Watch Description
The Cleveland 008 is the 8th one-of-a-kind piece in Vortic's "Cleveland" line of the American Artisan Series. This watch contains the original movement (timepiece), dial (face), and hands from a vintage (1880’s – 1950’s) pocket watch. The American Artisan Series is a line of fully American Made wristwatches powered by restored, U.S. made pocket watch movements.
What makes the Cleveland 008 Unique: Today we bring you this wonderfully designed piece from the Ball Watch Company. When we first found this watch we knew we had something truly special, and wanted to give it new life in the best way we know how. This dial features an exquisite sunburst design, accentuated by brilliant gold numerals, minute indicators, and kite-style hands. We carried along the gold theme with a gold-plated crown and hardware throughout. We set the movement in our black DLC case and finished it off with our oxblood cordovan strap. A truly high-class watch that is guaranteed to turn some heads no matter the occasion. This ¾ bridge plate design shape is unique to Ball, and we love the details and machined patterns that are carried throughout. Rose gold gears turn on 19 screw-set jewels, with stainless steel hardware as well as a brass balance wheel. This watch was contract built for Ball by the Illinois Watch Company in Springfield, Illinois in 1926 in a very short run of only 8,000 watches. This is the same year that the National Numbered Highway System is initiated, creating the world-famous Route 66 which actually runs right through Springfield, Illinois.
1926
B403229
Movement Manufacturer Information
The movement inside of this watch was made by Ball Watch Company. We call this model "The Cleveland" because the company was located within the Cleveland city limits.
Founded by Webb C. Ball in 1891, Ball Watch Company's watches focused on the railroad industry and had a reputation for quality that was second to none. Mr. Ball famously invented and implemented a standard set of watch inspections and requirements to qualify a watch for use on the railroad at a time when timekeeping was paramount to safety. This was known as a "Standard" or "Railroad Grade" watch. The core of the manufacturing for these watches was performed by Hamilton and Waltham Watch Companies, but the adjustment, finishing, and testing performed by Ball set them ahead of the pack. One of the few companies still in existence, Ball now makes watches in Switzerland and is owned by Hong Kong group Asia Commercial Holdings Ltd.
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: 2021
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 47mm
- Thickness: 12mm
- Lug to Lug: 55mm
- Lug Width: 22mm
- Case Material: DLC Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Gold Plated
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Ball Watch Company
- Serial Number:
- Manufacture Year:
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 19 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
The Cleveland 008 is the 8th one-of-a-kind piece in Vortic's "Cleveland" line of the American Artisan Series. This watch contains the original movement (timepiece), dial (face), and hands from a vintage (1880’s – 1950’s) pocket watch. The American Artisan Series is a line of fully American Made wristwatches powered by restored, U.S. made pocket watch movements.
What makes the Cleveland 008 Unique: Today we bring you this wonderfully designed piece from the Ball Watch Company. When we first found this watch we knew we had something truly special, and wanted to give it new life in the best way we know how. This dial features an exquisite sunburst design, accentuated by brilliant gold numerals, minute indicators, and kite-style hands. We carried along the gold theme with a gold-plated crown and hardware throughout. We set the movement in our black DLC case and finished it off with our oxblood cordovan strap. A truly high-class watch that is guaranteed to turn some heads no matter the occasion. This ¾ bridge plate design shape is unique to Ball, and we love the details and machined patterns that are carried throughout. Rose gold gears turn on 19 screw-set jewels, with stainless steel hardware as well as a brass balance wheel. This watch was contract built for Ball by the Illinois Watch Company in Springfield, Illinois in 1926 in a very short run of only 8,000 watches. This is the same year that the National Numbered Highway System is initiated, creating the world-famous Route 66 which actually runs right through Springfield, Illinois.
1926
B403229
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.
