Give a Listen to "On the Dogwatch"
R.T. was featured on a podcast called On the Dogwatch with
Michael R. Canfield! Here's a quick summary, give it a listen on your favorite podcast platform below!
The Vortic Watch Company Puts the Beauty of an American Pocket Watch on Your Wrist
In looking for words to describe what the Vortic Watch Company does in taking vintage American pocket watch movements and making them into one-of-a-kind, American-crafted wristwatches, some have called “upcycling” to mind. But the Vortic process is much more. It has been a path of research and development, engineering, trial and error, and a demonstration and appreciation of the very best in the traditions of American engineering. Today On the Dogwatch we have the opportunity to talk with R.T. Custer who, along with his partner Tyler Wolfe, founded and developed Vortic.
We talk with RT about the origin of Vortic, how they source and repair movements, the process of designing and manufacturing their watch cases, as well as their Military Edition that helps support the Veterans Watchmaker Initiative. We also get to hear some of RT’s thoughts on the future of the company. On this episode, our feature is the Veterans Watchmaker Initiative, a school that teaches the highly skilled craft of watchmaking to some of our war veterans to provide career training. Given community support, this school is free for those veterans selected to participate. You can support this initiative either by purchasing one of the Vortic Military Edition watches on Veterans day–if you can get one–or by donating directly.
Here's your Weekly Roundup!
Every Tuesday we send this Weekly Roundup of our most recent Watch of the Day watches. Most watches sell within minutes or hours, so be sure to check the website each day at noon Mountain Time or follow us on social media to get more frequent updates!
Click the images of the watches to learn more about them. Make sure to check the website at 12 PM Mountain Time for the Watch of the Day!
Today, we are thrilled to present this remarkable piece from the American Waltham Watch Company — the Boston 426. Originally manufactured in 1924 by Waltham, the Boston 426 features a stunning watch dial, gold type numbers, and an open-face back, revealing the intricate stainless steel gears with gold details. The smooth, captivating texture of the dial complements the type numbers wonderfully.
Our Machined Titanium case is powered by 17 jewels and embellishes this 1235-grade timepiece with an incredibly durable and scratch-resistant coating. Lastly, our Moss leather strap accentuates the piece by adding a separate, textural dimension.
This watch was originally produced in Waltham, Massachusetts, in 1924 — the same year that American skater Charles Jewtraw claimed the first-ever Winter Olympic gold medal. Competing against 26 others from 12 different nations, he won the 500m speed skating event in 44.0 seconds at the Chamonix Games in France.
We are very pleased to present to you this absolutely stunning antique piece from the Illinois Watch Company, our Springfield 467. We are immediately drawn in by the aged look of this dial, with subtle wear around the numerals that are to be expected from a watch that is over 100 years old. The gold-colored design work on the inner portion of the dial brings a nice amount of contrast from the machined titanium case and works well with our copper crown. An oxblood cordovan strap and copper hardware finish off the fine details and complete this vintage look.
As we turn the watch over to reveal the movement inside, we are pleasantly surprised by this gorgeous Autocrat movement. 17 jewels stand out beautifully and draw your attention to the precious metal gears that turn beneath. A lovely radial pattern all across the different build plates has been carefully machined to show off the level of craftsmanship available at this time. This watch was originally produced by the Illinois Watch Company in 1922 in Springfield, Illinois. Also in 1922, the USS Langley is commissioned as the first United States Navy aircraft carrier.
We are excited to introduce this handsome piece from the Hamilton Watch Company — the Lancaster 123. Originally manufactured in 1933 by the Hamilton Watch Company, the Lancaster 123 features a classic watch face design, bold type numbers, and a clear display case that reveals the intricate, stainless steel gears with gold details. This watch has been preserved incredibly despite its age and looks brand new. Our Diamond-Like Coating (DLC) case complements the dial and subdial wonderfully, and our highly durable and scratch-resistant coating accentuates the boldness of this timepiece.
Powered by 17 jewels in screw settings, this 912-grade timepiece is a marvel. Lastly, our Olive leather strap complements the case and dial of this timepiece, giving it a composition unlike any other. This watch was originally produced in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1933 — the same year that the epic King Kong film premiered at Radio City Music Hall and RKO Roxy in New York City. The director, Merian C. Cooper, envisioned the movie's final scene first and developed the rest of the story working backward from the climax.
We are proud to present this spectacular piece from the Illinois Watch Company — the Springfield 468. Originally manufactured in 1922 by the Illinois Watch Company, the Springfield 468 features a speckled watch face design, bold type numbers, and a clear display case that reveals the intricate, stainless steel gears with bronze details. The textured dial gives the watch a more lustrous appeal. Our Machined Titanium case brings out the cobalt blue hands of the watch remarkably.
Powered by 19 jewels, this 406-grade timepiece has an incredibly durable and scratch-resistant coating to preserve the history of this exquisite piece. Lastly, our Coal leather strap brings the whole piece together and pairs nicely with the Machined Titanium. This watch was originally produced in Springfield, Illinois, in 1922 — the same year that the 1st living person, Thomas E. Kirby, was identified on a U.S. coin. The Alabama Centennial half-dollar, in exceptional condition, would be worth more than $10,000 today.
We are excited to present this breathtaking piece from the Illinois Watch Company — the Springfield 465. Originally manufactured in 1923 by the Illinois Watch Company, the Springfield 465 features a speckled watch face design, sleek type numbers, and a clear display case that reveals the intricate nickel gears with bronze details. Our Machined Titanium case complements the deep blue hands of the watch spectacularly.
Powered by 17 jewels, this 405-grade timepiece has an incredibly durable and scratch-resistant coating to preserve the history of this timeless piece. Lastly, our Moss leather strap accents the cobalt blue hands of this watch marvelously.
This watch was originally produced in Springfield, Illinois, in 1923 — the same year that surgeons performed the 1st brain tumor operation under local anesthetic in NYC. Henry A. Brown, the patient, chatted with the surgeons while they cut through his skull and scraped out the brain tumor at Beth Israel Hospital.
