Watch Description
The American mechanism inside this watch is not a replica or an "inspired" piece. It was genuinely carried by an individual, 100 years ago, that depended on it. Each time you wear this watch, you will be transported through time, imagining who this individual was and the work they did to help build our country. Simply put, American Artisan Series watches make you feel something when you put them on. At Vortic, we tell customers that owning a watch isn't nearly as important as owning a story. And, this is an opportunity to be a part of a story that is bigger than yourself. You won't be the first to own this watch, and you certainly won't be the last, so make your chapter count.
The American Artisan Series is a line of fully American Made wristwatches powered by restored, U.S. made pocket watch movements. Individuals commonly scrap pocket watch cases for their precious metal, leaving the original mechanism orphaned. This watch contains the original movement (timepiece), dial (face), and hands from a vintage (1880's - 1950's) pocket watch made by Burlington Watch Company. We call this model "The Burlington" because the company was located in Burlington, Illinois.
What makes the Burlington 027 unique: We are pleased to bring you this absolutely stunning watch from the Burlington Watch Company. The Burlington Watch Company was an innovative mail-order sales company that allowed customers to purchase high-quality watches at an affordable price. By selling directly to the consumer and eliminating the costly sales and distribution channel, Burlington was able to offer an installment plan for watches, giving customers the option to pay off the watches at a rate of $2-$3 a month. Most of the watches sold by Burlington were private-labeled movements made under contract by the Illinois Watch Company. We absolutely love the dial on this watch, with the crisp white background and very distinctive and stylish numerals. The blued-steel Breguet moon hands bring a lot of character to the look with their thick and eye-catching style. We placed this movement inside of our blued-titanium case, and topped it off with a nickel-plated crown. As we turn this watch over we are pleased at the design of this 21 jewel movement. Rose-gold gears and a brass balance wheel stand out beneath the unique shape of the center bridge plate. Most of the watches made for Burlington were the highest grade and quality pieces that Illinois made, and this one is definitely no exception.
This watch was originally produced in Springfield, Illinois in 1921, getting new life more than 100 years later. In this same year, the first transcontinental airmail flight was completed, revolutionizing the way people communicated with each other. This marked a major milestone in aviation history, as it was the first time that mail had been transported by plane across the United States. The flight took off from New York City and landed in San Francisco, covering 2,400 miles in just 26 hours. This incredible feat of technology and engineering inspired a generation of pilots and engineers to continue pushing the boundaries of aviation. It opened up the possibility of faster communication and transportation, and it changed the way people experience the world. This event was a major step forward for humanity and it is a reminder of the progress we can make when we work together.
Case Style:This case has been CNC milled from a solid block of aerospace grade titanium. We use pressurized, fine glass beads in a sandblasting chamber to soften the edges and make the finish uniform. Titanium is the ultimate material for strength to weight ratio. Titanium has a darker look than steel, and due to its low thermal conductivity, feels warm to the touch. These characteristics create an enduring, highly wearable, distinctive piece.
Movement: The manually wound, antique, pocket watch movement inside this watch has been meticulously restored to as close to original condition as possible. Vortic has an exclusive group of highly experienced watchmakers that specialize in vintage watches. Before its use in a wristwatch, each movement is completely disassembled, cleaned, oiled, and calibrated. Each finished Vortic watch is tested for at least a week before completion.
This watch's movement is serial number 3876578 from the Burlington Watch Company. The Burlington Watch Company is unique in the sense that it did not manufacture its own watches. Only operating from 1908-1925, the Illinois Watch Company actually produced the vast majority of Burlington brand watches. The company sold watches by mail order on credit with payment plans. The called themselves the anti-trust watch saying that other companies fixed prices and forced consumers to pay extra because of the middleman. Their goal was to make high-quality watches available to those who couldn't normally afford them.
Legal Disclaimer: All product and company names, logos, brands, and other trademarks featured or referred to within Vortic's products and services are the property of their respective intellectual property rights holders, if any. Those intellectual property rights holders, other than Vortic, LLC, are not affiliated with Vortic, LLC, our products, or our website. They do not sponsor or endorse our materials.
Watch Specifications
- Manufacturer: Vortic Watch Company
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
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Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 46mm
- Height: 12mm
- Lug-to-Lug: 55mm
- Lugs: 22mm
- Case Finish: Sandblasted Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Nickel Plated
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Gorilla Glass
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Burlington Watch Company
- Serial Number: 3876578
- Manufacture Year: 1921
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 21j
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes the Burlington 027 unique: We are pleased to bring you this absolutely stunning watch from the Burlington Watch Company. The Burlington Watch Company was an innovative mail-order sales company that allowed customers to purchase high-quality watches at an affordable price. By selling directly to the consumer and eliminating the costly sales and distribution channel, Burlington was able to offer an installment plan for watches, giving customers the option to pay off the watches at a rate of $2-$3 a month. Most of the watches sold by Burlington were private-labeled movements made under contract by the Illinois Watch Company. We absolutely love the dial on this watch, with the crisp white background and very distinctive and stylish numerals. The blued-steel Breguet moon hands bring a lot of character to the look with their thick and eye-catching style. We placed this movement inside of our blued-titanium case, and topped it off with a nickel-plated crown. As we turn this watch over we are pleased at the design of this 21 jewel movement. Rose-gold gears and a brass balance wheel stand out beneath the unique shape of the center bridge plate. Most of the watches made for Burlington were the highest grade and quality pieces that Illinois made, and this one is definitely no exception.
This watch was originally produced in Springfield, Illinois in 1921, getting new life more than 100 years later. In this same year, the first transcontinental airmail flight was completed, revolutionizing the way people communicated with each other. This marked a major milestone in aviation history, as it was the first time that mail had been transported by plane across the United States. The flight took off from New York City and landed in San Francisco, covering 2,400 miles in just 26 hours. This incredible feat of technology and engineering inspired a generation of pilots and engineers to continue pushing the boundaries of aviation. It opened up the possibility of faster communication and transportation, and it changed the way people experience the world. This event was a major step forward for humanity and it is a reminder of the progress we can make when we work together.
Quality Straps
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.
Mission
Our mission is to preserve and enhance the legacy of manufacturing excellence in America. We believe that this legacy is highly relevant in the world of watch manufacturing because our goal is to marry form and function in a way that makes something beautiful that will last forever. American made pocket watches were of such a high quality and decoration that they evolved into more than just a way to tell time. They became traditional heirlooms to be inherited by future generations as a wedding gift or a coming of age treasure. Each piece tells a lively tale of what U.S. manufacturing meant in the past using an intricate language of decorated bridges, plates, gears, and springs. Today, we are restoring these pieces to their former glory and making them relevant again using the best of modern technology.
American Made
We feel proud and blessed to live in the country, state, and city that we do. However, our motivation to build everything in the United States, and to deal locally whenever possible, is derived from a different source of inspiration. We believe that the close relationships, face-to-face interaction, and tight quality control we achieve while dealing domestically produces a truly superior product. Because of this, we are very transparent about where our components are made as we continue to build our in-house capabilities.
