Watch Description
What makes the Lancaster 101 unique:
The Lancaster 101 features a warm, two-tone dial that radiates character through years of natural aging. A circular cream center contrasts gently with the honeyed outer ring, both textures marked by visible patina that reminds us just how far this piece has traveled. Applied gold numerals shift in angle as they circle the dial, creating visual rhythm and charm. A set of heat-blued, open-spade hands add a unique twist—echoing traditional spade shapes but with a delicate, skeletonized design that feels both vintage and rare. At 6 o’clock, a sharply defined recessed sub-seconds dial anchors the composition in classic balance.
Inside this timepiece is a 17-jewel Hamilton movement originally manufactured in 1931. Decorated with bold Geneva stripes and finished with polished steel gears, this movement offers a window into the precision and pride of early 20th-century American watchmaking. You’ll also find gold-plated wheels and a satisfying symmetry across the bridges—evidence of engineering as art.
The case is machined from stainless steel with a brushed finish, paired with an angled machined steel bezel that frames the dial without distraction. A knurled machined-steel crown provides tactile grip and industrial elegance. Completing the look is an ebony-toned leather strap with light stitching, adding contrast and refinement while keeping the focus on the watch itself.
In 1931, the Empire State Building officially opened its doors, becoming the tallest building in the world at the time. A marvel of American ambition and craftsmanship, it stood as a symbol of ingenuity and progress—principles that also guided the creation of this original Hamilton movement nearly a century ago.
Movement Manufacturer Information
The movement inside of this watch was made by Hamilton Watch Company. We call this model "The Lancaster" because the company was located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Hamilton is named after famous Pennsylvanian Alexander Hamilton and is the result of multiple re-organizations of attempted watch companies in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1892, Hamilton had a reputation for superior quality and maintained half of the railroad watch market share during some of the most prolific years of American railroad history. During World War II, Hamilton was integral to the production of accurate timepieces for the Military. Deemed "the watch that won the war," the company established an employee-run newsletter so that employees turned soldiers could keep up with life at the factory. While the original factory still stands as luxury apartments, the company stopped producing watches in the US in 1969. Hamilton now produces watches in Switzerland and is owned by the Swatch Group.
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Watch Specifications
- Manufacturer: Vortic Watch Company
- Model Year: 2025
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 45mm
- Thickness: 12mm
- Lug to Lug: 50mm
- Lug Width: 22mm
- Case Material: Machined Steel
- Crown/Hardware: Titanium
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Hamilton Watch Company
- Serial Number: 3343287
- Manufacture Year: 1931
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes the Lancaster 101 unique:
The Lancaster 101 features a warm, two-tone dial that radiates character through years of natural aging. A circular cream center contrasts gently with the honeyed outer ring, both textures marked by visible patina that reminds us just how far this piece has traveled. Applied gold numerals shift in angle as they circle the dial, creating visual rhythm and charm. A set of heat-blued, open-spade hands add a unique twist—echoing traditional spade shapes but with a delicate, skeletonized design that feels both vintage and rare. At 6 o’clock, a sharply defined recessed sub-seconds dial anchors the composition in classic balance.
Inside this timepiece is a 17-jewel Hamilton movement originally manufactured in 1931. Decorated with bold Geneva stripes and finished with polished steel gears, this movement offers a window into the precision and pride of early 20th-century American watchmaking. You’ll also find gold-plated wheels and a satisfying symmetry across the bridges—evidence of engineering as art.
The case is machined from stainless steel with a brushed finish, paired with an angled machined steel bezel that frames the dial without distraction. A knurled machined-steel crown provides tactile grip and industrial elegance. Completing the look is an ebony-toned leather strap with light stitching, adding contrast and refinement while keeping the focus on the watch itself.
In 1931, the Empire State Building officially opened its doors, becoming the tallest building in the world at the time. A marvel of American ambition and craftsmanship, it stood as a symbol of ingenuity and progress—principles that also guided the creation of this original Hamilton movement nearly a century ago.
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.
