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Design your one-of-a-kind, Railroad Edition (51mm) watch starting with an antique, American-made, railroad grade pocket watch movement and dial. Each movement and dial combination is unique, and the pieces available are updated continuously, so come back often to check out new inventory!
If you have any questions or would like to schedule a design consultation (free of charge), an associate at Vortic is available by phone at 855-285-7884 or by email at info@vorticwatches.com.
Learn more about the Railroad Edition HERE.
Railroad Edition watches contain a manually wound, mechanical movement (timekeeping mechanism) and dial (face) from an antique, American-made railroad grade, lever set pocket watch. Individuals commonly scrap pocket watch cases for their precious metal, leaving the original, approximately 100-year-old, mechanism orphaned. Vortic meticulously restores each timepiece to as close to original condition as possible.
Railroad grade pocket watches, also known as Standard watches, were explicitly made for railroad employees. As such, they were the highest quality and most sought after watches of the time. American railroads decided upon a rigorous set of regulations to qualify timepieces as “railroad grade” due to their role in maintaining schedules for the American rail system.
Every watch is covered by Vortic's 1-year, comprehensive warranty.
The Railroad Edition case is CNC milled from solid blocks of titanium or bronze. The titanium cases are much lighter than their bronze counterparts, but the bronze will take on a unique patina over time. A Black DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) coating is available for the titanium option.
A defining feature of all railroad grade watches is their setting mechanism. Instead of simply pulling out the crown to put the watch in "setting mode," the original railroad pocket watches required you to remove the front of the watch and actuate a lever to accomplish the same thing. This way, the time on these essential watches was never accidentally changed. Vortic's Railroad Edition of the American Artisan Series features a removable bezel that dramatically improves upon the original design. The Railroad Edition case protects the dial from access while the bezel is removed and is fully water resistant when the bezel is appropriately tightened.
The Railroad case is made for 16s railroad movements and features a 51mm diameter.
The crown (winding knob) is located at 12 o'clock due to the pocket watch movement's orientation. All Railroad Edition crowns are custom machined in Vortic's workshop.
Vortic's timeless leather straps are hand-crafted in the United States by Worn and Wound.
Horween's Shell Cordovan leather, tanned in Chicago, is highly sought after for its ability to take on character as it wears. The buckle is CNC machined at Vortic to match your crown finish selection.
Choose a 2nd strap to come with your custom watch. We’ll ship the watch with the first choice attached and include this extra one in the box so you can mix up your style. We’ll also include a screwdriver so you can make the swap yourself!
American Artisan Series watches may be personalized with laser engraving on the case back. If you are not interested in engraving you may skip this section.
Please enter the text that you would like engraved in the text box below. You will be contacted following the sale to confirm your selection.
NOTE - engraving will not appear on the watch preview
Review your selected options below and click the add to cart button when you are ready to order. An associate at Vortic will provide periodic updates and images of the finished build for final approval prior to shipment.