Watch Description
What makes the Cleveland 042 unique: Today, we’re excited to spotlight this sophisticated and historic piece originally manufactured by the Illinois Watch Company in 1926 — the Cleveland 042. The watch features a breathtaking dial with a highly unique and sophisticated center design. The design shimmers brilliantly against the piece’s cream-colored background. The dial also sports dark, stylized numerals and blue hour and minute hands. We paired the pocket watch with our pristine and scratch-resistant Machined Titanium case along with a nickel-plated crown. The gleaming case and crown make the complete piece shine even more spectacularly. Our Machined Titanium case also sports an open back, revealing a commercial-standard open-face movement nickel finish and circular finish pattern. This watch was originally produced in 1926 in Springfield, Illinois — the same year in which Chrysler introduced the iconic and trailblazing Chrysler Imperial. Chrysler developed the vehicle in order to compete with other luxury car manufacturers, including Cadillac and Lincoln. Chrysler equipped the Imperial with a 288.6 cubic inch six-cylinder engine. The vehicle set a transcontinental speed record in 1926 by traveling over 6,500 miles within a week. Chrysler advertisements referred to the vehicle as the “Chrysler Imperial ‘80’,” referencing the vehicle’s ability to travel at 80 miles per hour.Movement Manufacturer Information
The movement inside of this watch was made by Ball Watch Company. We call this model "The Cleveland" because the company was located within the Cleveland city limits.
Founded by Webb C. Ball in 1891, Ball Watch Company's watches focused on the railroad industry and had a reputation for quality that was second to none. Mr. Ball famously invented and implemented a standard set of watch inspections and requirements to qualify a watch for use on the railroad at a time when timekeeping was paramount to safety. This was known as a "Standard" or "Railroad Grade" watch. The core of the manufacturing for these watches was performed by Hamilton and Waltham Watch Companies, but the adjustment, finishing, and testing performed by Ball set them ahead of the pack. One of the few companies still in existence, Ball now makes watches in Switzerland and is owned by Hong Kong group Asia Commercial Holdings Ltd.
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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: Nickel Plated
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Ball Watch Company
- Serial Number: B406206
- Manufacture Year: 1926
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 19 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.
