American-Made Watchmaker takes on Billion-Dollar Goliath with RT Custer & Vortic Watches

May 26, 2025

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RT Custer turned a passion for nostalgia into two thriving American watch brands: Vortic Watch Co., which transforms antique pocket watches into wristwatches, and the ambitious Colorado Watch Co., aiming to bring American watchmaking back at scale. In this episode, RT shares how he went from a $40K Kickstarter to a federal courtroom battle with the Swatch Group, what it took to buy out his co-founder after 10 years, and why scaling American manufacturing might just be the next moonshot. A deep, candid look at craft, conflict, and creating legacy through time.

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Chapters
[00:00:00] Starting in the Memory Business
[00:01:00] Why Vortic Turns Pocket Watches
[00:02:00] Kickstarter Launch and Early Proof
[00:03:30] The Watch-a-Day Marketing Model
[00:04:30] Pivoting During the Pandemic
[00:06:00] The Story in Every Watch
[00:06:45] Buying Out His Co-Founder
[00:09:00] Running the Company Solo
[00:11:00] Where the Business Stands Now
[00:12:45] Colorado Watch Co. Vision
[00:14:30] Growth vs Lifestyle Business
[00:15:30] Manufacturing Challenges at Scale
[00:17:00] Distribution Strategy and Retail Plans
[00:18:00] Raising Capital for Expansion
[00:19:00] Sued by Swatch Group
[00:21:00] Fighting a Trademark Lawsuit
[00:23:45] Nearly Going Bankrupt
[00:25:00] Winning in Federal Court
[00:27:00] Legal Precedent and Impact
[00:29:00] Making Watches 85% American
[00:30:30] The Real Challenge: Skilled Labor
[00:32:45] Is 100% Made in USA Possible?
[00:34:00] Lessons from Watchmaking History
[00:35:45] The Opportunity in Trades
[00:37:00] The Moat Around Watchmaking
[00:38:15] Watches as Heirlooms and Art
[00:39:15] The Future of American Watchmaking
[00:40:00] Where to Find RT and His Brands

RT's Stuff:

Website: https://vorticwatches.com/
Colorado Watch Co: https://coloradowatchcompany.com/
X: https://x.com/RT_Custer
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-lieberman/

My Stuff:

Podcast: https://www.madeitpod.com/
Website: https://www.connortomkies.com/
X: https://twitter.com/ConnorTomkies
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connortomkies/