Watch Description
What Makes The Chicago 118 Unique:
The Chicago 118 is the kind of watch that immediately stands apart from most antique pocket watch conversions. Built around a 17-jewel Elgin movement manufactured in 1923, it combines the mechanical heritage collectors expect from Elgin with a dial configuration that feels surprisingly fresh more than a century later. While many watches from this era lean heavily on patina or ornate decoration, the Chicago 118 achieves its character through contrast, precision, and restraint.
The first detail most collectors will notice is the striking white enamel-style dial paired with vivid cobalt-blue numerals and markings. The typography itself is distinctive, featuring elegant elongated Arabic numerals that give the watch a graceful, almost Art Nouveau appearance. Against the bright white background, the blue printing creates a level of visual contrast rarely seen on surviving dials from this period, making the watch feel both vintage and unexpectedly modern.
The dial’s layout rewards closer inspection. The outer minute track is finely executed and balanced by a recessed sub-seconds register at 6 o’clock, preserving the proportions of the original pocket watch. The blued-steel cathedral-style hands add another layer of visual depth, shifting in appearance as light moves across their polished surfaces. Together, the blue numerals, matching sub-seconds scale, and dark hands create a cohesive design that feels unusually deliberate for a watch produced in the early 1920s.
Turning the watch over reveals an Elgin movement that showcases many of the qualities that helped establish the company as one of America’s great watchmakers. The movement features elaborate damaskeening across the bridges, a decorative finishing technique that collectors often seek out because it reflects an era when even hidden mechanical components received significant aesthetic attention. The intricate geometric patterns catch light from different angles, creating a level of visual complexity that photographs never fully capture.
The movement’s exposed balance assembly, gold-toned gearing, and engraved regulator components provide additional evidence of the craftsmanship that defined Elgin’s better-grade production during this period. At 17 jewels, the movement was designed to reduce friction at critical points, improving both durability and long-term performance.
The modern interpretation complements the historic movement beautifully. Vortic’s sandblasted stainless steel case introduces a subtle matte texture that contrasts with the polished bezel and crisp dial, while the navy leather strap echoes the blue dial details and creates a uniquely cohesive color palette. The result is a watch that feels distinctive without becoming flashy, elegant without becoming formal.
Some antique watches tell their story through age and wear. The Chicago 118 tells its story through preservation. The bright dial, uncommon blue printing, intricate movement finishing, and carefully balanced design combine to create a watch that feels remarkably fresh despite being built around a movement that has been measuring time for more than a century.
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 Diameter: 45mm
- Case Material: Sandblasted Stainless Steel
- Crown/Hardware: Stainless Steel
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Front: Domed Sapphire Back: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: 22mm Teal Leather Strap by Worn & Wound with Steel Buckle
Movement
- Manufacturer: Elgin Watch Company
- Serial Number: 25953798
- Manufacture Year: 1923
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original Blued-Steel Hands
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What Makes The Chicago 118 Unique:
The Chicago 118 is the kind of watch that immediately stands apart from most antique pocket watch conversions. Built around a 17-jewel Elgin movement manufactured in 1923, it combines the mechanical heritage collectors expect from Elgin with a dial configuration that feels surprisingly fresh more than a century later. While many watches from this era lean heavily on patina or ornate decoration, the Chicago 118 achieves its character through contrast, precision, and restraint.
The first detail most collectors will notice is the striking white enamel-style dial paired with vivid cobalt-blue numerals and markings. The typography itself is distinctive, featuring elegant elongated Arabic numerals that give the watch a graceful, almost Art Nouveau appearance. Against the bright white background, the blue printing creates a level of visual contrast rarely seen on surviving dials from this period, making the watch feel both vintage and unexpectedly modern.
The dial’s layout rewards closer inspection. The outer minute track is finely executed and balanced by a recessed sub-seconds register at 6 o’clock, preserving the proportions of the original pocket watch. The blued-steel cathedral-style hands add another layer of visual depth, shifting in appearance as light moves across their polished surfaces. Together, the blue numerals, matching sub-seconds scale, and dark hands create a cohesive design that feels unusually deliberate for a watch produced in the early 1920s.
Turning the watch over reveals an Elgin movement that showcases many of the qualities that helped establish the company as one of America’s great watchmakers. The movement features elaborate damaskeening across the bridges, a decorative finishing technique that collectors often seek out because it reflects an era when even hidden mechanical components received significant aesthetic attention. The intricate geometric patterns catch light from different angles, creating a level of visual complexity that photographs never fully capture.
The movement’s exposed balance assembly, gold-toned gearing, and engraved regulator components provide additional evidence of the craftsmanship that defined Elgin’s better-grade production during this period. At 17 jewels, the movement was designed to reduce friction at critical points, improving both durability and long-term performance.
The modern interpretation complements the historic movement beautifully. Vortic’s sandblasted stainless steel case introduces a subtle matte texture that contrasts with the polished bezel and crisp dial, while the navy leather strap echoes the blue dial details and creates a uniquely cohesive color palette. The result is a watch that feels distinctive without becoming flashy, elegant without becoming formal.
Some antique watches tell their story through age and wear. The Chicago 118 tells its story through preservation. The bright dial, uncommon blue printing, intricate movement finishing, and carefully balanced design combine to create a watch that feels remarkably fresh despite being built around a movement that has been measuring time for more than a century.
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.
