Watch Description
What makes the Chicago 447 unique: For today’s Watch of the Day we bring you this incredibly unique piece from the Elgin National Watch Company, our Chicago 447. This watch is a wonderful example of a beautiful antique that will soon be over 100 years old, brought back to life in an elegant way. We can’t take our eyes off all the small details of this dial, with a natural patina that has softened the glow of the gold-colored numerals. The small wear around the edges that have taken portions of the minute indicators is just another touch that tells the story of the many different lives this watch has lived. Our gold-plated crown pairs well with gold kite-shaped hands that stand out inside of our gunmetal titanium case. This signature shape of the build plates is something we look forward to with the 345 grade Elgin movements and does a nice job of leading your eye visually down to the Moseley regulator. Adorned with 17 screw-set jewels and stainless steel hardware throughout, allowing the gold-plated gears to shine from beneath. This watch was originally manufactured in Elgin, Illinois in 1922, the same year that the construction of Yankee Stadium began in The Bronx, New York. Babe Ruth also renewed his contract with the Yankees for another three years.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
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 47mm
- Thickness: 12mm
- Lug to Lug: 55mm
- Lug Width: 22mm
- Case Material: Gunmetal Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Gold Plated
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Elgin Watch Company
- Serial Number: 24522693
- Manufacture Year: 1922
- 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.
