Watch Description
What makes the Chicago 052 unique: Most of the antique pocket watches we restore and convert into wristwatches are open-faced with the crown at the 12 o'clock position. Every now and then, we come across a pocket watch with the crown at 3 o'clock — a necessity due to the metal cover of a hunting case used to protect the glass cover during activities such as hunting. The pocket watch within the Chicago 052 meets us somewhere between the two. In order to become railroad-compliant, many movements originally designed for hunting cases were fitted in open-face cases, requiring a rotation of the movement ninety degrees and resulting in the unconventional layout we see here. This particular pocket watch with such a conversion dial was made by the Elgin National Watch Company in 1925. We've matched its gilded numerals and gold-tinged movement with our machined bronze case and coin-edged bezel. Finally, a stitched oxblood cordovan leather strap brings a touch of sophistication to this repurposed piece of history.
Movement Manufacturer Information
The movement inside of this watch was made by Elgin Watch Company. We call this model "The Chicago" because of the company's proximity to the city.
Also known as Elgin National Watch Company, Elgin wasn't only the largest watch manufacturer in the United States, but the largest watch manufacturer in the world for almost 100 years, operating from 1864-1964. The company often used a depiction of father time on advertisements. At one point, the company was making 7,500 watch movements per week and had 2,300 employees. The factory was demolished in 1966 and replaced with a shopping center.
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Watch Specifications
- Manufacturer: Vortic Watch Company
- Model Year: 2023
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 45mm
- Thickness: 12mm
- Lug to Lug: 55mm
- Lug Width: 22mm
- Case Material: Machined Bronze
- Crown/Hardware: Bronze
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Elgin Watch Company
- Serial Number: 27559380
- Manufacture Year: 1925
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes the Chicago 052 unique: Most of the antique pocket watches we restore and convert into wristwatches are open-faced with the crown at the 12 o'clock position. Every now and then, we come across a pocket watch with the crown at 3 o'clock — a necessity due to the metal cover of a hunting case used to protect the glass cover during activities such as hunting. The pocket watch within the Chicago 052 meets us somewhere between the two. In order to become railroad-compliant, many movements originally designed for hunting cases were fitted in open-face cases, requiring a rotation of the movement ninety degrees and resulting in the unconventional layout we see here. This particular pocket watch with such a conversion dial was made by the Elgin National Watch Company in 1925. We've matched its gilded numerals and gold-tinged movement with our machined bronze case and coin-edged bezel. Finally, a stitched oxblood cordovan leather strap brings a touch of sophistication to this repurposed piece of history.
Let customers speak for us
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.
