoke Retrograde Watch
Master gunsmith and independent watchmaker Dewey Vicknair returns with a bespoke retrograde hour wristwatch. The American craftsman is a self-taught watch restorer that recently started making timepieces of his own, using just basic tooling. His latest watch was commissioned by a client almost one year ago and the project was completed earlier this month. Initial thoughts There are relatively few artisanal watchmakers still active that limit their output to just a couple of pieces per year. Watchmaking at this scale is not a lucrative proposition, so most independent watchmakers today tend to build for some degree of expansion. This is not the case with Dewey Vicknair, a true artisan who starts with raw sheets of brass and steel and turns the metal into unique timepieces. Along with names like David E. Walter and Jacob Curtis, Dewey Vicknair is one of the few American artisan horologists. His latest delivery is a 39 mm Calatrava-style watch with a fully open-worked dial and endowed with a clever retrograde hour complication. Made at the request of an unnamed collector, the watch features a steel case and is powered by a movement of Mr Vicknair’s own making. The movement in the making. As it was the case with past creations, Mr. Vicknair put together an exhaustive photo essay of his work, which is a recommended read for anyone looking to understand the work required to build a watch from the ground up. Although the look of the watch might not be to everyone’s taste — ...
