Halloween Hardware

Okay sports fans, as many of you know, Wendy and I live in Salem, MA - also known as the Witch City.  And among other things that draw people to visit our fair city, Halloween is a BIG one. And nothing against the folks who live here, and who travel here but it is always a fairly "steam-punk" affair. Nothing wrong with that, just not my jam.  But this is -

Courtesy of Bomberg

This is the BOLT-68 HERITAGE Sugar Skull Pink from Bomberg, and gentle reader, this is THE SHIT THAT KILLED ELVIS!  A few things to know about me, I am afraid of motorcycles, I am not a habitué of tattoo parlors (one visit, one tattoo), and as a rule I am not drawn to skulls.  Just being honest, nothing wrong with them, just not a driving talisman for me. Or maybe I should say, up to now they haven't been...

I was doodling around and came across this piece of AWESOMENESS today.  This is the BOLT-68 HERITAGE.  Sort of spoke to me as I am a vintage 68 myself. But more than that, I love the dial, the play of color - and hand to God, I LOVE the skull!

To be fair, there are other, much more expensive options out there for those with a skull itch to scratch, but at $1,295 this is a screaming bargain, and it's sooooo dope!

The case is 45 mm in diameter, the movement is quartz, which frankly is becoming more and more appealing to me as time goes on. It's all fun and games until you pay for yet another service of your mechanical chronograph.

The dial - I could go on all day, but suffice it to say it speaks to me.

And one unexpected extra?  It comes with a watch chain and fob, so you can wear it as a pocket watch!

For those of you, like me, who are interested, here are the pertinents, this is definitely a Halloween Treat -

• MOVEMENT

  Quartz, chronograph

• CASE

  45mm, stainless steel black PVD

• CROWN/PUSHER

  Stainless steel black PVD, screwed-down

• GLASS

  Sapphire with anti reflective coating

• DIAL

  Brass with (Clou de Paris) / satin finishing, applied luminous index with inner bezel

• HANDS

  Brass with galvanic treatement & colored painting, luminous

• STRAP

  Silicone

• PIN BUCKLE

  Brushed stainless steel black PVD

• CHAIN & MEDALLION

  Chain & medallion included

• WATER RESISTANCE

  50m

• INTERNATIONAL WARRANTY

  2 years

• REFERENCE

  BS45CHPBA.060-2.11

• SWISS MADE

Why I Bought it - The Vortic Witch City

So before anything else, I need to disclose that I do some freelance work for Vortic.  While I am not an employee, I do assist in certain projects.  I purchased the Vortic watch discussed in this story, and as such am also a customer.  Having said that, in the interest of practicing what I preach, I felt it important to disclose this relationship.

In all honesty, I didn't really get Vortic at first.  It was an interesting idea, taking a no-longer utilized pocket watch, and giving it a new life as a wrist watch.  Moreover, it offered pretty much the only 100% made in America watch.  But I just couldn't really get my head around it.

That was until I met one of the key people behind Vortic, R.T. Custer.  R.T. was in town for an event in Boston, and we got together to talk about Vortic, and to give me the opportunity to finally clap eyes on the actual watches.

And then, suddenly, I got it.  We live in a throwaway society.  That is the plain and simple truth.  And it's not every day that you get an opportunity to design something on your own and see it come to life.  So pals and gals, I introduce you to the Witch City -

As Salem is now home, I wanted a watch that was somewhat reflective of that.  I gave some basic parameters - I wanted a "local" basis for the watch, and that would be Waltham of Waltham, MA.

R.T. and his gang found just the right pocket watch and sent me a short video so that I could give the okay.

But then, I wanted it to have some elements that would tie it to Salem, MA.  For those of you who are not acquainted with my new hometown, Salem is in/famous for the Salem Witch Trials (and subsequent executions).  Interesting to relate, the Salem Witch Trials did take place in Salem, but also in Danvers (a town next to modern day Salem that did not have as strong a PR department).

So I went for a blackened case.  The case is blackened titanium and is produced by 3D printing, then polished and finished. 

The pocket watch was then adjusted and inserted into it's new house.  

And although I've seen plenty of display back watches, they have nothing on this -

The watch is secured with a black Horween cordovan strap.

You can, of course, commission your own Vortic watch, but this one is mine ; )