The American-made watch scene may not be as massive as it once was, but is that beginning to change? Manhattan’s Avoir Dupois may have an answer to that…
I understand if you’re fairly tired of all the news stories surrounding America at the moment. It feels like, at least since the 2020s, anything coming out of the United States’ newswire is enough to rain on even the sunniest day. But for the watch world, it’s actually quite the opposite.
In recent years, the American horology scene has taken an upswing. Tariffs and other policies aside, many enthusiasts have rallied to bring American watchmaking back into the spotlight.
After all, America has had a storied era of innovation in the watch world. In their golden era, they revolutionised manufacturing processes across the industry, uplifting brands like IWC, Hamilton, and Ball.
But while those times have long come and gone, who was left to take the mantle? So many brands have rushed to fill in the gaps others have left behind, a few of which I covered on the fourth of July this year. All have made admirable inroads to reviving interest in American watchmaking, but a new name has taken centre stage: Avoir Dupois, with their newest timepiece, the Force Majeure.
For our non-French-speaking audience (which I assume is most of us), allow me to provide you some background. Avoir Dupois, French for ‘objects of weight,’ didn’t start out as a watch brand. It began life in 2019 in the furniture industry, founded from the mind of one James Stumpf, a SoHo-based designer from Dayton, Ohio.
Using furniture as inspiration for watches isn’t entirely far-fetched. Case in point, the TAG Heuer Carrera — which, according to Jack Heuer, took elements from Le Corbusier and Charles Eames’ furniture. However, Avoir Dupois is the only brand that comes to my mind that has created both concurrently.
In any case, years of development have resulted in the long-awaited debut of the Force Majeure. Another French word, denoting ‘irresistible compulsion/superior strength,’ the Force Majeure makes its mark as an entirely ‘Made in USA’ timepiece.
To accomplish such a designation is incredibly hard to do. This is largely due to the uncompromising standards of America’s Federal Trade Commission, but despite this the entire watch has been manufactured on U.S. soil. However, I was curious to not find much explicitly referencing this landmark achievement on Avoir Dupois’ website or the Force Majeure’s watch design.
Reaching out to the Avoir Dupois team, they confirmed that the Force Majeure qualifies as ‘Made in USA.’ According to them, though, saying ‘Made in Manhattan’ instead was more fitting for marketing and location specificity’s sake.
The Force Majeure presents itself in a somewhat familiar but delightfully unique silhouette. Measuring 38mm in diameter, 48mm lug-to-lug, and just 6mm thick with 50m of water resistance, Avoir Dupois’ inaugural journey into the industry comes in a universally wearable and decidedly comfortable-looking squircle case. On the dial side, the Force Majeure sports a delightfully industrial aesthetic, with indexes that mimic screws. The dial is completed with a vertically grained backdrop, available either in black or a smoky fumé yellow.
But while the steel construction might have some dismissing it as “just another integrated bracelet sports watch,” the Force Majeure has a surprising trick up its sleeve. Instead of a traditional clasp, the Force Majeure opens up from the front thanks to a case-integrated clasp system. Resembling a wishbone, the case is opened in the same fashion as a butterfly clasp.
That’s not all, though; The bracelet also makes use of a tool-less adjustment system. Named Snap-Link™, the links are all capable of detaching at the behest of the wearer, snapping to the next available link where possible. It’s a spot of convenience that’s only now being discovered by household names like Timex, TAG Heuer and Cartier. Avoir Dupois, in that respect, can proudly count themselves among those on the ground floor of such a feature.
Despite the Force Majeure’s timeless silhouette, the watch’s movement is where it truly distances itself from its stateside contemporaries. Avoir Dupois have created the Calibre AVDP.130.LB for the Force Majeure, a micro-rotor automatic movement made entirely within their Manhattan manufactory.
Available with either a steel or gold mainplate (depending on if you get the black or fumé yellow dial), the affectionately nicknamed ‘Little Bastard’ beats an odd 2.4Hz (17,280VpH) atop a capable 60h power reserve. The attention to finishing is certainly evident, but I wait with baited breath on news regarding the movement’s reliability and accuracy. I’m excited to see how the Cal. AVDP.130.LB will hold up against its international peers.
My Thoughts
I’ve been keeping a very close eye on Avoir Dupois’ progress over its many years in development. While renders and marketing posts can only give away so much of the story, I wholeheartedly believed in their ambition to create a unique timepiece entirely within the United States. It’s why I put myself on the waitlist for early access, though I knew I would probably get struck by lightning before I’d have the spare cash to grab one for myself.
And while I have neither been electrified nor endowed with the required funds, I was excited to hear the Force Majeure was finally coming out of development. With shipping set to go in 2026, we still have to wait a little longer yet until it’s in the hands of watch lovers around the world. But, as the latest delay of Grand Theft Auto VI has taught me, patience is certainly a virtue.
It’s hard to break into the independent watch world. Brands often have to spend incredible amounts of time, effort, and money to fully realise their timepieces. For James Stumpf and the Avoir Dupois team, they certainly could have chosen the microbrand route; It’s become more accessible than ever, thanks to the wide array of pre-made calibres.
But sometimes, as one famous American put it, we choose to do things “not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” And while the road that Avoir Dupois have taken is an unenviable one, I still believe that the Force Majeure will set a new precedent for American watch manufacturing and design.
References: 93055 (Black Dial) / 93055R (Yellow Dial)
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 38mm case diameter x 48mm lug-to-lug x 6mm thickness
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Dial: Vertically grained black / Fumé yellow
- Movement: Automatic micro-rotor Cal. AVDP.130.LB with steel main plate /AVDP.130.LB (R) with 18k gold mainplate
- Power Reserve: 60h
- Beat Rate: 2.4Hz (17,280VpH)
- Water Resistance: 50m (5bar)
- Strap: Snap-Link™ self-adjustable steel bracelet with case-integrated ‘wishbone’ butterfly clasp