Watch Description
What makes the Boston Railroad 001 unique: We are happy to present this one-of-a-kind Waltham Vanguard, Railroad Grade watch. This watch was originally produced in Waltham, Massachusetts in 1908 in a very short run of only 1,000 watches. This is the second generation of Railroad-style watches we have created, and we made a lot of improvements to the case design before deciding to once again start producing these watches.
The main difference that we made improvements to is that each and every case is specific to that exact movement that is inside of it. There is no need for any type of insert or custom manipulation of the inner workings to make the movement and the case a perfect fit. The movement slips into this case precisely as it would have been designed in the original pocket watch housing, with the crown and stem assembly being installed after the movement is inside. Also, in a similar fashion to the original pocket watch case, the lever set is accessible by removing the front bezel, with the watch face and hands completely exposed while using the setting mechanism. Our front bezel design is equipped with a waterproof gasket that maintains the waterproof seal of up to 1 ATM, a major improvement to the original seal that would have been provided in the pocket watch case.
We housed this Waltham in our custom titanium case, and are also excited to reveal our new titanium crown design as well that really showcases the details of our manufacturing process. We absolutely love how the design of the new case came together and are extremely happy to finally be able to once again offer these incredible watches.
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 Diameter: 49mm
- Case Material: See Description
- Crown/Hardware: See Description
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Waltham Watch Company
- Serial Number: 19103699
- Manufacture Year: 1908
- Function: Manual Wind
- Hands: Original
- Size: See Description
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes the Boston Railroad 001 unique: We are happy to present this one-of-a-kind Waltham Vanguard, Railroad Grade watch. This watch was originally produced in Waltham, Massachusetts in 1908 in a very short run of only 1,000 watches. This is the second generation of Railroad-style watches we have created, and we made a lot of improvements to the case design before deciding to once again start producing these watches.
The main difference that we made improvements to is that each and every case is specific to that exact movement that is inside of it. There is no need for any type of insert or custom manipulation of the inner workings to make the movement and the case a perfect fit. The movement slips into this case precisely as it would have been designed in the original pocket watch housing, with the crown and stem assembly being installed after the movement is inside. Also, in a similar fashion to the original pocket watch case, the lever set is accessible by removing the front bezel, with the watch face and hands completely exposed while using the setting mechanism. Our front bezel design is equipped with a waterproof gasket that maintains the waterproof seal of up to 1 ATM, a major improvement to the original seal that would have been provided in the pocket watch case.
We housed this Waltham in our custom titanium case, and are also excited to reveal our new titanium crown design as well that really showcases the details of our manufacturing process. We absolutely love how the design of the new case came together and are extremely happy to finally be able to once again offer these incredible watches.
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.
