Watch Description
What makes the Boston 460 unique: Today, we’re excited to share another moving piece of history with you that was initially created in 1925 by the American Waltham Watch Company — the Boston 460. This watch features an exquisitely textured gray face set off by a striking machined-steel subdial, and the blue moon-shaped hands perfectly complement the golden numerals on the face. We have paired this stunning movement with our robust gunmetal titanium case and nickel-plated crown to let the original beauty of this watch shine. As you turn the watch over, you can view the gorgeous inner workings of this historic pocket watch. The elegantly engraved, nickel-finished ¾ plate features an intricate floral and geometric design that makes the back of the watch just as eye-catching as the face. In addition to the engraved pattern, this watch movement also features 17 sumptuous screw-set jewels and a Breguet hairspring. We also selected our stone leather strap for this watch to showcase its stunning grays.In 1925 — the same year this watch was produced — Albert and Alfred Heineman built America’s first motel in San Luis Obispo, California, the Milestone Mo-tel. This “motorists hotel” revolutionized how people built roadside lodging by allowing motorists to park directly in front of their rooms. The Heineman brothers intended for the Milestone to be the prototype of an entire chain. However, the Great Depression prevented the brothers from finding investors, and they ultimately lost the property due to foreclosure. A night at the motel cost travelers $1.25/night, which would be around $21 by today’s standards.
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.
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
- Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 47mm
- Thickness: 12mm
- Lug to Lug: 55mm
- Lug Width: 22mm
- Case Material: Gunmetal Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Nickel Plated
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Waltham Watch Company
- Serial Number: 24934121
- Manufacture Year: 1925
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
In 1925 — the same year this watch was produced — Albert and Alfred Heineman built America’s first motel in San Luis Obispo, California, the Milestone Mo-tel. This “motorists hotel” revolutionized how people built roadside lodging by allowing motorists to park directly in front of their rooms. The Heineman brothers intended for the Milestone to be the prototype of an entire chain. However, the Great Depression prevented the brothers from finding investors, and they ultimately lost the property due to foreclosure. A night at the motel cost travelers $1.25/night, which would be around $21 by today’s standards.
Let customers speak for us
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.
