Watch Description
The American mechanism inside this watch is not a replica or an "inspired" piece. It was genuinely carried by an individual, 100 years ago, that depended on it. Each time you wear this watch, you will be transported through time, imagining who this individual was and the work they did to help build our country. Simply put, American Artisan Series watches make you feel something when you put them on. At Vortic, we tell customers that owning a watch isn't nearly as important as owning a story. And, this is an opportunity to be a part of a story that is bigger than yourself. You won't be the first to own this watch, and you certainly won't be the last, so make your chapter count.
The American Artisan Series is a line of fully American Made wristwatches powered by restored, U.S. made pocket watch movements. Individuals commonly scrap pocket watch cases for their precious metal, leaving the original mechanism orphaned. This watch contains the original movement (timepiece), dial (face), and hands from a vintage (1880's - 1950's) pocket watch made by Rockford Watch Company. We call this model "The Rockford" because the company was located in Rockford Illinois.
What makes the Rockford 040 unique: Today, we’re pleased to present this breathtaking watch originally manufactured by the Rockford Watch Company — the Rockford 040. The watch’s dial boasts a simple yet elegant design with a white background and bold black hour numerals. The front of the watch also features blood-orange minute numerals and unique royal blue hands. We’re excited to announce that for the next week, our pocket watches will feature our remarkable Gunmetal Titanium cases. The Gunmetal Titanium case looks stunning with the Rockford 040’s pocket watch, and we also equipped the piece with a copper crown, adding even more style. The back of the watch presents a 335-grade open-face movement with a stylish ¾ plate, nickel finish, and pendant setting. You can also view the piece’s robust and luxurious gold-plated gears powered by 17 jewels. Finally, we matched this one-of-a-kind watch with our comfortable Natural leather watch strap. The Rockford Watch Company initially produced the Rockford 040’s pocket watch in Rockford, Illinois, 1914 — the same year Babe Ruth began playing Major League Baseball. Ruth joined the Boston Red Sox in July 1914. Although Ruth later became a star player and baseball legend, he struck out 0-for-2 during his first time at bat and was benched in the seventh inning. Ruth continued playing for the Red Sox until they sold his contract to the New York Yankees in 1919.
Case Style:This case has been CNC milled from a solid block of aerospace grade titanium. After machining, we bake the case in a kiln for a specific interval before sandblasting for uniformity. Any imperfections at this stage will scrap the piece, but the result is a beautiful, slightly darker finish that we call gunmetal. Titanium is the ultimate material for strength to weight ratio. Titanium has a darker look than steel, and due to its low thermal conductivity, feels warm to the touch. These characteristics create an enduring, highly wearable, distinctive piece.
Movement: The manually wound, antique, pocket watch movement inside this watch has been meticulously restored to as close to original condition as possible. Vortic has an exclusive group of highly experienced watchmakers that specialize in vintage watches. Before its use in a wristwatch, each movement is completely disassembled, cleaned, oiled, and calibrated. Each finished Vortic watch is tested for at least a week before completion.
This watch's movement is serial number 931622 from the Rockford Watch Company. The Rockford Watch Company began operation in 1873 with equipment purchased from the Cornell Watch Company. Four hundred local businesses and individuals pledged $150,000 (over $3mil with inflation) of support to stimulate the growth of their town. The company struggled to keep up with demand early on, and eventually went bankrupt. Rockford was rejuvenated in 1901, but a major fire and lightning strike slowed the company further in 1903. By 1915 the company closed its doors, though the building still stands vacant.
Legal Disclaimer: All product and company names, logos, brands, and other trademarks featured or referred to within Vortic's products and services are the property of their respective intellectual property rights holders, if any. Those intellectual property rights holders, other than Vortic, LLC, are not affiliated with Vortic, LLC, our products, or our website. They do not sponsor or endorse our materials.
Watch Specifications
- Manufacturer: Vortic Watch Company
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
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Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 46mm
- Height: 12mm
- Lug-to-Lug: 55mm
- Lugs: 22mm
- Case Finish: Gunmetal Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Copper
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Gorilla Glass
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Rockford Watch Company
- Serial Number: 931622
- Manufacture Year: 1914
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17j
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes the Rockford 040 unique: Today, we’re pleased to present this breathtaking watch originally manufactured by the Rockford Watch Company — the Rockford 040. The watch’s dial boasts a simple yet elegant design with a white background and bold black hour numerals. The front of the watch also features blood-orange minute numerals and unique royal blue hands. We’re excited to announce that for the next week, our pocket watches will feature our remarkable Gunmetal Titanium cases. The Gunmetal Titanium case looks stunning with the Rockford 040’s pocket watch, and we also equipped the piece with a copper crown, adding even more style. The back of the watch presents a 335-grade open-face movement with a stylish ¾ plate, nickel finish, and pendant setting. You can also view the piece’s robust and luxurious gold-plated gears powered by 17 jewels. Finally, we matched this one-of-a-kind watch with our comfortable Natural leather watch strap. The Rockford Watch Company initially produced the Rockford 040’s pocket watch in Rockford, Illinois, 1914 — the same year Babe Ruth began playing Major League Baseball. Ruth joined the Boston Red Sox in July 1914. Although Ruth later became a star player and baseball legend, he struck out 0-for-2 during his first time at bat and was benched in the seventh inning. Ruth continued playing for the Red Sox until they sold his contract to the New York Yankees in 1919.
Quality Straps
We partnered with Worn & Wound to produce a custom set of straps for our American Artisan Series watches. We now have 15 different colors to choose from including our two Horween Shell Cordovan options. These straps are made in the USA and are based on the Windup Model 2 Premium strap that Worn and Wound offers.
Mission
Our mission is to preserve and enhance the legacy of manufacturing excellence in America. We believe that this legacy is highly relevant in the world of watch manufacturing because our goal is to marry form and function in a way that makes something beautiful that will last forever. American made pocket watches were of such a high quality and decoration that they evolved into more than just a way to tell time. They became traditional heirlooms to be inherited by future generations as a wedding gift or a coming of age treasure. Each piece tells a lively tale of what U.S. manufacturing meant in the past using an intricate language of decorated bridges, plates, gears, and springs. Today, we are restoring these pieces to their former glory and making them relevant again using the best of modern technology.
American Made
We feel proud and blessed to live in the country, state, and city that we do. However, our motivation to build everything in the United States, and to deal locally whenever possible, is derived from a different source of inspiration. We believe that the close relationships, face-to-face interaction, and tight quality control we achieve while dealing domestically produces a truly superior product. Because of this, we are very transparent about where our components are made as we continue to build our in-house capabilities.
