Watch Description
What makes the Chicago 087 unique:
The Chicago 087 is a true standout in our American Artisan Series—an antique Elgin movement reimagined in a modern titanium case, paired with a dial that’s nothing short of breathtaking. At the center, you’ll find a delicate tapestry of engraved floral and geometric patterns rendered in golden tones. Surrounding this artwork is a warm patina developed naturally over the past century, framing the bold, stylized numerals in a font rarely seen on Elgin dials. The blued steel kite hands offer an eye-catching contrast, shifting hues as light dances across the domed crystal.
Look closely and you’ll spot the word “Swiss” beneath the sub-seconds dial. This marks the fact that many American watch manufacturers, including Elgin, briefly imported dials from Switzerland in the early 20th century due to material shortages or cost efficiency. While the movement remains fully American-made, this small detail adds an extra layer of intrigue to the story behind this piece.
This 17-jewel Elgin movement from 1925 is visible through the open caseback, revealing subtle decorative patterns and gold-plated gears that highlight the craftsmanship of early American watchmaking. The case is machined from lightweight titanium, paired with a matching notched bezel and knurled crown—each component thoughtfully chosen to balance historical respect with modern engineering. We’ve finished the piece with a black Horween leather strap with cream stitching, providing a bold yet refined frame for this exceptional dial.
This movement was manufactured in 1925—the same year the Chrysler Corporation was founded in Detroit. As one of the “Big Three” automakers that helped define American industrial might, Chrysler represents the same spirit of engineering and ingenuity we aim to preserve in every Vortic watch. The Chicago 087 is our tribute to that legacy.
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: Machined Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Stainless Steel
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Elgin Watch Company
- Serial Number: 2735708
- Manufacture Year: 1925
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes the Chicago 087 unique:
The Chicago 087 is a true standout in our American Artisan Series—an antique Elgin movement reimagined in a modern titanium case, paired with a dial that’s nothing short of breathtaking. At the center, you’ll find a delicate tapestry of engraved floral and geometric patterns rendered in golden tones. Surrounding this artwork is a warm patina developed naturally over the past century, framing the bold, stylized numerals in a font rarely seen on Elgin dials. The blued steel kite hands offer an eye-catching contrast, shifting hues as light dances across the domed crystal.
Look closely and you’ll spot the word “Swiss” beneath the sub-seconds dial. This marks the fact that many American watch manufacturers, including Elgin, briefly imported dials from Switzerland in the early 20th century due to material shortages or cost efficiency. While the movement remains fully American-made, this small detail adds an extra layer of intrigue to the story behind this piece.
This 17-jewel Elgin movement from 1925 is visible through the open caseback, revealing subtle decorative patterns and gold-plated gears that highlight the craftsmanship of early American watchmaking. The case is machined from lightweight titanium, paired with a matching notched bezel and knurled crown—each component thoughtfully chosen to balance historical respect with modern engineering. We’ve finished the piece with a black Horween leather strap with cream stitching, providing a bold yet refined frame for this exceptional dial.
This movement was manufactured in 1925—the same year the Chrysler Corporation was founded in Detroit. As one of the “Big Three” automakers that helped define American industrial might, Chrysler represents the same spirit of engineering and ingenuity we aim to preserve in every Vortic watch. The Chicago 087 is our tribute to that legacy.
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.
