The Vortic Watch Company Blog | Horological Stories and Information
Waltham x Elgin: Corporate Espionage & The History of Pocket Watch Production in the United States
Did you know that the history of the 2 largest American pocket watch manufacturers was tied together? Elgin Watch Company and Waltham Watch Company combined to produce 78% of all pocket watch movements built in America. The two watchmaking giants were also...
Did Packard Motor Company Make Pocket Watches?
A study into the history of American manufacturing will likely lead you to the doorstep of Packard Motor Car Company. A leader in American automotive manufacturing in the early 1900’s, Packard set the standard for luxury cars in the United States. Studying...
Where Do The Old Pocket Watches Come From?
Custer & Wolfe - Building a Watch Company "The History of the Great American Watch Companies" So many of you ask us "are there enough pocket watches out there to convert into wristwatches?" or "where do you get all the...
When The Word 'Rare' Doesn't Cut It
Our First Pocket Watch for Independence Day (July 4th, 2020)
The Chicago Railroad 039 Our first pocket watch, and the Watch of the Day for Independence Day! We get this question a lot… “do you guys make pocket watches?” And for years the answer was, “well, we actually salvage pocket watch movements...
The Map of the Great American Watch Companies
Railroad Grade Pocket Watches
What is a “railroad grade” pocket watch? A railroad grade pocket watch is simply a watch that was approved by a particular railroad organization for use by conductors on their rail. The specific definition of a “railroad grade” watch evolved quite a...