Watch Description
What makes the Boston 382 unique: Today we are very excited to release this truly special timepiece from the Waltham Watch Company, our Boston 382. This watch is actually one of the oldest watches we have ever created, with the original production date being 1896. We are not surprised to see the Roman Numerals on this watch as it was a more common design feature for watches prior to 1900, however, the combination of Arabic numerals as minute indicators around the outer edge is a very nice touch. We chose these beautiful burgundy open-spade hands and our merlot strap to compliment the red of the dial and truly love how it turned out. A copper crown and hardware completes the look and ties everything together perfectly inside of our sandblasted titanium case. As we turn this watch over to reveal the gears inside, we are absolutely astonished by the quality and condition of this incredibly old timepiece. All of these intricate patterns machined into the build plate were created using a Rose-Engine lathe and we love how the design keeps your eye moving all around the entire piece continuously. Underneath we see the gold-plated gears that keep everything moving correctly, pivoting on 17 screw set jewels. A nice visual balance of nickel-plating and precious metals helps this watch stand out and is a testament to the craftsmanship of the time. In April of 1896, the very first iteration of the modern era Olympic Games was held in Athens, Greece. 14 nations participated in the events, with 241 athletes. The United States of America was the only country outside of Europe to compete and ended up taking home the most gold medals with 11.Movement Manufacturer Information
The movement inside of this watch was made by Waltham Watch Company. We call this model "The Boston" because of the company's proximity to the city.
Also known as American Watch Company and American Waltham Watch Company, Waltham was one of the leaders in attempting an entirely new concept, machines making machines. Prior to this, a watchmaker would hand-make each part of a movement one-at-a-time. Operating from 1851-1957, Waltham called its product the "Scientific Watch." Waltham's innovative, precise machining techniques made parts interchangeable, and their early version of the assembly line made high-quality watches efficient to produce. Legend has it that Henry Ford drew inspiration for his assembly line production from a visit to Waltham's factory. Located on the bank of the Charles River in "Watch City" (Waltham), Massachusetts, the factory has since been converted to apartment lofts.
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Watch Specifications
- Manufacturer: Vortic Watch Company
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 47mm
- Thickness: 12mm
- Lug to Lug: 55mm
- Lug Width: 22mm
- Case Material: Sandblasted Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Copper
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Waltham Watch Company
- Serial Number: 7695169
- Manufacture Year: 1896
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
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The Movement
The engine that powers this watch is an antique American pocket watch movement. All the gears and springs that make it tell time are roughly 100 years old on average. We call these watches the American Artisan Series because we're celebrating the history and legacy of the artisan watchmakers who built this engineering marvel a century ago in the United States.
The Story
Today most pocket watches are scrapped for the gold or silver of the case (the outside of the antique timepiece), leaving the inside (what we call the "movement") as trash.
We take pride in upcycling these pieces of American history by salvaging as many as we can, then preserving them inside our wristwatches.
Our expert team of watchmakers restores the antique movement and then we manufacture a custom wristwatch case here in Fort Collins, Colorado.
The Strap
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.
