Collaborating with American Crafters: Vortic Watch Company

November 05, 2019

In Honor of Veterans

In honor of Veteran’s Day and to celebrate our nation’s military, Vortic Watch Company, an award-winning vintage pocket watch upcycling business, announced a partnership with the non-profit group The Veteran Watchmakers Initiative. Their aim? To bring an exclusive watch honoring Veterans and military personnel to the market.

Vortic Watch Company products are designed, manufactured, and built in America. Undoubtedly, they’re a perfect fit for our store. Their unique designs feature original American pocket watches, mostly from the early 20th century, that are redesigned and repurposed to function as wristwatches. Now you can own a piece of history and use it, too.

Vortic uses metal 3D printing to encase their salvaged and restored antique American-made pocket watch movements to create bespoke wristwatches. Every Vortic watch is a one-of-a-kind timepiece. Headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado, the products are available both online and at select jewelry and watch retailers nationwide (like ours!). Vortic operates out of a workshop space in Fort Collins, Colorado where the team salvages, restores, and preserves these pieces of American history. The engineering system is entirely made in the United States with most components produced in-house. Individual craftsmen rebuild the classic movement, then design, engineer and manufacture a case and strap system for the new watch.

Vortic teamed up with the wonderful non-profit group The Veteran Watchmaker Initiative (VWI). The VWi is the only technical school in the United States solely dedicated to teaching disabled veterans. The small school, first opened in 2009, teaches war veterans the highly skilled art of watchmaking. The school is modeled after the Bulova Watch Co. program, which trained disabled veterans for decades after World War II, but later shut down in the 1980s when electronic watches became popular. However, the increasing demand for vintage wristwatches and the resurgence of American-made treasures has brought the VWI back into the spotlight. They were the perfect group for Vortic to partner with.

Out Came the Military Edition

Vortic and the VWI produced an exclusive series, limited to only 50 pieces, which honors veterans. The Military Edition Watches are created from pocket watches known as the “Navigator’s Watch.” The pocket watches were commissioned by the U.S Army Air Corp during World War II and were used by aviators to aid in navigation. The Military Edition is made from original pocket watch movements that are restored. The straps are made with vintage military canvas bags, classic black leather, or bomber jacket material.

These Navigator's watches are hard to come by, thus the run for the Military Edition is limited. Only a select few will get their hands on them, and now is your chance!

Vortic Watch Company co-founder R.T. Custer will be with us on Saturday, November 9th, just in time for Veteran’s Day weekend. R.T. will bring some Military Edition watches with him to view, and guests can pre-order their own watch at this event.

The Great Republic is the exclusive retailer for the Vortic Military Edition, so don’t miss your chance at one this weekend.

Come stop by on Saturday, November 9th at 12 noon in our D.C. store, located in CityCenterDC. You’ll get an exclusive first look at these gorgeous timepieces, which are sure to wow.

What? Vortic Watch Company Military Edition Trunk Show

When? Saturday, November 9. 12:00pm-5:00pm EST

Where? The Great Republic at CityCenterDC (973 Palmer Alley NW, next to Piccolina)

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