Watch Description
What makes the Chicago 464 unique: Today, we’re pleased to present this antique piece initially crafted by the Elgin National Watch Company in 1911 — the Chicago 464. The pocket watch’s dial sports a deep tan-gold background with dark numerals. It also features a centerpiece pattern with gold-tan lines vertically strung atop a lighter shade of tan. We paired the pocket watch with our robust DLC case and a gold-plated crown. The DLC case compliments the dark numerals, while the gold-plated crown goes perfectly with the dial’s background. The back of the watch boasts 347-grade, open-face movement with a nickel finish and pendant setting, originally tested in three different positions. The back of the watch also boasts gold-plated gears along with a ¾ plate that sports 17 jewels. Finally, we equipped the watch with a gold-plated buckle and our Moss leather watch strap, giving the piece a rustic, unique quality. The Elgin National Watch Company manufactured the pocket watch in Elgin, Illinois, in 1911 — the same year that Louis-Joseph and Arthur Chevrolet and William C. Durant opened the Chevrolet Motor Company. William C. Durant also co-founded General Motors, but he was fired from GM after the company faced economic setbacks from acquisitions. Durant used Chevrolet’s success to buy a controlling interest in General Motors in 1917. He then became president of General Motors and merged Chevrolet as a separate division within GM.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: DLC Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Gold Plated
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Elgin Watch Company
- Serial Number: 15864616
- Manufacture Year: 1911
- 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.
