Watch Description
What makes the Chicago 054 unique: As all areas of fashion do, pocket watches of the late 19th and early 20th centuries cycled through trends based on the desired style of the moment. "Fancy dials" first became popular in the late 1800s as preferences turned towards intricate and sophisticated designs. The pocket watch preserved within the Chicago 054 brandishes one such fancy dial and reminds us of the stunning artistry employed in the creation of these timepieces. Originally produced in 1921 by the Elgin Watch Company, this dial boasts an eye-catching pale yellow center with gold accents and ornate numerals. Gold-plated gears and accents similarly contrast the embellished 17-jewel movement. We've paired this piece with our stainless steel case and crown and a bold blue leather strap to accent the original spade and whip hands.
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.
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
- Model Year: 2023
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 45mm
- Thickness: 12mm
- Lug to Lug: 55mm
- Lug Width: 22mm
- Case Material: Stainless Steel
- Crown/Hardware: Stainless Steel
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Elgin Watch Company
- Serial Number: 24119436
- Manufacture Year: 1921
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes the Chicago 054 unique: As all areas of fashion do, pocket watches of the late 19th and early 20th centuries cycled through trends based on the desired style of the moment. "Fancy dials" first became popular in the late 1800s as preferences turned towards intricate and sophisticated designs. The pocket watch preserved within the Chicago 054 brandishes one such fancy dial and reminds us of the stunning artistry employed in the creation of these timepieces. Originally produced in 1921 by the Elgin Watch Company, this dial boasts an eye-catching pale yellow center with gold accents and ornate numerals. Gold-plated gears and accents similarly contrast the embellished 17-jewel movement. We've paired this piece with our stainless steel case and crown and a bold blue leather strap to accent the original spade and whip hands.
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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.
