Watch Description
What makes the Chicago 492 unique: Today, we're excited to feature this unforgettable piece originally manufactured by the Elgin National Watch Company in 1920 — the Chicago 492. This antique, one-of-a-kind piece boasts a remarkable dial with a light-gold colored pattern just underneath its uniquely-styled black numerals. The front of the watch also features minute numerals in five-minute increments, a pristine subdial, and blue-tinted spade and whip hands. We paired this historic pocket watch with our breathtaking and robust Gilded Titanium case and a copper-plated crown, emphasizing the dial's highly sophisticated style. Our Gilded Titanium case features a transparent back, enabling you to view the timepiece's intricate inner workings, such as its 384-grade open-face movement with a Going barrel, quick train, and Moseley regulator. You can also see the piece's sumptuous gold-plated gears powered by 17 screw-set ruby and sapphire jewels throughout its ¾ plate. We complemented this stunning watch with our hand-crafted Cordovan Black leather watch strap, making it even more distinct.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: Machined Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Copper
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Elgin Watch Company
- Serial Number: 22381776
- Manufacture Year: 1920
- 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.
