Watch Description
What makes the Chicago 490 unique: We have a unique piece of history to share with you today that was originally built in Elgin, Illinois, by the Elgin National Watch Company in 1921— the Chicago 490. This stunning timepiece features a richly patinated face accompanied by an intricate paisley design and black numerals. There is also an eye-catching patina featured on both the central hands and subdial that draws out this piece's beauty. The original movement has been encased in our gilded titanium case and equipped with a copper crown to match the watch’s antiqued look. For this case color, we place our machined titanium in a kiln for a specific amount of time and temperature, and the result is this incredible gold-colored finish that catches your eye in all different angles. As you turn the watch over, you can view the magnificent ¾ plate movement through our unique clear-backed case. The machined-nickel plate is accompanied by both matching nickel and gold-plated gears. This watch’s striking movement also features 17 stunning screw-set rubies and sapphires along with a going barrel, Mosely regulator, and Breguet hairspring. We have paired this gorgeous watch with our moss watch strap to further highlight the rich textures of this piece.The same year this watch was produced, in 1921, Hot Springs National Park was officially recognized as a national park in Arkansas. The park features ancient geothermal springs, gorgeous mountain views, and historic bathhouses built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The current bathhouses are no longer in use and were placed on the National Register of Historic Places over 50 years after the area was declared a national park in 1974.
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: 24196986
- Manufacture Year: 1921
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
The same year this watch was produced, in 1921, Hot Springs National Park was officially recognized as a national park in Arkansas. The park features ancient geothermal springs, gorgeous mountain views, and historic bathhouses built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The current bathhouses are no longer in use and were placed on the National Register of Historic Places over 50 years after the area was declared a national park in 1974.
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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.
