Watch Description
What makes the Chicago 062 unique: Beautiful enamel dials, heat-blued hands, flowing numerals, and etched texture effects are all hallmarks of the incredible craftsmanship and artistry displayed by the antique pocket watches that we preserve and showcase in each conversion we build.
The masterful design, engineering, and construction of these timepieces are evident in the watch face of every Vortic, but turning the watch over also puts those characteristics on full display. That's why every watch we build features a transparent sapphire crystal case back. The gilt engravings, metalworking techniques, gold-plated wheels and gears, and faceted ruby and sapphire jewels that adorn these watch movements were typically covered by solid metal pocket watch cases originally and were only seen by those who built watches or repaired watches.
The 19-jewel hunting-style movement of the Chicago 062 is a testament to the reason we felt it necessary for the case back of our watches to be transparent. In addition to the intricate patterns of metalworking displayed across its plates and bridges, mirror-polished wheels, engraved gold lettering, a gold-plated balance wheel, and raised gold jewel settings are all able to be admired and appreciated when the watch is turned over.
The double-sunk white enamel dial of the watch with elaborate numerals and slender spade hands is a work of art in its own right, and its exceptional condition belies the fact that it was originally manufactured in 1898, 126 years prior to being meticulously fitted into a machined stainless steel case with a coin-edged bezel and square-knurled steel crown.
No matter what aspect of the Chicago 062 is admired; inside, outside, front, or back, the evidence is perfectly clear of what great things can be created by those who truly care about their craft and their loyal customers.
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: 2024
- 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: 7411659
- Manufacture Year: 1898
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 19 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes the Chicago 062 unique: Beautiful enamel dials, heat-blued hands, flowing numerals, and etched texture effects are all hallmarks of the incredible craftsmanship and artistry displayed by the antique pocket watches that we preserve and showcase in each conversion we build.
The masterful design, engineering, and construction of these timepieces are evident in the watch face of every Vortic, but turning the watch over also puts those characteristics on full display. That's why every watch we build features a transparent sapphire crystal case back. The gilt engravings, metalworking techniques, gold-plated wheels and gears, and faceted ruby and sapphire jewels that adorn these watch movements were typically covered by solid metal pocket watch cases originally and were only seen by those who built watches or repaired watches.
The 19-jewel hunting-style movement of the Chicago 062 is a testament to the reason we felt it necessary for the case back of our watches to be transparent. In addition to the intricate patterns of metalworking displayed across its plates and bridges, mirror-polished wheels, engraved gold lettering, a gold-plated balance wheel, and raised gold jewel settings are all able to be admired and appreciated when the watch is turned over.
The double-sunk white enamel dial of the watch with elaborate numerals and slender spade hands is a work of art in its own right, and its exceptional condition belies the fact that it was originally manufactured in 1898, 126 years prior to being meticulously fitted into a machined stainless steel case with a coin-edged bezel and square-knurled steel crown.
No matter what aspect of the Chicago 062 is admired; inside, outside, front, or back, the evidence is perfectly clear of what great things can be created by those who truly care about their craft and their loyal customers.
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.
