{"product_id":"journeyman-first-edition","title":"The Journeyman - First Edition","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eMeet the Journeyman \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e— a modern watch by Vortic our Founder R.T. Custer envisioned creating all the way back in 2016. It's a project we attempted before the pandemic, set aside when we couldn’t complete it, and brought back to life this fall as a tribute to his original vision.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eFor years, this project has sat waiting for the right moment, the right skills, and the right reason to finish it. This year gave us that reason.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eDuring R.T.’s recovery from the life-altering stroke he suffered in June, we chose to return to this long-held idea, knowing it would not be easy, but that it would be deeply meaningful. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eReviving the Journeyman became a way to honor the vision that helped shape Vortic in the first place...and a creative project for R.T. to dive into as he recovered from his stroke this fall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis may be the only edition we ever release, which makes this First Edition something rare: a modern Vortic watch brought to life with more heart, intention, and perseverance than anything we’ve ever made.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eMovement Details:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eYears before the pandemic, R.T. and then-business partner Tyler traveled to Switzerland to source a modern movement that could be transformed to reflect early American design. Each ETA 6497-2 was modified and decorated by a master Swiss watchmaker using traditional finishing techniques chosen specifically to echo the antique movements we’ve restored for years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eEvery movement is engraved \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e“First Edition” \u003c\/b\u003eand only \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e100\u003c\/span\u003e exist. Of those, only 50 have been transformed into watches for this special Late 2025 Journeyman release. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eAfter sitting in our vault for so many years, the movements needed to be restored, cleaned, oiled, and adjusted before use. Over the last few months, our in-house master watchmaker Alex has meticulously serviced each movement back to as-new standards. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThey are beautiful, functional, and ready to keep time on your wrist for years to come. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCase Details: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eTo house this modern movement, our in-house engineering team spent months designing, prototyping, and machining an entirely new case architecture — slimmer, lighter, and distinct from the thicker, larger silhouettes of our Artisan Series pocket-watch conversions. This case introduces a traditional \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e3 o’clock crown\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, marking a new chapter in Vortic design while still carrying our recognizable machining quality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThe 43 mm diameter is ideal for a variety of wrist sizes, and at only 9.5 mm in thickness, it's our thinnest creation thus far.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eEvery case, caseback, bezel, and crown was machined and finished by our engineering team here in our shop in Colorado.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDial Details:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eOne of the driving challenges of the original Journeyman attempt was creating a crisp white dial similar to the antique pocket watch dials we all love so much. Early prototypes attempted in-house never met our standards, and the concept was shelved in part because we couldn’t master this single component.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eReviving the project this year meant revisiting this challenge with the help of a manufacturing partner that specializes in precision finishes on metals. We reached out to our friends at Mayfly Outdoors, known for their exceptional craftsmanship making fly fishing reels and accessories in their Colorado shop a few hours away, and asked if they'd help us bring the white dial to life. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAfter months of collaboration and prototyping, the result is the clean, understated white dial that defines the First Edition — a small but significant symbol of the perseverance behind this release.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOther Technical Details:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe watch is triple signed — the crown, dial, and movement each carry the Vortic Stars \u0026amp; Stripes logo, unifying the entire watch with a single iconic mark.\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe movement is also engraved with the Journeyman logo.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second hand has a zero-reset complication, meaning when you pull the crown to the setting position, the second hand sweeps around back to zero and stops. This happens so that when you set your minute, it’s exactly at zero seconds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe angled caseback is titanium rather than steel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe watch comes with a hand-tanned 20mm black strap.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-------------------\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThe Journeyman First Edition represents the completion of something R.T. and Tyler imagined years ago — a beautiful watch with a unique movement that has stretched our capabilities, pushed our craft forward, and carries meaning far beyond its technical details.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eWhether or not we make additional editions in the future, these first 50 pieces stand as a tribute to the Founder that inspired them, and to the team that finally brought his vision to life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThis is your opportunity to own a modern Vortic watch. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cem\u003e*The Journeyman will begin shipping in late December. We cannot guarantee arrival prior to Christmas*\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Vortic Watch Company","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51668196196653,"sku":null,"price":2900.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1710\/0345\/files\/2025-12_Vortic_Journeyman-003.png?v=1764954134","url":"https:\/\/vorticwatches.mom\/products\/journeyman-first-edition","provider":"Vortic","version":"1.0","type":"link"}