Watch Description
What makes the Chicago 463 unique: Today, we're excited to unveil this breathtaking, one-of-a-kind piece initially constructed by the Elgin National Watch Company in 1927 — the Chicago 463. The watch's dial boasts a memorable and antique-looking light-brown hue atop its tan background. The piece also sports distinct, dark minute and hour hands that pair perfectly with its stylized numerals. The notable numerals showcase outlines of a 45-degree text shadow, conveying a unique early 20th-century style. We paired Elgin's original pocket watch with our scratch-resistant Machined Titanium case and bronze-plated crown. Our glimmering case highlights the dial's distinct colors, while its clear back showcases 477-grade open-face movement. With three different adjustable positions, the nickel and pendant movement has 17 ruby and sapphire jewels atop its ¾ plate. The watch's open back also lets you view its luxurious and powerful gold-plated gears. Finally, we equipped the watch with our artisan-crafted Natural leather watch strap, which further emphasizes the piece's antique qualities. The Elgin National Watch Company created the pocket watch powering the Chicago 463 in Elgin, Illinois, in 1927 — the same year that the United States and Canada opened the international Peace Bridge between Fort Erie, Ontario, and Buffalo, New York. The bridge was originally named to commemorate 100 years of peace with our northern neighbors. The Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority maintain it, and the bridge spans a total of 5,800 feet over the Niagara River. The bridge is invaluable for importing and exporting freight between the United States and Canada, with over one million trucks utilizing the bridge every year.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: Copper
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Elgin Watch Company
- Serial Number: 29180322
- Manufacture Year: 1927
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
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.
