Watch Description
What makes the Chicago 347 unique: Today we present to you this incredibly unique timepiece, originally produced by the Elgin National Watch Company. We are very excited to showcase this watch with a very special case color option, our very own bronzed titanium. We have a very talented research and development team in-house that is always trying to innovate and diversify our product options in order to bring even more one-of-a-kind options to our weekly lineup of watches. This case is actually made of titanium that has been treated and baked in a kiln at very specific temperatures in order to create this bronze appearance on the case. Unlike bronze, this case will stay looking like this and will not tarnish or darken over time. We absolutely love how the aged numerals match the tone of the case and crown, with a very aged appeal that brings out the character of this watch. These dark, blued-steel hands jump out in contrast and work well to balance the different visual elements. Some of the discoloration also shows through on the movement itself as we turn the watch over, with some of the build plates beginning to show their age as well. Adorned by 17 screw-set jewels to keep the gold-plated gears turning nicely, as well as the crown wheel and mainspring barrel that stands out with these fantastic radial designs. This watch was originally produced in Elgin, Illinois in 1923. In February of this year, an incredibly large explosion occurred at Dawson’s Mine No.1 in Dawson, New Mexico. The explosion collapsed most of the mine and killed 120 men, with only two miners able to walk out alive.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
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 47mm
- Thickness: 12mm
- Lug to Lug: 55mm
- Lug Width: 22mm
- Case Material: Machined Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Gold Plated
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Elgin Watch Company
- Serial Number: 25400194
- Manufacture Year: 1923
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
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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.
