Watch Description
The American mechanism inside this watch is not a replica or an "inspired" piece. It was genuinely carried by an individual, 100 years ago, that depended on it. Each time you wear this watch, you will be transported through time, imagining who this individual was and the work they did to help build our country. Simply put, American Artisan Series watches make you feel something when you put them on. At Vortic, we tell customers that owning a watch isn't nearly as important as owning a story. And, this is an opportunity to be a part of a story that is bigger than yourself. You won't be the first to own this watch, and you certainly won't be the last, so make your chapter count.
The American Artisan Series is a line of fully American Made wristwatches powered by restored, U.S. made pocket watch movements. Individuals commonly scrap pocket watch cases for their precious metal, leaving the original mechanism orphaned. This watch contains the original movement (timepiece), dial (face), and hands from a vintage (1880's - 1950's) pocket watch made by Hampden Watch Company. We call this model "The Canton" because the company was located in Canton, Ohio.
What makes the Canton 018 unique: Today, we’re pleased to present this pristine, elegant watch originally manufactured by the Hampden Pocket Watch Company in 1915 — the Canton 018. The piece’s dial exudes sophistication with its striking dark Roman numerals that contrast its white background. The watch’s blue-tinted hour and minute hands emphasize the dial’s distinguished style. We encased the original pocket watch in our robust, scratch-resistant Machined Titanium case. The shimmering case draws further attention to the dial’s refined sophistication. We also added rustic colors to the final piece by equipping the watch with a copper-colored crown and Natural leather watch strap. The back of the watch boasts a Biltmore-grade open-face movement with nickel finish, pendant setting, and patent regulator. The watch also sports 17 luxuriously vivid jewels atop its bridge plate and gold-plated gears. The Hampden Watch Company initially produced the pocket watch in Canton, Ohio, in 1915 — the same year that Alexander Graham Bell made the famous “first transcontinental telephone call” from New York City to San Francisco during the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. In reality, this was not the first transcontinental phone call, but Bell and the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) claimed it was for marketing purposes. On the call, Bell repeated his famous line from 1876, “Mr. Watson, come here; I want you.” The call officially launched AT&T’s transcontinental service.
Case Style:This case has been CNC milled from a solid block of aerospace grade titanium. We use pressurized, fine glass beads in a sandblasting chamber to soften the edges and make the finish uniform. Titanium is the ultimate material for strength to weight ratio. Titanium has a darker look than steel, and due to its low thermal conductivity, feels warm to the touch. These characteristics create an enduring, highly wearable, distinctive piece.
Movement: The manually wound, antique, pocket watch movement inside this watch has been meticulously restored to as close to original condition as possible. Vortic has an exclusive group of highly experienced watchmakers that specialize in vintage watches. Before its use in a wristwatch, each movement is completely disassembled, cleaned, oiled, and calibrated. Each finished Vortic watch is tested for at least a week before completion.
This watch's movement is serial number 3362017 from the Hampden Watch Company. Although founded in 1877, Hampen's story truly begins after its purchase by John C. Dueber in 1886. Mr. Dueber was in the process of moving his Kentucky based watch case manufacturing company, and he ultimately decided to move both the case company and Hampden watch company to Canton, Ohio together. Housing both operations on one campus, Dueber was able to produce cases for their own watches, unlike any other watch company. These two companies together eventually formed the Dueber-Hampden Watch Company. The company thrived until the late 1920's when it hit financial trouble and eventually closed its doors. The original factory building is no longer standing.
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
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Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 46mm
- Height: 12mm
- Lug-to-Lug: 55mm
- Lugs: 22mm
- Case Finish: Sandblasted Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Copper
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Gorilla Glass
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Hampden Watch Company
- Serial Number: 3362017
- Manufacture Year: 1915
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17j
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes the Canton 018 unique: Today, we’re pleased to present this pristine, elegant watch originally manufactured by the Hampden Pocket Watch Company in 1915 — the Canton 018. The piece’s dial exudes sophistication with its striking dark Roman numerals that contrast its white background. The watch’s blue-tinted hour and minute hands emphasize the dial’s distinguished style. We encased the original pocket watch in our robust, scratch-resistant Machined Titanium case. The shimmering case draws further attention to the dial’s refined sophistication. We also added rustic colors to the final piece by equipping the watch with a copper-colored crown and Natural leather watch strap. The back of the watch boasts a Biltmore-grade open-face movement with nickel finish, pendant setting, and patent regulator. The watch also sports 17 luxuriously vivid jewels atop its bridge plate and gold-plated gears. The Hampden Watch Company initially produced the pocket watch in Canton, Ohio, in 1915 — the same year that Alexander Graham Bell made the famous “first transcontinental telephone call” from New York City to San Francisco during the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. In reality, this was not the first transcontinental phone call, but Bell and the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) claimed it was for marketing purposes. On the call, Bell repeated his famous line from 1876, “Mr. Watson, come here; I want you.” The call officially launched AT&T’s transcontinental service.
Quality Straps
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.
Mission
Our mission is to preserve and enhance the legacy of manufacturing excellence in America. We believe that this legacy is highly relevant in the world of watch manufacturing because our goal is to marry form and function in a way that makes something beautiful that will last forever. American made pocket watches were of such a high quality and decoration that they evolved into more than just a way to tell time. They became traditional heirlooms to be inherited by future generations as a wedding gift or a coming of age treasure. Each piece tells a lively tale of what U.S. manufacturing meant in the past using an intricate language of decorated bridges, plates, gears, and springs. Today, we are restoring these pieces to their former glory and making them relevant again using the best of modern technology.
American Made
We feel proud and blessed to live in the country, state, and city that we do. However, our motivation to build everything in the United States, and to deal locally whenever possible, is derived from a different source of inspiration. We believe that the close relationships, face-to-face interaction, and tight quality control we achieve while dealing domestically produces a truly superior product. Because of this, we are very transparent about where our components are made as we continue to build our in-house capabilities.
