Watch Description
The American mechanism inside this watch is not a replica or an "inspired" piece. It was genuinely carried by an individual, 100 years ago, that depended on it. Each time you wear this watch, you will be transported through time, imagining who this individual was and the work they did to help build our country. Simply put, American Artisan Series watches make you feel something when you put them on. At Vortic, we tell customers that owning a watch isn't nearly as important as owning a story. And, this is an opportunity to be a part of a story that is bigger than yourself. You won't be the first to own this watch, and you certainly won't be the last, so make your chapter count.
The American Artisan Series is a line of fully American Made wristwatches powered by restored, U.S. made pocket watch movements. Individuals commonly scrap pocket watch cases for their precious metal, leaving the original mechanism orphaned. This watch contains the original movement (timepiece), dial (face), and hands from a vintage (1880's - 1950's) pocket watch made by Elgin Watch Company. We call this model "The Chicago" because of the company's proximity to the city.
What makes the Chicago 497 unique: Today, we’re excited to showcase this exquisite piece initially produced by the Elgin National Watch Company nearly a century ago — the Chicago 497. This breathtaking watch boasts a sophisticated dial with a pristine, white background and a light blue center. The front of the watch also features a beautiful circular light-gold-colored pattern underneath its thin, black Roman numerals, and it also displays stunning blued-steel spade watch hands. We encased this eye-catching dial within our robust Blued Titanium case and topped it off with a nickel-plated crown, complementing the dial’s distinct and attractive palette. On the back of the watch, you can view the piece’s original 345-grade open-face movement with a Breguet hairspring, Moseley regulator, quick train, and going barrel. The movement also features gold-plated gears and 17 sumptuous screw-set ruby and sapphire jewels throughout its ¾ plate. Finally, we made this watch even more handsome with our comfortable, hand-crafted Cordovan Black leather watch strap.
The Elgin National Watch Company originally manufactured the Chicago 497’s pocket watch in Elgin, Illinois, in 1924 — the same year a group of criminals committed the Rondout Train Robbery in Lake County, Illinois, which was the largest train robbery in the history of the United States. The group boarded the train in Chicago and stole over two-million dollars — around $35 million in 2022 — worth in cash, securities, and jewelry from postal clerks. Within days, law enforcement arrested all eight of the criminals, one of which was a postal inspector.
Case Style:This case has been CNC milled from a solid block of aerospace grade titanium. We use pressurized, fine glass beads in a sandblasting chamber to soften the edges and make the finish uniform. Titanium is the ultimate material for strength to weight ratio. Titanium has a darker look than steel, and due to its low thermal conductivity, feels warm to the touch. These characteristics create an enduring, highly wearable, distinctive piece.
Movement: The manually wound, antique, pocket watch movement inside this watch has been meticulously restored to as close to original condition as possible. Vortic has an exclusive group of highly experienced watchmakers that specialize in vintage watches. Before its use in a wristwatch, each movement is completely disassembled, cleaned, oiled, and calibrated. Each finished Vortic watch is tested for at least a week before completion.
This watch's movement is serial number 26132882 from the Elgin Watch Company. 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
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Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 46mm
- Height: 12mm
- Lug-to-Lug: 55mm
- Lugs: 22mm
- Case Finish: Sandblasted Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Nickel Plated
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Gorilla Glass
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Elgin Watch Company
- Serial Number: 26132882
- Manufacture Year: 1924
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17j
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes the Chicago 497 unique: Today, we’re excited to showcase this exquisite piece initially produced by the Elgin National Watch Company nearly a century ago — the Chicago 497. This breathtaking watch boasts a sophisticated dial with a pristine, white background and a light blue center. The front of the watch also features a beautiful circular light-gold-colored pattern underneath its thin, black Roman numerals, and it also displays stunning blued-steel spade watch hands. We encased this eye-catching dial within our robust Blued Titanium case and topped it off with a nickel-plated crown, complementing the dial’s distinct and attractive palette. On the back of the watch, you can view the piece’s original 345-grade open-face movement with a Breguet hairspring, Moseley regulator, quick train, and going barrel. The movement also features gold-plated gears and 17 sumptuous screw-set ruby and sapphire jewels throughout its ¾ plate. Finally, we made this watch even more handsome with our comfortable, hand-crafted Cordovan Black leather watch strap.
The Elgin National Watch Company originally manufactured the Chicago 497’s pocket watch in Elgin, Illinois, in 1924 — the same year a group of criminals committed the Rondout Train Robbery in Lake County, Illinois, which was the largest train robbery in the history of the United States. The group boarded the train in Chicago and stole over two-million dollars — around $35 million in 2022 — worth in cash, securities, and jewelry from postal clerks. Within days, law enforcement arrested all eight of the criminals, one of which was a postal inspector.
Quality Straps
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.
Mission
Our mission is to preserve and enhance the legacy of manufacturing excellence in America. We believe that this legacy is highly relevant in the world of watch manufacturing because our goal is to marry form and function in a way that makes something beautiful that will last forever. American made pocket watches were of such a high quality and decoration that they evolved into more than just a way to tell time. They became traditional heirlooms to be inherited by future generations as a wedding gift or a coming of age treasure. Each piece tells a lively tale of what U.S. manufacturing meant in the past using an intricate language of decorated bridges, plates, gears, and springs. Today, we are restoring these pieces to their former glory and making them relevant again using the best of modern technology.
American Made
We feel proud and blessed to live in the country, state, and city that we do. However, our motivation to build everything in the United States, and to deal locally whenever possible, is derived from a different source of inspiration. We believe that the close relationships, face-to-face interaction, and tight quality control we achieve while dealing domestically produces a truly superior product. Because of this, we are very transparent about where our components are made as we continue to build our in-house capabilities.
