Watch Description
Meet the Journeyman — a modern watch by Vortic our Founder R.T. Custer envisioned creating all the way back in 2016. It's a project we attempted before the pandemic, set aside when we couldn’t complete it, and brought back to life this fall as a tribute to his original vision.
For years, this project has sat waiting for the right moment, the right skills, and the right reason to finish it. This year gave us that reason.
During R.T.’s recovery from the life-altering stroke he suffered in June, we chose to return to this long-held idea, knowing it would not be easy, but that it would be deeply meaningful.
Reviving the Journeyman became a way to honor the vision that helped shape Vortic in the first place...and a creative project for R.T. to dive into as he recovered from his stroke this fall.
This may be the only edition we ever release, which makes this First Edition something rare: a modern Vortic watch brought to life with more heart, intention, and perseverance than anything we’ve ever made.
Movement Details:
Years before the pandemic, R.T. and then-business partner Tyler traveled to Switzerland to source a modern movement that could be transformed to reflect early American design. Each ETA 6498 was modified and decorated by a master Swiss watchmaker using traditional finishing techniques chosen specifically to echo the antique movements we’ve restored for years.
Every movement is engraved “First Edition” and only 100 exist. Of those, only 50 have been transformed into watches for this special Late 2025 Journeyman release.
After sitting in our vault for so many years, the movements needed to be restored, cleaned, oiled, and adjusted before use. Over the last few months, our in-house master watchmaker Alex has meticulously serviced each movement back to as-new standards.
They are beautiful, functional, and ready to keep time on your wrist for years to come.
Case Details:
To house this modern movement, our in-house engineering team spent months designing, prototyping, and machining an entirely new case architecture — slimmer, lighter, and distinct from the thicker, larger silhouettes of our Artisan Series pocket-watch conversions. This case introduces a traditional 3 o’clock crown, marking a new chapter in Vortic design while still carrying our recognizable machining quality.
Every case, caseback, bezel, and crown was machined and finished by our engineering team here in our shop in Colorado.
Dial Details:
One of the driving challenges of the original Journeyman attempt was creating a crisp white dial similar to the antique pocket watch dials we all love so much. Early prototypes attempted in-house never met our standards, and the concept was shelved in part because we couldn’t master this single component.
Reviving the project this year meant revisiting this challenge with the help of a manufacturing partner that specializes in precision finishes on metals. We reached out to our friends at Mayfly Outdoors, known for their exceptional craftsmanship making fly fishing reels and accessories in their Colorado shop a few hours away, and asked if they'd help us bring the white dial to life.
After months of collaboration and prototyping, the result is the clean, understated white dial that defines the First Edition — a small but significant symbol of the perseverance behind this release.
Other Technical Details:
The watch is triple signed — the crown, dial, and movement each carry the Vortic Stars & Stripes logo, unifying the entire watch with a single iconic mark.
The movement is also engraved with the Journeyman logo.
The second hand has a zero-reset complication, meaning when you pull the crown to the setting position, the second hand sweeps around back to zero and stops. This happens so that when you set your minute, it’s exactly at zero seconds.
The angled caseback is titanium rather than steel.
The watch comes with a hand-tanned 20mm black strap.
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The Journeyman First Edition represents the completion of something R.T. and Tyler imagined years ago — a beautiful watch with a unique movement that has stretched our capabilities, pushed our craft forward, and carries meaning far beyond its technical details.
Whether or not we make additional editions in the future, these first 50 pieces stand as a tribute to the Founder that inspired them, and to the team that finally brought his vision to life.
This is your opportunity to own a modern Vortic watch.
*The Journeyman will begin shipping in late December. We cannot guarantee arrival prior to Christmas*
Movement Manufacturer Information
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
- Model Year: 2025 Journeyman First Edition
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Material: Stone Washed Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: See Description
- Water Resistance: 3 ATM
- Crystals: Flat Sapphire (front)
Flat Sapphire (back) - Case Back: Titanium
- Strap: 20mm Hand Tanned Black Straps
Movement
- Manufacturer:
- Serial Number:
- Manufacture Year: 2017
- Function: Manual Wind
- Hands: Hand Painted
- Size: See Description
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
A CRISP, WHITE DIAL
Mayfly Outdoors is known for building high-precision fly-fishing equipment that merges tradition with innovation. Their commitment to craftsmanship made them the perfect partner to bring this dial to life. Drawing from their philosophy of “Crafted Where It Counts,” the team approached the dial with the same detail-driven manufacturing discipline they use for heirloom-grade reels. Every surface, texture, and paint layer was executed with exacting control to create the crisp, clean aesthetic the Journeyman required.
