Watch Description
What makes the Springfield 457 unique: Today, we are excited to introduce this historical gem from the Illinois Watch Company — the Springfield 457. One look at this watch, and you’ll be stunned by its open-face back, intricate watch face, and gold-colored embellishments. On the front, you’ll find bold-type, gothic-style numbers, which make for a stunning design, contrasted sharply by the white background and our new case finish, PVD Zircon Gold. This finish is achieved by vaporizing Zirconium Nitride and attracting it to the case with an electric current. The outcome is gold in color, and is an incredibly durable scratch-resistant coating similar to our other PVD options. Our Cordovan Black strap compliments the gold detailing beautifully, ensuring that this watch stands out in a crowd. Originally manufactured in Springfield, Illinois, in 1923, this 417-grade piece contains 17 jewels, all of which power the watch to perform flawlessly and with precision. Through the open back, you can watch the rose-gold plated gears tick methodically along to the rhythm of a train in the distance. And let’s not forget the gold-colored embellishment on the clock face, which mimics the curves of vines, imbuing the watch with life. In the same year this watch was produced by Illinois Watch Company, the famous Hollywood sign (formally titled Hollywoodland) was inaugurated in California. Like the Hollywood sign itself, we’re sure the Springfield 457 will go down in history.Movement Manufacturer Information
The movement inside of this watch was made by Illinois Watch Company. We call this model "The Springfield" because the company was located in Springfield, Illinois.
Originally called the Springfield Watch Company, Illinois came to Springfield, Illinois in 1869 while the "modern" watch industry was fairly new but highly promising. City officials felt that the addition of industry to the city of Springfield would be excellent for the city's growth. However, after a series of failures and re-brandings, the company had a slow start until 1903 when they decided to manufacture high-quality watches only. Eventually making some of the most beautiful watches of their time, the company sold to Hamilton in 1927. Hamilton continued producing watches under the Illinois name for some time, but the original Springfield factory no longer stands.
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Watch Specifications
- Manufacturer: Vortic Watch Company
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 47mm
- Thickness: 12mm
- Lug to Lug: 55mm
- Lug Width: 22mm
- Case Material: Machined Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Gold Plated
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Illinois Watch Company
- Serial Number: 4308254
- Manufacture Year: 1923
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
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The Movement
The engine that powers this watch is an antique American pocket watch movement. All the gears and springs that make it tell time are roughly 100 years old on average. We call these watches the American Artisan Series because we're celebrating the history and legacy of the artisan watchmakers who built this engineering marvel a century ago in the United States.
The Story
Today most pocket watches are scrapped for the gold or silver of the case (the outside of the antique timepiece), leaving the inside (what we call the "movement") as trash.
We take pride in upcycling these pieces of American history by salvaging as many as we can, then preserving them inside our wristwatches.
Our expert team of watchmakers restores the antique movement and then we manufacture a custom wristwatch case here in Fort Collins, Colorado.
The Strap
We partnered with Worn & Wound to produce a custom set of straps for our American Artisan Series watches. We now have 15 different colors to choose from including our two Horween Shell Cordovan options. These straps are made in the USA and are based on the Windup Model 2 Premium strap that Worn and Wound offers.
