The J.N. Shapiro Infinity Tantalum Limited Edition marks the first tantalum case made in-house outside of Switzerland

I must confess I have a strong affection for J.N Shapiro watches. As a born and bred American, whenever I see US watchmaking get time in the spotlight I am all for it. Shapiro has been on my radar for a while, known for his intricately handcrafted dials engine-turned in California. Formerly a high school principal and educator, Shapiro’s watchmaking journey began in 2013, when he became captivated by the art of engine-turning after reading George Daniels’ Watchmaking. Over the next three years, he would spend whatever free time he had honing his craft until he finally felt comfortable creating dials for other watchmakers – most notably including master watch and clock maker David Walter. He has since left his career in education, focusing on watchmaking full time with a brand under his own name. Fortunately with his success, his business has grown and there are now four full-time employees who assist in his independent manufacture. This week, his Infinity collection, named after an engine-turning pattern of his own design, expands once again with the new J.N. Shapiro Infinity Tantalum Limited Edition – the first tantalum case ever made in-house outside of Switzerland.

If you are wondering where tantalum rings a bell in watchmaking, you are likely most familiar with a tantalum case via F.P Journe’s highly sought after Chronometre Bleu. The dark grey metal, known for its hue with a hint of blue, is notoriously difficult to machine and work with – thus, many watchmakers and manufacturers have steered well clear of it. J.N. Shaprio, on the other hand, welcomed the challenge and as a result has become the first manufacturer outside of Switzerland to fabricate a tantalum case in-house. It is a real testament to his ability and expertise, especially when you consider the fact he also fabricated chapter rings for the dial out of the metal – but we will touch on that in a bit. The 39mm case is 30 metres water-resistant and, in terms of its finishing, features a brushed caseband, brushed lugs, and a mirror-polished bezel and caseback.

You have three really intriguing dial options to consider, each of which incorporate a difficult to realise tantalum chapter ring. Working from left to right above, the first option is a black ruthenium dial with a tantalum hours chapter ring, rose-gold hands, rose-gold seconds rings and rose-gold inlays for the chapter ring numerals and markers. The second is a navy blue dial with tantalum chapter rings, for both the hours and seconds rings, each of which feature blue enamel ink inlays, and steel polished hands. Last but not least, you have my stealth-wealth favorite – an untreated palladium dial with tantalum chapter rings, blue enamel ink inlays, and blued steel hands. One of the most valuable precious metals, palladium is not commonly found in most wristwatches and has the notable quality of retaining its lustre over time.

One of the main draws of any J.N. Shapiro watch is the presence of true and traditional guilloche. Not stamped, the dials are created by hand through engine-turning. There are four patterns present, including Shapiro’s own infinity basket weave in the sub-seconds register, a stand-alone basket weave in the central medallion, a ratchet pattern within the chapter ring separating the numerals from the markers, and beyond it a barleycorn texture to the outermost ring of the dial. Shapiro is one of the few American watchmakers keeping this traditional art form alive, and over the years has mastered his craft. He has even gone so far as to engine-turn meteorite in the past, which was unheard of and possibly never done before. He now has succeeded in doing so with palladium – potentially another first under his belt for watchmaking.

Each watch will be outfitted with an alligator strap. The images throughout this article are all prototype pieces, and Shapiro has noted that the final pieces may utilise curved straps in order to sit more flush to the case. Beneath an exhibition sapphire caseback, you will find a hand-wound Uhren-Werke-Dresden movement: the UWD calibre 33.1. The German movement has one of the cleanest aesthetics I have ever seen, with rich hairline brushing across the bridges – their edges featuring sharp bevels. A neat aspect of the caliber is that it utilises a very open construction, you can see each and every gear in full view. You will also noticed snailed/sunburst patterned ratchet wheels and a solid gold bridge medallion that will denote the number of the watch, further driving home the effort put into achieving a high-end aesthetic. Technically, the calibre features a floating barrel, balance wheel with eccentric regulation (6x), additional fine regulation via regulator system, shock-resistant balance wheel mounting (Incabloc), hacking seconds, and 56 hours of power reserve.

J.N. Shapiro Infinity Tantalum Limited Edition pricing and availability:

The J.N. Shaprio Infinity Tantalum Limited Edition is available now for inquires via the J.N. Shaprio website. A total of 26 watches will be made. Base price: $33,000 USD

Proceeds from the sale of the J.N. Shapiro Infinity Tantalum Limited Edition will go to the Juvenile Diabetes Association to support their research into type 1 juvenile diabetes.

Editor’s Note: The images were shot with prototype watches, so J.N. Shapiro notes that the finishing in the final pieces will be higher quality – nothing overt, just little refinements in quality. Also, the final pieces will likely utilized curved straps to sit flush to the case.