The Infinity Pure becomes J.N. Shapiro’s thinnest and most affordable watch
Borna Bošnjak- The new Infinity Pure combines Shapiro’s signature Infinity Weave with the smallest case for the brand yet, sized at 37mm.
- Available only in steel, the Infinity Pure will serve as the entry-level counterpart to the Resurgence, with AHA-sourced cases and a manually wound La Joux-Perret movement.
- It’s limited to 18 pieces for each of the two configurations, and priced at US$26,000.
Before becoming one of the most respected makers of hand-made guilloché dials under his own moniker, Joshua Shapiro cut his teeth (pun fully intended) making engine-turned dials for other brands. His expertise doesn’t stop just at dials however, also making waves in case-making, and launching the first non-Swiss tantalum watches in 2021. Seven years after the introduction of his inaugural collection, the Infinity Series that is now discontinued, Shapiro is bringing the name back. The Infinity Series Pure alluded to what the gist is already, essentially acting as the entry-level foil to the all-American made Resurgence that is currently the brand’s flagship. But rather than just reviving the name, Shapiro has made some changes, including a smaller case and a new movement.
Before we get into all of that though, let’s check in with the dials. After all, it’s one of the main reasons why anyone buys a Shapiro-made watch. I’m happy to report that the Infinity Weave trademarked by the brand is still alive and well, doubling down on the traditional basketweave guilloché pattern. “A basket weave within a basket weave,” is what Shapiro calls it, adding: “This pattern is the heart of our design philosophy. It represents eternity, precision, and individuality.” Being a sucker for a good hand design, I also have to commend the effort here. The modified Breguet shape has such excellent depth, and the rounded, polished stems are just beautiful to look at.
As far as colourway options go, the American brand offers two variants. The one you see above (and my pick of the two) is a blackened zirconium base with white gold hands, while the other goes for a more traditional frosted silver with rose gold accents.
Though I’ve still got quite a few articles to write before thinking of dropping five figures on any watch, the change I’m most excited about is the size. Measuring in at 37mm in diameter and 8.8mm in thickness, this is Shapiro’s smallest and thinnest watch yet, dropping down from 40mm of the original Infinity Series.
To source the cases, Shapiro has turned to the recently formed Alternative Horological Alliance. This helps keep the costs down compared to the Resurgence cases he and his team turn themselves, while the original infinity used German-made cases. In contrast to those, the design appears to be similar, and successfully scaled down, but there are a few touches that allude to cost-saving measures. The most obvious one to me is the crown in both its teeth and its engraving. The former seem smaller and not as sharply defined, while the engraved infinity symbol lacks the depth and internal polish of its predecessor.
The biggest question mark for me at first was the movement. In the press release, Shapiro only says that it’s provided by La Joux-Perret, but when checking with the brand, we found out all the details. It happens to be LJP’s F200, which to most people will be familiar under their old naming scheme as the 7380. I’m glad that my initial assumption of the Infinity Series Pure using La Joux-Perret’s Peseux clone were disproven, as the F200/7380 is a much nicer grade of movement. For starters, it measures in at 30mm, which means that the small seconds will be positioned further out from the pinion for a more pleasing visual, and the 90-hour power reserve is impressive.
I was quite surprised, however, to find the F200 hidden behind a solid caseback. Shapiro’s initial Infinity Series used the Marco Lang-designed UWD 33.1, and proudly showed it off. While the LJP isn’t as high-end of a movement, I’d still appreciate seeing it with some nice decoration that Shapiro is more than capable of. That said, Shapiro does decorate the solid caseback with engine turning and hand-engraving, which is a pretty decent trade-off.
And this talk of the movement takes me to what I find most intriguing with this watch. With the advent of the Resurgence, I could see why Shapiro felt like he needed to bring back an entry-level piece into his universe. With admirable attention paid to the dial finishing, the Infinity Series Pure is worthy of the Shapiro name on the dial without doubt. And yet, the fact that it costs $6,000 more at launch than the original Infinity baffles me, especially given its less intricately finished case (albeit in a better size imo) and a step down in movement. But maybe I shouldn’t be so surprised after all. In 2019, the Infinity in steel was priced at US$19,800. Adjusted for inflation, that’s nearly US$25,000 today, basically bringing us to the Infinity Pure’s asking price, which, if anything, just goes to show the knock-out that the original was…
J.N. Shapiro Infinity Series Pure pricing and availability
The J.N. Shapiro Infinity Series Pure is limited to 18 pieces per configuration, with enquiries directly through the brand website. Delivery is expected in Q4 2025. Price: US$26,000
| Brand | J.N. Shapiro |
| Model | Infinity Series Pure |
| Case Dimensions | 37mm (D) x8.8mm (T) x 45.1mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 50 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front |
| Dial |
Hand-made guilloché in zirconium or frosted silver
|
| Lug Width | 19mm |
| Strap | Delugs brown leather, steel pin buckle |
| Movement | La Joux-Perret F200, manual winding |
| Power Reserve | 90 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds |
| Availability | 18 pieces per configuration |
| Price | US$26,000 |