Watch Description
What makes the Chicago 064 unique: The aspen trees have begun to turn gold here in Colorado. The morning breeze carries a brisk bite, and the rays of the afternoon sun no longer penetrate as deeply as they did. Green, the color of life, growth, and hope, has given way to a golden hue that symbolizes change and the promise of rebirth.
It's appropriate that this week's release not only features a dial motif of flowers and other plants in the center of a beautifully aged silver dial, but the golden Arabic numerals and faded gilt plating carry the same opulence of the golden colors currently spreading across the Colorado landscape.
In the years since the Elgin National Watch Co. dial and movement were originally produced, the cycle of growth, dormancy, and rebirth has been perpetuated 97 times, and a testament to the cyclical nature of the world is the fact that this pocket watch has become a Vortic conversion.
The near century-old dial, its heat-blued hands, and its 17-jewel movement have been meticulously fitted in a robust, modern wristwatch case machined from a single piece of stainless steel with a steel bezel and crown. The sapphire crystal covering the dial and movement provides incredible protection in all seasons, and the gold gears, balance wheel, and jewel caps balance the composition of the timepiece.
Seasons will change, but our commitment to quality craftsmanship and honoring history never will.
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: 29768888
- Manufacture Year: 1927
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes the Chicago 064 unique: The aspen trees have begun to turn gold here in Colorado. The morning breeze carries a brisk bite, and the rays of the afternoon sun no longer penetrate as deeply as they did. Green, the color of life, growth, and hope, has given way to a golden hue that symbolizes change and the promise of rebirth.
It's appropriate that this week's release not only features a dial motif of flowers and other plants in the center of a beautifully aged silver dial, but the golden Arabic numerals and faded gilt plating carry the same opulence of the golden colors currently spreading across the Colorado landscape.
In the years since the Elgin National Watch Co. dial and movement were originally produced, the cycle of growth, dormancy, and rebirth has been perpetuated 97 times, and a testament to the cyclical nature of the world is the fact that this pocket watch has become a Vortic conversion.
The near century-old dial, its heat-blued hands, and its 17-jewel movement have been meticulously fitted in a robust, modern wristwatch case machined from a single piece of stainless steel with a steel bezel and crown. The sapphire crystal covering the dial and movement provides incredible protection in all seasons, and the gold gears, balance wheel, and jewel caps balance the composition of the timepiece.
Seasons will change, but our commitment to quality craftsmanship and honoring history never will.
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.
