Watch Description
What makes the Chicago 445 unique: For today’s Watch of the Day we proudly present this amazing watch from the Elgin National Watch Company, our Chicago 445. We love the combination of the gold-plated crown with this gold-colored dial, bringing out the fine details that have been machined into the face. These dark numerals jump out and grab your attention, along with these unique kite-shaped hands that stand out with a lovely dark blue hue. Our sandblasted titanium case lets the details of the watch steal the show, while this olive strap ties everything together nicely. As we turn this watch over to reveal the movement that is powering it, we are immediately drawn to the unique shape of the build plate with this swooping design that is signature to Elgin, bringing your eyes down to the Moseley regulator. Gold-plated gears and a brass balance wheel show through from beneath, adding some precious metal elements to the look of the watch. Originally manufactured in Elgin, Illinois in 1925 just about an hour outside of Chicago along the Fox River. This year proved to be a tough year for teachers in the southern states, with Tennessee officially banning the teaching of evolution in schools. Texas followed shortly after as well, with a number of lawsuits against teachers for breaking the laws. The law in Tennessee remained in place until eventually being appealed in 1967.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: Sandblasted Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Gold Plated
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Elgin Watch Company
- Serial Number: 27661763
- Manufacture Year: 1925
- 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.
