Mount Vernon Aventurine

The Mount Vernon collection is 1776 Atelier’s most accessibly priced series of timepieces. Named after the historic estate of George Washington, widely regarded as the founder of the United States and the nation’s first president, it reflects our effort to bring finely finished mechanical watchmaking into a region where such crafts have become exceptionally rare. At the heart of the collection is a commitment to métiers d’art, expressed through a fully hand-engraved movement featuring dense, traditional engraving across the entire movement. The Mount Vernon Aventurine, the latest evolution of this design, was created to offer collectors worldwide an opportunity to experience traditional hand engraving, executed to a high standard, at a level of accessibility almost never seen in modern watchmaking. The richly layered dial, built around a guilloché center and aventurine quartz field, serves not to compete with the movement but to frame it, drawing the eye inward to the artistry that defines the watch’s soul.

The dial is composed of 17 individually fabricated components and reveals itself as a composition of exceptional depth and complexity. At its center is a silver-toned guilloché section with two distinct engraved patterns, one for the main field and another for the sub-seconds register, framed by an applied chapter ring that further articulates the layered geometry. Above this, an applied logo plate sits at center, adding another level of height and structure. Surrounding the central zone is a rich aventurine quartz field, its natural inclusions shimmering under light with a quiet, celestial texture. Brushed Breguet numerals are applied directly onto the aventurine, rising from its surface and reinforcing the visual tiering. The outermost applied chapter ring subtly denotes the hours and minutes while tying the composition together. The faceted hands, polished to catch light across their length, echo the case finishing while contributing to the dial’s dimensional character. Across every plane, contrasting textures interact. Brushed and polished metal, guilloché geometry, and the mineral shimmer of aventurine all reflect light differently. Some surfaces respond sharply, others more softly. Yet the overall effect remains cohesive and intentional. This is not ornament for its own sake. It is a study in controlled complexity, a dial that plays with depth, light, and material in a way that feels sculptural rather than decorative.

The case is crafted from polished 316L stainless steel, measuring 40.5 mm in diameter and 11.6 mm thick, with a 48.5 mm lug-to-lug span. A domed sapphire crystal rises above the dial, preserving classical proportions while enhancing presence on the wrist. A flat sapphire crystal on the reverse reveals the engraved movement in full view. The overall case design complements the traditional elements found throughout the watch, including Breguet numerals, guilloché, and hand engraving, yet introduces a refined modernity through its sleek profile, polished surfaces, and balanced proportions. It provides clarity and restraint, allowing the decorative elements to breathe while ensuring the watch remains wearable, contemporary, and visually coherent.

The proprietary hand-wound movement is designed and finished in the United States. The three-quarter bridge and base plate are plated in black rhodium and engraved entirely by hand in a dense Teutonic pattern. The balance bridge and partially visible gear train are finished in 18-karat rose gold, with each gear circle-grained by hand. Ratchet and crown wheels are double solarized. Screws are black polished, and all bridges feature traditional hand-applied anglage. Beneath the gear train, the baseplate is decorated with perlage, and even the maker’s signature is engraved by hand. The movement reflects a level of hand-finishing that remains exceedingly rare in this region and virtually unheard of at this level of accessibility.

The Mount Vernon Aventurine is a study in contrast and balance. Sparkle and structure, architecture and ornament, texture and restraint. It is a timepiece born of a desire to make traditional horological craft newly relevant, without losing its permanence or its soul.