Nicholas Manousos has had a fascinating journey from Silicon Valley to making silicon parts for watch movements, and now leads the Horological Society of New York. In this two-part conversation with Tania Edwards, we learn how Nick’s passion for watchmaking has led him along a diverse path. After watchmaking school, he experimented with 3D printing for the watch industry and in this podcast he brought along his Tourbillion 1000% — a perfect teaching tool for a complicated movement. Nick also believes in the resurgence of the American watch industry, so much so that he started making the most difficult part of a movement in the hope of getting attention for American watchmaking. He started Fireshouse Horology which manufactured silicon balance springs, an extremely specialist skill that only a few companies, mostly in Europe and Japan excel at. At the end of this podcast, Tania asks Nick a question that many people would like the answer to: “Will there ever be a thriving American watch industry again?”
Watch this interview on Collectability’s YouTube.
