Watch Description
What makes The Chicago 094 unique:
The Chicago 094 brings ornate charm and technical precision together in a design that feels both fantastical and refined. Its cream-toned dial is adorned with whimsical golden flourishes—miniature filigree accents that dance around each numeral in delicate symmetry. Look closer, and you’ll notice the dial’s unusual blend of textures: a railroad-style minute track marked with gold dots around the perimeter and a recessed sub-seconds dial at 6 o’clock with bold, printed numerals for crisp legibility. At the center, a pair of finely rendered Louis XIV hands—with their signature curls and ornamental flair—add a theatrical quality that’s rare even among antique designs.
Inside this timepiece beats a 17-jewel Elgin movement, manufactured in 1917. This is a hunting-style movement, originally designed for pocket watches with side-positioned crowns, now repurposed into a wristwatch that honors its past while embracing a modern form. Flip it over, and you’ll find a beautifully preserved mechanical landscape: hand-finished bridgework featuring floral engravings, notably around one of the upper screws, and a layered depth enhanced by polished gears and jewel settings. This particular movement also features a double roller—a significant upgrade at the time—designed to protect the escapement from shock and improve long-term accuracy and durability.
We’ve housed this movement in a machined stainless steel case with a coin-edge bezel, paired with a knurled machined-steel crown that provides excellent grip and visual balance. The oxblood leather strap adds warmth and contrast, its rich tone echoing the dial’s golden embellishments. Altogether, the piece feels as if it belongs in a curated cabinet of wonders—functional history dressed in elegance.
In 1917, the same year this movement was produced, America’s entry into World War I reshaped the nation's industrial landscape. Watch companies like Elgin ramped up precision manufacturing to support the war effort, laying the groundwork for a golden age of American watchmaking—one where engineering, artistry, and national pride all ticked in sync.
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: Machined Steel
- Crown/Hardware: Stainless Steel
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Elgin Watch Company
- Serial Number: 19249511
- Manufacture Year: 1917
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes The Chicago 094 unique:
The Chicago 094 brings ornate charm and technical precision together in a design that feels both fantastical and refined. Its cream-toned dial is adorned with whimsical golden flourishes—miniature filigree accents that dance around each numeral in delicate symmetry. Look closer, and you’ll notice the dial’s unusual blend of textures: a railroad-style minute track marked with gold dots around the perimeter and a recessed sub-seconds dial at 6 o’clock with bold, printed numerals for crisp legibility. At the center, a pair of finely rendered Louis XIV hands—with their signature curls and ornamental flair—add a theatrical quality that’s rare even among antique designs.
Inside this timepiece beats a 17-jewel Elgin movement, manufactured in 1917. This is a hunting-style movement, originally designed for pocket watches with side-positioned crowns, now repurposed into a wristwatch that honors its past while embracing a modern form. Flip it over, and you’ll find a beautifully preserved mechanical landscape: hand-finished bridgework featuring floral engravings, notably around one of the upper screws, and a layered depth enhanced by polished gears and jewel settings. This particular movement also features a double roller—a significant upgrade at the time—designed to protect the escapement from shock and improve long-term accuracy and durability.
We’ve housed this movement in a machined stainless steel case with a coin-edge bezel, paired with a knurled machined-steel crown that provides excellent grip and visual balance. The oxblood leather strap adds warmth and contrast, its rich tone echoing the dial’s golden embellishments. Altogether, the piece feels as if it belongs in a curated cabinet of wonders—functional history dressed in elegance.
In 1917, the same year this movement was produced, America’s entry into World War I reshaped the nation's industrial landscape. Watch companies like Elgin ramped up precision manufacturing to support the war effort, laying the groundwork for a golden age of American watchmaking—one where engineering, artistry, and national pride all ticked in sync.
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.
