Watch Description
What makes the Chicago 081 unique:
There’s something undeniably timeless about this piece—both in style and in substance. At the heart of Chicago 081 is a rich cream dial with a crisp dual-circle design, surrounding a set of bold, raised gold numerals that pop against the aged surface. The center ring and outer minute track provide symmetry and depth, while blued steel Spade & Whip hands gracefully sweep across the dial. A single-sunk sub-seconds dial rests at six o’clock, offering an elegant touch of functionality and finishing the layout with balance and precision.
Flip the watch over and you’ll be greeted by a 17-jewel Elgin movement, originally manufactured in 1923. It features beautifully patterned Geneva stripes on its nickel-plated bridges, accented by polished gears and heat-blued screws. This movement is housed in our robust 45mm machined steel case with a polished coin-edge bezel and a knurled crown, creating a seamless blend of vintage artistry and modern engineering. The deep navy strap brings a refined contrast that ties the entire watch together.
This watch is a proud part of our American Artisan Series, a collection that revives antique pocket watches and transforms them into one-of-a-kind wristwatches. This particular Elgin movement was manufactured in Elgin, Illinois during a time of great cultural shifts in America. In 1923, the Hollywood Sign was officially dedicated in Los Angeles—originally reading "Hollywoodland" as part of a real estate marketing campaign. While its original purpose was temporary, it would eventually become a lasting symbol of American dreams and innovation—much like the watches we bring back to life.
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: 2025
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 45mm
- Thickness: 12mm
- Lug to Lug: 55mm
- Lug Width: 22mm
- Case Material: Polished 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: 25716654
- Manufacture Year: 1923
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
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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.
