The prestigious Swiss-based Academie Horlogere des Createurs Independants (AHCI) has its first U.S. member: Master watchmaker Steven Phillips of Guilford, Conn., was inducted in December. AHCI was created in 1985 to promote the tradition of handcrafted timepieces. Its 28 members and candidates produce their own timepieces as well as assist luxury brands in creating complicated and unique mechanical timepieces. Phillips has created his own automatic winding movement and a handmade series of watches called Guardian, including the skeletonized and enameled Guardian II.