Vortic Watches

A small upcycling company from our hometown of Fort Collins has faced some incredible challenges. In each case, they have beaten Goliath.

Scott, my cohort in this endeavor, loves watches. For as long as I can remember, he has been telling me about a company from our hometown, Fort Collins, Colorado, called Vortic. I am not a watch wearer, but every time Scott would show me their work, I couldn’t help but be impressed. Vortic has found a way to take old pocket watches and make them into beautiful, upcycled wrist watches. These old timepieces find new life in the work of their company. R.T. Custer and Tyler Wolfe had a wild idea to make a company out of these old American-made wrist watches and bring them back into the modern world. Their dream started as a Kickstarter and has grown into a brand that is one of the most sought-after watches in America. When they launch new products, they sell out in minutes, and their pricing has continued to escalate with demand. As R.T. describes in the video above, their journey has taken them all over the city. From a small retail shop in a converted farmstead to their manufacturing facility in Old Town Fort Collins, Vortic has continued to grow and be in high demand.

They are true believers in American manufacturing. They donate proceeds from their watch sales to a watchmaker and repair school in Delaware that specializes in training disabled veterans. Their dedication to restoring this once-robust art on American land is profound. Vortic has had incredible challenges, including being sued by Swatch for copyright infringement. Ultimately, Vortic prevailed and beat the Goliath of the watch industry. R.T. suffered a stroke earlier this year, and his team stepped in to help get him back on his feet and keep the company alive.

Vortic is a fantastic American story about perseverance and how belief in the spirit of American manufacturing can overcome almost anything. Here’s what they say about why they see their role as being more than making a product:

This problem is much bigger than watches. It’s called the Skilled Trade Gap. America needs more watchmakers just like America needs more plumbers, electricians, carpenters, and others. As a nation, we’ve become too reliant on other countries for our products and a very small, and shrinking number of Americans know how to work in these skilled industries.

So what do we do about it? First, we become the proof. Proof of what’s possible. Next, we train the next generation.

For these reasons and many others, we support the Veterans Watchmaker Initiative in Odessa, Delaware. They are one of the only watchmaking schools left in the United States, and they focus on training disabled military veterans. Starting with Batch 5, $100 from each GCT watch sold supports the school and we do our best to provide jobs for their graduates.

It is an amazing mission they hold to. I love what they do, and think that their efforts should be celebrated. As in many cases in American small business, the system has treated them harshly. Yet despite the obstacles, they have overcome them. Their celebration of 10 years in business is to be applauded. We thought it only fitting that the first profile of our stories of perseverance at On The Uptick be about a watchmaker.

Take a closer look at their incredible work:

Here is a breakdown of their lawsuit where Hamilton Watch (Swatch parent company) took Voritc to court over copyright infringement.

I love a great David-and-Goliath story, and it is fantastic that they ultimately prevailed in this case.

Here are some up close shots of watches they have offered in the past:

Vortic Watch Company

If you want to find out more about Vortic - here is their website.

Vorticwatches

The landscape of American business can be brutal, and in the case of Vortic, they have faced a tremendous uphill climb to reach their successes. With each watch sold or court fight, they have overcome another small battle that helps them believe a little more in what it is they are doing, and that is the real story of small business in America. Little fights, daily doses of meaningless paperwork to satisfy a cubicle dweller, inspections by city tax authorities, all pile on to the issues they likely face in manufacturing or repairing, to meet customer demand and deadlines, or running their business.

In so many ways, it feels like American small businesses are in a race in which they have to carry a sixty-pound pack, and the massive corporations get a huge head start. But what never ceases to amaze me is that despite the long odds, there are people like the founders of Vortic who believe so fervently in their dreams that they sign up for the race anyway. That is the DNA of a country that never sees the obstacles as a reason to quit. They rely on enthusiasm and, in some part, ignorance about the coming troubles to forge on despite the odds. These are the real stories of why our country is worth fighting for. It is a defeating time, and in so many instances, we see the burden that the system bears upon its people and see it all as hopeless. But when I see people fighting for their dreams, I am encouraged. This relentless, almost irrational pursuit of an idea, and a little slice of independence, is why America remains the most amazing place.