Our Mission
Nexus Elgin exists for one simple reason:
to bring watchmaking back to Elgin, Illinois.
​
Elgin once stood for precision and pride in American engineering. We’re not trying to recreate the past or pretend the industry never left. We’re focused on rebuilding it, carefully and honestly, for today.
​
A Nexus Elgin watch isn’t about hype or labels.
It’s about making something solid, telling the truth about how it’s made, and earning trust over time.
​
What Guides Us
These are the principles we actually work by, not marketing slogans.
Heritage
Elgin matters. Its history matters. We treat that legacy with respect, not nostalgia.
​
Integrity
We’re clear about sourcing, manufacturing, and what we can and can’t claim. No smoke. No mirrors.
​
Craftsmanship
Good design starts with function. Reliability comes before novelty.
​
Education
If American watchmaking is going to return, someone has to train the next generation. That matters to us.
​
Innovation
Long term, the goal is to design and build a mechanical movement in Elgin. That’s not a shortcut project. It’s a serious one.
​
Community
This isn’t just about watches. It’s about contributing to the city that once made them for the world.
​
Where We Are Right Now
Nexus Elgin is still in its early days.
​
Our first models are produced with established international manufacturing partners who already build for respected Swiss and American microbrands. That allows us to focus on quality, consistency, and getting the fundamentals right.
​
Our first watch will not be assembled in the United States.
​
That decision was intentional. Assembling too early, just to make a claim, adds cost without adding real value. We’d rather be honest and do things properly when the time is right.
​
The first Nexus Elgin watch to say “Assembled in the USA” will be assembled again in Elgin, Illinois, when the skills, infrastructure, and economics are in place to support it responsibly.
​
Where We’re Headed
This brand is built with the long view in mind.
​
Over time, the goal is to:
​
-
Establish assembly and servicing operations in Elgin
-
Create apprenticeship and training opportunities
-
Work with local educators, machinists, and engineers
-
Increase U.S. manufacturing content as capability grows
-
Eventually design and produce a mechanical movement engineered in Elgin
​
None of this happens overnight. And that’s fine.
​
We’re more interested in steady progress than rushing to make claims we can’t stand behind.
​
Why This Exists
Reviving American watchmaking isn’t about launching a product and calling it a day. It’s about rebuilding knowledge, skills, and credibility one step at a time.
​
Every Nexus Elgin watch represents a step forward.
Not a finished story.
​
If you follow along, wear one, or support what we’re building, you’re part of that process.
​
Elgin made time for the world once.
We’re working toward doing that again.
​​
​
​
​Interested in how this unfolds?