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When Zach Kazan told me the other day that a couple of watches by J.N. Shapiro had arrived at the office, I did a double-take. Not privy to the conversations he had been having regarding an article in progress, finding out that two watches by this revered independent were in the office was an exciting surprise. Although I’ve come across perhaps two in the wild I can recall (one a sample of the Resurgence and the other a custom piece for a collector), they aren’t the type of watches that get sent around very often, being rare and high-end.
It turned out, perhaps in an even more exciting turn of events, that these weren’t your ordinary, if such a thing exists, J.N. Shapiros; rather, they were samples of a new line called the Infinity Series Pure. A new duo of watches meant to open, or re-open, the brand to a broader audience of collectors. Though still highly limited in nature, these watches aren’t one-offs or custom pieces. Instead, they are serially produced, albeit in only 18 pieces per color, and feature in-house, engine-turned guilloché dials and handmade, finished precious metal hands. As such, although intended as a more accessible model, the term is relative, and the Infinity Series Pures are priced at $26,000, placing them in an interesting competitive space for independent brands.
Back to the point of them being in the office, I couldn’t help but spend time with these watches. And, thus, also form some opinions on them. So, although my time was limited, and I didn’t jaunt around NYC with these rare samples on my wrist, I did contemplate them peacefully at my desk, and through my camera lens, I decided to put my thoughts to paper.
And yet, as I begin the hands-on, I find myself at a standstill. Not because I am so blown away, though I am indeed impressed, but rather because I’m unsure of my approach. What factors and features are most important when looking at a $26,000 watch? Is it purely the craft and finishing? Is it the dial layout? How much does the movement matter? Does it need to be in-house or have a complication? Do case proportions and ergonomics matter? What about the competition, and who are they? I think the answer is yes… and no.
I can, and will, express thoughts and feelings about all of these topics, but I also believe that once a specific price point is reached, it’s not the nitty-gritty details that matter, although expectations are to be met. Instead, it’s the what that matters. And, in this instance, the what is access to a rising star of the haute-independent watch world. A rising star that went very far upmarket in the last couple of years (though not without reason), further limiting its customer base. A rising star that, unlike most brands in its tier, is American.
Admittedly, this isn’t like MB&F and M.A.D., Hajime Asaoka and Kurono Tokyo, or Grönefeld and GRØNE. This isn’t the J.N. Shapiro experience in a fully mass-produced form. Rather, the Infinity Series Pure is closer to a return to the original entry point for the brand, the now-retired Infinity Series, made in a more reproducible fashion, which is to say, not custom order, and handmade where it counts. As of 2019, an Infinity Series in steel started at $19,000; currently, a Resurgence in steel starts at $70,000, a significant change. $26,000, while firmly in the high-end of things, is only slightly more than what $19,000, adjusted for inflation, would be now. With that said, the Infinity Series Pure (just Pure from here) isn’t a recreation of the earlier line, but rather a new design that respects the former.
