Watch Description
What makes the Rockford 005 unique: This one-of-a-kind Vortic conversion showcases a 110-year-old pocket watch with an uncommon architecture known as the "Hunting" style configuration with the winding crown at 3 o'clock instead of the much more common "Openface" configuration, which places the crown at 12 o'clock. These hunting-configuration pocket watch cases featured a special mechanized crown that could be pressed to activate a spring-loaded hinge that would open a solid metal cover over the watch's face and dial. The cover was intended to protect the watch's crystal in sporting endeavors like hunting or other high-intensity activities that a gentleman of that day might find himself participating in.
This Rockford takes the theme of an early-20th-century tool watch and runs with it; its steel case, finished with a durable, matte-textured DLC coating, and its crown featuring our chunkier square knurling gives the watch an aggressive and tactical personality that exists side-by-side with classical features like this its elegant white enamel dial with the flowing script of the Rockford logo, the sophisticated, serif font of the Arabic numerals, the slender heat-blued moon hands, and the sturdy, top-grain leather oxblood Cordovan strap.
Its triple-bridged movement, in alignment with its lesser-seen hunting configuration, is finished with a wonderfully uncommon pattern of undulating stripes and 3 styles of perlage under the balance wheel and between the smaller bridges. It is far more than a pretty face, as it boasts 21 jewels and a double roller escapement. It was a masterpiece when it was created in 1914 and has stood the test of time, enabling it to be worn and celebrated by this generation. It is now preserved and protected and will surely be admired for generations to come.
Movement Manufacturer Information
The movement inside of this watch was made by Rockford Watch Company. We call this model "The Rockford" because the company was located in Rockford Illinois.
The Rockford Watch Company began operation in 1873 with equipment purchased from the Cornell Watch Company. Four hundred local businesses and individuals pledged $150,000 (over $3mil with inflation) of support to stimulate the growth of their town. The company struggled to keep up with demand early on, and eventually went bankrupt. Rockford was rejuvenated in 1901, but a major fire and lightning strike slowed the company further in 1903. By 1915 the company closed its doors, though the building still stands vacant.
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Watch Specifications
- Manufacturer: Vortic Watch Company
- Model Year: 2024
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 45mm
- Thickness: 12mm
- Lug to Lug: 55mm
- Lug Width: 22mm
- Case Material: DLC-Coated Stainless Steel
- Crown/Hardware: Stainless Steel
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Rockford Watch Company
- Serial Number: 934081
- Manufacture Year: 1914
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 21 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes the Rockford 005 unique: This one-of-a-kind Vortic conversion showcases a 110-year-old pocket watch with an uncommon architecture known as the "Hunting" style configuration with the winding crown at 3 o'clock instead of the much more common "Openface" configuration, which places the crown at 12 o'clock. These hunting-configuration pocket watch cases featured a special mechanized crown that could be pressed to activate a spring-loaded hinge that would open a solid metal cover over the watch's face and dial. The cover was intended to protect the watch's crystal in sporting endeavors like hunting or other high-intensity activities that a gentleman of that day might find himself participating in.
This Rockford takes the theme of an early-20th-century tool watch and runs with it; its steel case, finished with a durable, matte-textured DLC coating, and its crown featuring our chunkier square knurling gives the watch an aggressive and tactical personality that exists side-by-side with classical features like this its elegant white enamel dial with the flowing script of the Rockford logo, the sophisticated, serif font of the Arabic numerals, the slender heat-blued moon hands, and the sturdy, top-grain leather oxblood Cordovan strap.
Its triple-bridged movement, in alignment with its lesser-seen hunting configuration, is finished with a wonderfully uncommon pattern of undulating stripes and 3 styles of perlage under the balance wheel and between the smaller bridges. It is far more than a pretty face, as it boasts 21 jewels and a double roller escapement. It was a masterpiece when it was created in 1914 and has stood the test of time, enabling it to be worn and celebrated by this generation. It is now preserved and protected and will surely be admired for generations to come.
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.
