Watch Description
What makes the Chicago 521 unique: Today, we’re delighted to announce this exquisite piece of American watch history that was initially produced by the Elgin National Watch Company — the Chicago 521. This watch features an eye-catching single-sunk dial that displays thin black numerals with transparent drop shadows. The dial also displays a center design with richly-textured vertical lines and a gleaming subdial. Finally, you can see the pocket watch’s blued-steel solid diamond kite watch hands that look especially striking against its gold-colored background. We complemented the pocket watch’s splendid dial with our robust Machined Titanium case and a gold-plated crown. On the watch’s rear side, you can see its 345-grade open-face movement with impressive details, including its Moseley regulator, Quick train, Going barrel, and Breguet hairspring. You can also see the movement’s luxurious and powerful gold-plated gears and 17 screw-set jewels throughout its ¾ plate. Finally, we paired the watch with our Stout leather watch strap, making this one-of-a-kind antique wearable.The Elgin National Watch Company originally manufactured the pocket watch in Elgin, Illinois, in 1924 — the same year in which the Statue of Liberty National Monument opened in New Jersey and New York. The monument contains the titular Statue of Liberty — originally called La Liberté éclairant le monde (Liberty Enlightening the World) — from 1886, the Statue of Liberty Museum, and the retired immigration station on Ellis Island. President Calvin Coolidge declared the site a U.S. National Monument through the Antiquities Act of 1906. In 1966, the location was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
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: Gold Plated
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Elgin Watch Company
- Serial Number: 26134080
- Manufacture Year: 1924
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
The Elgin National Watch Company originally manufactured the pocket watch in Elgin, Illinois, in 1924 — the same year in which the Statue of Liberty National Monument opened in New Jersey and New York. The monument contains the titular Statue of Liberty — originally called La Liberté éclairant le monde (Liberty Enlightening the World) — from 1886, the Statue of Liberty Museum, and the retired immigration station on Ellis Island. President Calvin Coolidge declared the site a U.S. National Monument through the Antiquities Act of 1906. In 1966, the location was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
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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.
