Cast your gaze onto the southwest corner of the map of Montana, and you’ll find the city of Bozeman. Make your way there and sully forth down to Main Street, and you’ll discover a watch shop called The Last Wind Up, run by 30-year veteran watchmaker Dave Berghold. After decades of watch repair and selling new and vintage watches, he’s quietly put his experience into creating a timepiece of his own. It’s called the Model 1, as reported by our friends at Worn & Wound — and the result of Berghold’s labors is a handsome, classically designed watch that we can’t help but be charmed by.
There are more and more crowdfunded watch brands bursting onto your Instagram feed everyday, and many of them are even based in the United States and have a local angle. What makes Dave Berghold’s project stand out, however, is that it simply feels like the watch your local watchmaker made — the way we imagine more watches were created at one time in the past.
Berghold’s approach is similar to that of many startups, as his parts are sourced from European suppliers: German case, French hands, Swiss movement, but assembled by him. Also like with other watches, however, it’s the story and creator’s vision (and the quality of those components, of course) that gives it its character. With his “DB” monogram at 12 o’clock and “Bozeman, MT” under the 6 o’clock seconds subdial, the design recalls vintage American pocket watches or pilot’s watches.
Housed in a 38mm case with a prominent onion crown, the Model 1’s pocket watch connection is further strengthened by a hand-wound movement which is on full display through a wide case back window. The lume-filled cathedral hands and Breguet numerals are appropriately classical and a bison strap provides a local touch. Only 50 examples were produced for the initial run, but more are on the way and can be expected for delivery in August 2021 for $1,950 each.
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