Watch Description
What makes the Springfield 552 unique: Today, we have a truly remarkable piece that was initially released by the Illinois Watch Company 96 years ago — the Springfield 552. The front of this watch boasts a breathtaking aged dial with bold, black numerals and a matching subdial that displays stunningly against its tan background. The watch face also features an intricate and stylish center design and blued steel diamond kite watch hands. We matched this antique pocket watch with our robust Bronzed Titanium case, making the front of the watch even more eye-catching, and topped it off with a nickel-plated crown. On the rear side of the watch, you can see its 405-grade open-face movement with a Going barrel, nickel finish, and pendant setting. The watch’s back also displays 17 striking jewels throughout its center bridge plate as well as gold-plated gears beneath the various build plates. Finally, we paired this one-of-a-kind watch with our artisan-designed Black leather watch strap, enabling the watch’s owner to wear this piece of history with ease and comfort.The Illinois Watch Company originally manufactured the Springfield 552’s pocket watch in Springfield, Illinois, in 1926 — the same year that rock and roll legend Bill Black was born in Memphis, Tennessee. Bill Black’s career in music spanned just over a decade, but he helped shape the emerging genre of rock and roll. Black served as the bassist for The Blue Moon Boys, which featured Elvis Presley on vocals before he became an international sensation. He also started the band Bill Black’s Combo and opened Lyn-Lou Studio in Memphis. Tragically, he died at age 39 from a brain tumor, but in his short lifetime, he helped create rock and roll and influenced numerous artists. In 2009, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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: Sandblasted Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Nickel Plated
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Illinois Watch Company
- Serial Number: 4755430
- Manufacture Year: 1926
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
The Illinois Watch Company originally manufactured the Springfield 552’s pocket watch in Springfield, Illinois, in 1926 — the same year that rock and roll legend Bill Black was born in Memphis, Tennessee. Bill Black’s career in music spanned just over a decade, but he helped shape the emerging genre of rock and roll. Black served as the bassist for The Blue Moon Boys, which featured Elvis Presley on vocals before he became an international sensation. He also started the band Bill Black’s Combo and opened Lyn-Lou Studio in Memphis. Tragically, he died at age 39 from a brain tumor, but in his short lifetime, he helped create rock and roll and influenced numerous artists. In 2009, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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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.
