When Pennsylvania-based Martin Guitars decided to do something special for its two-millionth guitar, they reached out to RGM watches, based in Mount Joy, PA.

“I approached Martin Guitars about doing guilloche work for them a few years before this project, and while that never went anywhere, they remembered me,” says RGM’s founder Roland Murphy. “They are one of the biggest names in guitars and they are also a PA company, so it just seemed a good fit. Working on the project that commemorated their two-millionth guitar, the guitar that will be displayed in the Martin Museum, was an important opportunity, and we had a great time working on something where no compromises would be made.”

There are two different models on which RGM collaborated. The two-millionth guitar has a specially-adapted RGM Caliber 20 movement watch in the head stock (and RGM made the tuner knobs, tuner bodies, the case that holds two tuners and the watch itself, as well as the engine-turning on other parts of the guitar), while the limited edition D-200 timepiece, 50 for the world, will be sold in a set with a D-200 limited edition guitar.

According to Murphy, guitars and watches go hand in hand, as they have similar “customers who appreciate handmade, high-quality craftsmanship.”

Putting the timepiece into the headstock of the two-millionth guitar was no easy task. “Figuring out how to fit the watch in the headstock amongst the six tuners, and having everything be functional without needing a huge, oversized headstock was the biggest challenge,” Murphy explains. “We came up with the case or housing for the watch that integrates two of the tuners. Being part of such a historic project is an honor and a rare opportunity.”

The RGM wristwatch that is packaged with the D-200 guitar has an American made case, a Swiss automatic movement, and is equipped with a 14K solid gold rotor made here at RGM.

It’s great to see two Pennsylvania companies working together to create high quality products that will promote and further American manufacturing.