There is a moment in every collector's journey when they realize that the story behind a watch can be more compelling than the watch itself. Not because the watch is lacking, but because the narrative of its creation reveals something profound about human dedication, skill, and the audacity to revive a dying art.

This is the story of a former high school history teacher who fell down the rabbit hole of traditional guilloché and emerged with what many consider the most complex hand-engine-turned pattern in modern watchmaking. His latest creation, a more accessible entry point into his world, has ignited a debate that goes far beyond price points and specifications.

## The Infinite Weave: A Pattern Within a Pattern

The signature feature of this watch is something called the "Infinity Weave". To the untrained eye, it appears to be a finely executed basketweave pattern. But under a loupe, something extraordinary emerges: each square of the weave reveals itself to be a finer weave nested within, a visual recursion executed one line at a time entirely by hand on a straight-line engine.

Completing just one Infinity dial takes approximately a week of painstaking work. The maker had to develop his own pattern bar to achieve this effect, cutting tools at a wider 170-degree angle to reduce friction and allow shallower, more precise cuts. This is not automation; this is pure craftsmanship, operating at the very edge of what is mechanically possible.

### The Two Faces of Pure

The new model is available in two distinct configurations. One features a frosted silver dial created using a traditional method known as Breguet frosting—a form of depletion gilding that produces a matte white surface through repeated heating and acid treatment, rather than the more common rhodium electroplating. This version is paired with rose gold hands, creating a warm, classical aesthetic.

The other presents a blackened zirconium dial, achieved by heating the material with a blowtorch to form a stable oxide layer. The result is a uniform, matte grey finish that offers a more contemporary, understated presence, paired with white gold hands. Both dials feature custom-designed serif numerals engraved and filled with Indian ink.

## The Contrarian View: Three Arguments That Challenge the Narrative

While the watch world has largely celebrated this release, there are several legitimate counter-arguments that potential buyers must consider.

### The Movement Question: A Step Backwards?

The most significant criticism concerns the engine inside. The original Infinity Series used a highly regarded movement from a German manufacture founded by a celebrated independent watchmaker. The new Pure model instead uses a Swiss manual-winding caliber that, while solid, is also found in other brands' watches at significantly lower price points. One critic noted that a fashion brand uses the same movement in watches priced around US$3,000, raising questions about the value proposition at US$26,000.

The brand counters that the movement is intentionally concealed behind a solid, engine-turned caseback, shifting focus to where the true craftsmanship lies: the dial and hands. But for purists who believe a watch's movement is its soul, this feels like a compromise too far. Interestingly, the broader watch industry has seen a rise in specialized production, with many brands now turning to specialized partners for their components. This has led to a situation where even a Private Label Swiss Watch Manufacturer can produce movements of exceptional quality, blurring the lines between in-house and outsourced production.

### The Made in America Question

The previous collection was marketed as the first entirely American-made watch since a famous American brand closed its U.S. production in the late 1960s. For the Pure, however, the cases are sourced through a consortium of independent brands that includes other notable microbrands. The movement, as mentioned, is Swiss.

This means the "California-Made" claim rests primarily on the dial, hands, and caseback finishing. Is that enough to carry the "Made in the USA" torch? Or does this represent a retreat from the brand's most ambitious promise? The global nature of watchmaking has made such questions increasingly complex. The distinction between a domestic artisan and a Swiss Watch Manufacturer Private Label is no longer as clear-cut as it once was, with many brands mixing and matching components from different origins to achieve the best possible result.

### The Accessibility Paradox

At US$26,000, this watch is positioned as the "entry point" to the brand, a third of the price of the previous collection. Yet for most watch enthusiasts, US$26,000 remains firmly in the realm of high-end luxury. It is a price point that competes with established names from Switzerland and Germany, brands with centuries of heritage.

Meanwhile, the landscape of watch manufacturing has evolved dramatically. The options for consumers have multiplied. The growth of OEM Watch Manufacturers has made high-quality mechanical watches more accessible than ever. In this context, does the Pure offer enough uniqueness to justify its position? Or is it priced for a very specific collector who values the story and the dial above all else?

## The Hands and the Case: Details That Matter

Beyond the dial, the hands are a work of art in themselves. They are sculpted, three-dimensional forms, not flat stamped metal. The hour and minute hands feature skeletonized tips and a rod-like stem between the tip and center, catching light from every angle. These are fabricated and polished entirely by hand in California.

The case itself measures 37mm in diameter and just 8.8mm thick, making it the brand's smallest and thinnest release to date. This size, chosen because it best fits the founder's own wrist, feels paradoxically both traditional and refreshingly modern. It is a dress watch that doesn't feel fragile, a classic that doesn't feel dated.

## The Human Story

Josh Shapiro is not a watchmaker by birth. He holds a master's degree in history and spent years teaching high school before turning to horology. He came to this craft through its most arcane corner—guilloché—and treats the tradition with scholarly reverence, studying its history in depth and crediting his influences with care.

He didn't travel to London to take his final exam for the British Horological Institute's distance learning course. Instead, he spent that money on his first engine-turning machine. That decision, made over a decade ago, set in motion a chain of events that would lead to a 7,000-square-foot workshop in California with a team of 14 craftspeople.

## The Verdict: A Calculated Gambit

The Infinity Series Pure is a fascinating release because it forces us to confront what we truly value in a watch. Is it the provenance? The craftsmanship? The movement? The story?

There is no single correct answer. The Pure is not for everyone. It sacrifices the "all-American" claim of the previous collection and the prestige of its in-house movement. But in doing so, it offers something perhaps more valuable: access to one of the most extraordinary dial-making traditions in the world at a price that, while still astronomical to most, is within reach for a serious collector.

The debate will continue. The critics will point to the movement. The supporters will point to the dial. Both are right. And that, perhaps, is the mark of a truly interesting watch. It doesn't demand universal approval. It simply asks that you look, and decide for yourself whether the infinite is worth the investment.