Watch Description
What makes The Chicago 097 unique:
The Chicago 097 is a perfect example of how nuanced textures and bold design can coexist in quiet harmony. Its parchment-toned dial is adorned with fine vertical striations that catch the light with every turn of the wrist, creating a soft metallic shimmer. Black, stylized numerals rise from the dial with bold drop shadows—adding visual weight and vintage flair—while a recessed sub-seconds dial at 6 o’clock provides balance and crisp contrast. At center, solid blued steel diamond-kite hands hover above the surface, their sharply tapered shapes delivering a confident sense of motion.
This timepiece is powered by a 17-jewel Elgin movement built in 1924, featuring elegant decorative engraving across its plates and bridges. The movement's intricate detailing is visible through the open caseback, where each hand-cut flourish reflects the era’s dedication to both mechanical precision and aesthetic beauty. The gold-plated gears and polished steel components offer a timeless reminder of early American craftsmanship.
Encasing this historic movement is a sandblasted stainless steel case, paired with a smooth, sandblasted titanium bezel that gives the piece a tonal ruggedness. The vertically grooved, machined-steel crown adds tactile texture and utility, while the natural rye-toned leather strap provides a soft, warm contrast that completes the piece’s balanced design.
In 1924—the same year this Elgin movement was manufactured—the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company formally changed its name to International Business Machines, or IBM. This pivotal moment in American industrial history marked the rise of modern computing and technological innovation—echoed today in the mechanical ingenuity of this one-of-a-kind wristwatch.
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: 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: 26688800
- Manufacture Year: 1924
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes The Chicago 097 unique:
The Chicago 097 is a perfect example of how nuanced textures and bold design can coexist in quiet harmony. Its parchment-toned dial is adorned with fine vertical striations that catch the light with every turn of the wrist, creating a soft metallic shimmer. Black, stylized numerals rise from the dial with bold drop shadows—adding visual weight and vintage flair—while a recessed sub-seconds dial at 6 o’clock provides balance and crisp contrast. At center, solid blued steel diamond-kite hands hover above the surface, their sharply tapered shapes delivering a confident sense of motion.
This timepiece is powered by a 17-jewel Elgin movement built in 1924, featuring elegant decorative engraving across its plates and bridges. The movement's intricate detailing is visible through the open caseback, where each hand-cut flourish reflects the era’s dedication to both mechanical precision and aesthetic beauty. The gold-plated gears and polished steel components offer a timeless reminder of early American craftsmanship.
Encasing this historic movement is a sandblasted stainless steel case, paired with a smooth, sandblasted titanium bezel that gives the piece a tonal ruggedness. The vertically grooved, machined-steel crown adds tactile texture and utility, while the natural rye-toned leather strap provides a soft, warm contrast that completes the piece’s balanced design.
In 1924—the same year this Elgin movement was manufactured—the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company formally changed its name to International Business Machines, or IBM. This pivotal moment in American industrial history marked the rise of modern computing and technological innovation—echoed today in the mechanical ingenuity of this one-of-a-kind wristwatch.
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.
