Watch Description
What makes The Chicago 099 unique:
The Chicago 099 embodies a bold, timeworn aesthetic that highlights the quiet dignity of age. Its dial presents a richly weathered parchment surface—each mark, stain, and patina a visual testament to its nearly 100-year journey. A full set of bold black Gothic numerals arcs around the dial, their stylized forms adding dramatic vintage presence. At the center, a set of sharp, heat-blued diamond-kite hands hover with striking contrast, delivering precision and flair. The recessed sub-seconds dial at 6 o’clock balances the composition, etched with concentric rings and crisp markings that echo the dial’s character with confident symmetry.
Inside this piece beats a 17-jewel Elgin movement originally crafted in 1925. Visible through the open caseback, the movement is a showcase of early American craftsmanship—decorated with swirling engravings, gold-plated gears, and intricately etched bridgework. Each visual element reinforces the watch’s one-of-a-kind nature, connecting the engineering of the past with the artistry of today.
We encased this movement in a 45mm machined titanium case with a tumbled finish, pairing it with a smooth tumbled titanium bezel for a cohesive industrial tone. The vertically grooved bronze crown adds contrast and warmth, while the black Horween leather strap with white stitching grounds the entire watch in American-made durability and elegance.
In 1925, the year this movement was made, Charles Francis Jenkins successfully broadcast the first synchronized sound-and-picture television transmission in the United States—an innovation that helped spark the American television era. Like Jenkins’ work, this watch is a product of American ingenuity, designed to preserve and showcase our country’s mechanical heritage.
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: Tumbled Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Stainless Steel
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Elgin Watch Company
- Serial Number: 28365328
- Manufacture Year: 1925
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes The Chicago 099 unique:
The Chicago 099 embodies a bold, timeworn aesthetic that highlights the quiet dignity of age. Its dial presents a richly weathered parchment surface—each mark, stain, and patina a visual testament to its nearly 100-year journey. A full set of bold black Gothic numerals arcs around the dial, their stylized forms adding dramatic vintage presence. At the center, a set of sharp, heat-blued diamond-kite hands hover with striking contrast, delivering precision and flair. The recessed sub-seconds dial at 6 o’clock balances the composition, etched with concentric rings and crisp markings that echo the dial’s character with confident symmetry.
Inside this piece beats a 17-jewel Elgin movement originally crafted in 1925. Visible through the open caseback, the movement is a showcase of early American craftsmanship—decorated with swirling engravings, gold-plated gears, and intricately etched bridgework. Each visual element reinforces the watch’s one-of-a-kind nature, connecting the engineering of the past with the artistry of today.
We encased this movement in a 45mm machined titanium case with a tumbled finish, pairing it with a smooth tumbled titanium bezel for a cohesive industrial tone. The vertically grooved bronze crown adds contrast and warmth, while the black Horween leather strap with white stitching grounds the entire watch in American-made durability and elegance.
In 1925, the year this movement was made, Charles Francis Jenkins successfully broadcast the first synchronized sound-and-picture television transmission in the United States—an innovation that helped spark the American television era. Like Jenkins’ work, this watch is a product of American ingenuity, designed to preserve and showcase our country’s mechanical heritage.
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.
