Watch Description
What makes The Chicago 093 unique:
The Chicago 093 delivers a mesmerizing mix of symmetry, whimsy, and historical elegance. A radiant white dial sets the stage for bold black numerals, each styled with playful flourishes and curving serifs that evoke a storybook charm—somewhere between vintage fantasy and horological artistry. Gold star motifs form a gentle constellation encircling the numerals, while the heat-blued diamond-kite hands add angular elegance and a flash of color as they sweep across the face. A sharply recessed sub-seconds dial at 6 o’clock features a detailed railroad-style track, bringing balance and visual grounding to the whimsical composition.
Inside, this timepiece is powered by a 17-jewel Elgin movement originally manufactured in 1925. The bridges display sweeping Geneva stripes with a subtle curvature, accented by polished screws and gearwork in warm brass tones. The layering of mechanical textures and precision forms echoes the thoughtful charm of the dial, revealing craftsmanship that’s both decorative and disciplined.
The case is rendered in precision-machined stainless steel, complete with a coin-edge bezel that frames the dial with tactile elegance. A knurled machined-steel crown rises proudly at 12 o’clock, pairing functionality with vintage flair. The watch is finished with a black Horween leather strap stitched in ivory thread—an understated complement to the dial’s gold and blue highlights.
In 1925—the same year this Elgin movement was made—construction was completed on the original Grand Concourse in the Bronx, a wide boulevard modeled after the Champs-Élysées and envisioned as a modern American thoroughfare. Much like this watch, the Grand Concourse was designed with an eye toward both beauty and utility—an enduring blend of form and function.
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.
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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: Sandblasted Steel
- Crown/Hardware: Stainless Steel
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Elgin Watch Company
- Serial Number: 27504621
- Manufacture Year: 1925
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes The Chicago 093 unique:
The Chicago 093 delivers a mesmerizing mix of symmetry, whimsy, and historical elegance. A radiant white dial sets the stage for bold black numerals, each styled with playful flourishes and curving serifs that evoke a storybook charm—somewhere between vintage fantasy and horological artistry. Gold star motifs form a gentle constellation encircling the numerals, while the heat-blued diamond-kite hands add angular elegance and a flash of color as they sweep across the face. A sharply recessed sub-seconds dial at 6 o’clock features a detailed railroad-style track, bringing balance and visual grounding to the whimsical composition.
Inside, this timepiece is powered by a 17-jewel Elgin movement originally manufactured in 1925. The bridges display sweeping Geneva stripes with a subtle curvature, accented by polished screws and gearwork in warm brass tones. The layering of mechanical textures and precision forms echoes the thoughtful charm of the dial, revealing craftsmanship that’s both decorative and disciplined.
The case is rendered in precision-machined stainless steel, complete with a coin-edge bezel that frames the dial with tactile elegance. A knurled machined-steel crown rises proudly at 12 o’clock, pairing functionality with vintage flair. The watch is finished with a black Horween leather strap stitched in ivory thread—an understated complement to the dial’s gold and blue highlights.
In 1925—the same year this Elgin movement was made—construction was completed on the original Grand Concourse in the Bronx, a wide boulevard modeled after the Champs-Élysées and envisioned as a modern American thoroughfare. Much like this watch, the Grand Concourse was designed with an eye toward both beauty and utility—an enduring blend of form and function.
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.
