POTOMAC Reference Guide

Inspired by the American pocket watches that came before us. Discover the history of the POTOMAC line and learn the references by heart.

Towson Watch Company HQ neighbors the B&O Warehouse, the birthing place of modern railroad transportation. Hartwig Balke wanted the POTOMAC to materialize this local heritage of innovation and the role American watchmakers had in shaping it.

The shape, lines & finish aim to promote the essence of a vintage American pocket watch. It was right here, in our backyard in Baltimore, MD., where the pocket-watch ultimately gave way to the wristwatch. Rail workers couldn't reach into their pockets to check the time. The laborious lifestyle of the industrial boom called for a more practical option.

TWC Co-Founder, George Thomas, had built 1000 Swiss-Grade 6498 calibers with his apprentices through 2005 and 2015. Each properly lubricated, tightened, regulated and decorated to his preferences. This movement was formerly used in American pocket watches a century ago and converted for a wristwatch. Now used today for the POTOMAC.

With the design, history, and technology it possesses, the POTOMAC calls for a remembrance of American watchmaking. A timeless legacy that can be worn forever.

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The primary differences between the Base Edition & Series Two renditions are limited to the dial. The first PO250-1 was made in collaboration with our Swiss partner while the second PO250-2 was made in the USA. Featuring the same specs, layout and design. An "INTL" marking can be found at 6 o'clock on a PO250-1 timepiece while this marking is not present on a second series POTOMAC.

While the PO250-1 has a slightly off-tone sweep-second dial, the PO250-2 is completely monotone for both the silver and black editions. The initial offering had a texture-blasted matte dial while the evolved state boasts a smooth embossed gloss finish. The detailing is elevated by a domed sapphire crystal on the second series PO250-2.

The proprietary Unitas movement found within the 42mm polished steel case pays tribute to early innovations in American watchmaking, as an earlier version of this same movement was a breakthrough work of horological technology in the USA a century ago. The dial extends this patriotic theme with its railroad-era aesthetic. The POTOMAC “Base Edition” paints a horological picture of this story, in which pocket watches evolved into wristwatches from the railroad boom. Like the B&O warehouse, the Potomac’s large wrist-presence serves as a constant reminder of our history and everlasting need for tradition.

George Thomas's 6498 caliber was used for both the first and second series of "Base Edition" POTOMAC PO250 and the Limited Edition(s) SAGAMORE & BAY PILOT. For the PO250-1 and BAY PILOT, the gold-plated decoration (right) was applied while the following PO250-2 and SAGAMORE featured a rhodium-plated decor.

The TWC Headquarters in Baltimore, MD also sits beside the Sagamore Rye Distillery. Both firms were under the same Under Armour ownership for years, restoring the legacy of industry and culture in Baltimore, MD together. The POTOMAC SA250 was a special edition collaborative project on a timepiece to celebrate this local culture of innovative American production in all arenas. The three diamonds found on the cream-colored blasted dial is the logo of Sagamore Farms & Spirit.