Watch Description
What makes the Chicago 511 unique: We’re excited to showcase this splendid watch that boasts an antique pocket movement dating back all the way to 1912 — the Chicago 511. The Elgin National Watch Company originally produced the Chicago 511’s pocket watch, and it features an immaculate cream-colored, single-sunk dial, bold, black hour numerals, and dark-red minute numerals. The front of the watch also displays stunning blued steel spade & whip watch hands and a helpful subdial that matches the rest of the watch’s face. We paired this sophisticated pocket watch with our robust Sandblasted Titanium case and topped it off with a nickel-plated crown. On the rear side of the watch, you can view its breathtaking 345-grade open-face movement with a Going barrel, Quick train, Moseley regulator, and Breguet hairspring. This historic piece also boasts 17 ruby and sapphire screw-set jewels throughout the movement’s ¾ plate, which help the movement’s gold-plated gears spin freely. Finally, we matched this one-of-a-kind watch with our high-quality Stone leather watch strap. The strap’s gray tone perfectly complements the watch’s understated yet stunning color scheme.The Elgin National Watch Company initially manufactured our wristwatch’s breathtaking pocket watch in Elgin, Illinois, in 1912 — the same year that Adolph Zukor founded the predecessor of Paramount Pictures: the Famous Players Film Company. The company was only open for four years before merging with the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company, but during those four years, they released the first film adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo as well as the notable French film Les Amours de la Reine Élisabeth (The Loves of Queen Elizabeth). In 1916, the company merged with producer Jesse L. Lasky’s company to become the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation. The company’s most noteworthy film was the 1927 World War I motion picture Wings, which won the first-ever Academy Award for Best Picture. Six years later in 1933, the company became Paramount Pictures.
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: Sandblasted Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Nickel Plated
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Elgin Watch Company
- Serial Number: 16473862
- Manufacture Year: 1912
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
The Elgin National Watch Company initially manufactured our wristwatch’s breathtaking pocket watch in Elgin, Illinois, in 1912 — the same year that Adolph Zukor founded the predecessor of Paramount Pictures: the Famous Players Film Company. The company was only open for four years before merging with the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company, but during those four years, they released the first film adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo as well as the notable French film Les Amours de la Reine Élisabeth (The Loves of Queen Elizabeth). In 1916, the company merged with producer Jesse L. Lasky’s company to become the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation. The company’s most noteworthy film was the 1927 World War I motion picture Wings, which won the first-ever Academy Award for Best Picture. Six years later in 1933, the company became Paramount Pictures.
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.
