McGonigle Watches

The McGonigle watch brand was founded in 2007 by two Irish brothers John and Stephen McGonigle. Their birthplace is Athlone town located at the bank of the river Shannon. In their childhood the brothers came to like watchmaking, graduated the Irish watchmaking institute in Dublin and moved to Switzerland to improve their watchmaking skills and knowledge. For some years the brothers worked in such watch companies as Audemars Piguet, Christophe Claret, Frank Muller and Breguet and took part in designing of the most complicated watches. Then they opened their own watchmaking workshops in Ireland and Switzerland and made their own brand. The company began making exclusive complicated watches to order.

two Irish brothers John and Stephen McGonigle

The company's first model was a manual wind tourbillon wristwatch made of platinum and decorated with pictures according to the Celtic design. John and Stephen refused to use a regulator to adjust the timekeeping of the watch. This eliminates one of the eight elements that disturb the regular timekeeping of a watch. To regulate a freesprung watch it is necessary to balance the weight of the balance with the length of the balance spring. Rather than add weight to the Tourbillon cage, to poise it, John and Stephen have removed weight from the other side. The net result is a lighter cage. A cage stops, recoils and accelerates six times every second. A lighter cage makes this effort more efficient. A two-leveled dial has two openings in the sapphire glass: the first is located at 6 o'clock position allowing a tourbillon to be seen, the latter at 12 to view part of the barrel and the wolftooth gearing. Relief markings and blued hands make time to be easy readable. A bridge of the barrel is coated with ruthenium.

McGonigle Tourbillon

The case has a very slight oval shape featuring expressiveness. Large lugs and a perfect crown are decorated with letters of the ancient Celtic alphabet. The back case is also done in the same way. The movement is completely made by brothers and has a 110 hour power-reserve. The model is water-resistant to 30 metres. The watch has a handmade presentation case combining leather and Irish Bog Oak. The Oak is 5000 year old wood being preserved in Irish Bog. The case also incorporates the McGonigle name in the Ogham alphabet. This ancient Celtic alphabet was used in carvings and inscriptions in ancient times.

McGonigle watch assembly

In 2010 John and Stephen made another marvellous watch – Tuscar and presented it at the international watch exhibition BaselWorld 2011. "Tuscar" is the name of a group of rocks with a lighthouse that is seen by approaching by sea to Ireland. The luxurious stylish wristwatch being in a case made of white gold is launched in a limited edition of 20 articles. On both side the watch has sapphire glasses to view well all elements of the complicated movement. The dial is marked with Arabic numerals of black colour that are coated inside on the sapphire crystal. The manual-wind mechanical movement of calibre McG01 is completely designed by the McGonigle brothers and decorated with the Celtic design. "We wanted a time-only watch with a high focus on excellent timekeeping; a substantial power reserve; solid reliability; and with superb finishing and decoration", explains John McGonigle.

McGonigle watch assembly

To design the calibre Alberto Papi, one of the best Swiss masters, took part. The model has a 90 hour power-reserve and a balance diameter of 12,8 mm for more precision of the watch. The black strap is made of genuine alligator leather and has the red gold folding buckle. Single finishing, the complicated movement and extremely delicate design of this wristwatches will make you purchase the McGonigle timepiece to add your watch collection with another unique masterpiece of the watchmaking art.

McGonigle Tuscar