







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 Rockford Watch Company. We call this model "The Rockford" because the company was located in Rockford Illinois.
The Rockford 036 is the 36th one-of-a-kind piece in Vortic's "Rockford" 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 Rockford 036 Unique: Where do we start with this watch? We have seen very few of these pocket watches as there were only 600 of them produced by The Rockford Watch Company and even more rare, only 100 made in this specific run. A very classic looking white dial with slightly accented black numerals and red five-minute markings, this dial is quite clean! You will notice the dial has two fractures and even still, it's one of the more perfect ones we've ever seen. The Rockford Watch Company began operation in 1878 with equipment from the Cornell Watch Company as well as two of Cornell's former employees. 400 local businesses and individuals pledged $150,000 of support to stimulate the growth of their town. Rockford watches are especially collectible due to their high-quality designs and low production quantities. Rockford (1873- 1915) produced only 1 million movements as compared to Elgin who is 2 hours away, who made 55 million. The movement is nothing to overlook as well, the crosshatch or checkerboard pattern engraved on the back of the movement is very elaborate. Rockford specialized in these beautiful, high-end, collectors movements with decorations that many watch companies didn't even attempt. To say this movement is rare is an understatement.
1908
772834
Case Style:3D printed American Artisan Series cases are grown, one thin layer at a time, using powdered titanium and a high power laser. Each case is lightly barrel-polished to remove sharp edges while maintaining a vintage-style finish on the exterior. The interior of the case is CNC machined for accuracy and water resistance. The “Blackened” titanium option has been heat-treated and quenched in oil to appear black. This process produces a one-of-a-kind finish and slight variations in consistency are normal.
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 from the Rockford Watch Company. 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.
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
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Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 46mm
- Height: 12mm
- Lug-to-Lug: 55mm
- Lugs: 22mm
- Case Finish: 3D Blackened Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: See Description
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Gorilla Glass
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Rockford Watch Company
- Serial Number:
- Manufacture Year:
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 21j
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours




The Rockford 036 is the 36th one-of-a-kind piece in Vortic's "Rockford" 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 Rockford 036 Unique: Where do we start with this watch? We have seen very few of these pocket watches as there were only 600 of them produced by The Rockford Watch Company and even more rare, only 100 made in this specific run. A very classic looking white dial with slightly accented black numerals and red five-minute markings, this dial is quite clean! You will notice the dial has two fractures and even still, it's one of the more perfect ones we've ever seen. The Rockford Watch Company began operation in 1878 with equipment from the Cornell Watch Company as well as two of Cornell's former employees. 400 local businesses and individuals pledged $150,000 of support to stimulate the growth of their town. Rockford watches are especially collectible due to their high-quality designs and low production quantities. Rockford (1873- 1915) produced only 1 million movements as compared to Elgin who is 2 hours away, who made 55 million. The movement is nothing to overlook as well, the crosshatch or checkerboard pattern engraved on the back of the movement is very elaborate. Rockford specialized in these beautiful, high-end, collectors movements with decorations that many watch companies didn't even attempt. To say this movement is rare is an understatement.
1908
772834

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.