Each dial is produced using a repeatable process that balances durability with refined finish. The result is a white dial that looks simple at first glance but is anything but simple to make. It embodies both the elegance of modern watch design and the rugged, precision-minded craftsmanship shared by Vortic and Mayfly. This dial completes the movement aesthetically, honoring the Swiss modifications while giving the watch a distinct identity within Vortic’s lineage.
The finished piece is a quiet achievement. A dial built in Colorado by skilled American manufacturers, honoring a long-held design vision and executed with the care reserved for objects meant to last a lifetime.
A MODERN MOVEMENT
ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse's history reaches back to 1793, when four master watchmakers opened an ébauche workshop in Fontainemelon. Over centuries, that workshop grew into the network of specialized factories that would become Ebauches SA and, eventually, today’s ETA — the movement manufacturer at the heart of the Swatch Group.
This legacy matters. ETA’s calibers are known for durability, precision, and a level of refinement shaped by more than four centuries of mechanical expertise.
For the Journeyman, each 6498 movement was then modified and decorated by a Swiss artisan to echo the aesthetic of early American watchmaking. The result is a unique hybrid: Swiss engineering with American-inspired finishing, built specifically for this project.
Every movement is engraved “First Edition,” and only 100 exist. It’s the kind of movement we may never be able to procure again. A rare batch, chosen intentionally, modified traditionally, and brought into the Journeyman project as both the mechanical core and the philosophical anchor of the watch.
A LIGHTER, THINNER CASE
The Journeyman features an all-new case architecture engineered and machined in-house at Vortic’s Colorado workshop. Designed specifically around the smaller, modern ETA 6498 movement, this case is slimmer, lighter, and more refined than any Vortic case before it. It introduces a traditional 3 o’clock crown, marking a deliberate shift from our pocket-watch conversions into a true modern wristwatch form.
Every component begins as solid metal, precision-cut on our machining equipment, then individually finished, inspected, and assembled by our team. The geometry, tolerances, and surface finishing were all developed from scratch for this project — a challenge we took on intentionally to honor the original vision for the Journeyman.
The result is a case that blends modern engineering with Vortic’s rugged aesthetic: clean lines, balanced proportions, and durability that reflects our commitment to American manufacturing. Built entirely in-house, the Journeyman case represents a level of refinement and capability that didn’t exist at Vortic when this project first began.
RT'S VISION & REVIVAL
On June 30, RT suffered a massive stroke while traveling for work. He survived thanks to a series of miracles and world-class medical intervention, but recovery will take time. In the weeks that followed, the Vortic team faced every difficult conversation imaginable, including whether the company could even continue without its founder at the helm.
Bringing the Journeyman to life became a way to honor RT’s vision, determination, and the years he poured into Vortic. It wasn’t about scaling or strategy. It was about finishing something meaningful during a season that changed everything.
It captures the spirit of the idea RT carried for years — a modern Vortic watch built with perseverance, craftsmanship, and heart.
The Journeyman First Edition is more than a product. It’s a tribute. A milestone. A reminder of why the brand exists at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Journeyman will begin shipping in late December. We cannot guarantee arrival prior to Christmas
Right now we have no finalized plan to create future editions of the Journeyman watch. That may change over time, but if you love the watch we encourage you to buy one of this very limited 50 piece collection today!
Yes. Active Duty Military and all U.S. Military Veterans can receive 10% off any purchase on www.vorticwatches.com by using discount code "Military." You will be contacted after purchase for proof of service.
The watch industry does not use the term "waterproof." We always say "water-resistant" because every single watch is different, and all customer environments are different. The Journeyman is rated to 3 ATM of water resistance, meaning it is perfect for day to day use, but not intended for use while showering or swimming.
All Vortic watches come with a 2-year warranty. The bottom line is, if anything ever goes wrong, even after you have the watch for 2 years, we will take care of you. We pride ourselves in our customer service, and we can fix just about anything!
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.
