Watch Description
What makes the Lancaster 109 unique:
The Lancaster 109 pairs rich visual character with historical charm, showcasing a dial that wears its century of experience with style. The surface bears a constellation of natural speckling and light scratches, adding depth and authenticity without compromising legibility. A ring of ornamental engraving encircles the center, drawing the eye toward a recessed sub-seconds dial with a distinctly different finish—smoother and more reflective than the surrounding patina. Framing it all are flared, almost playful numerals that curve gently toward the edge of the dial, echoing the elegant motion of the blued steel diamond kite hands above.
At the heart of this watch is a 17-jewel Hamilton movement, originally manufactured in 1925. Visible through the open caseback, the movement features sharply defined Geneva stripes that ripple across the bridges, complemented by gold-toned gears and polished steel components. This blend of artistry and engineering stands as a testament to the precision of early American watchmaking.
We encased this historic mechanism in a sandblasted titanium case with a matching smooth sandblasted bezel. The matte texture of the case adds a contemporary counterpoint to the aged dial, while the round copper crown lends warmth and contrast. A cognac-toned American-made leather strap completes the build, picking up the dial’s natural warmth and adding a refined, wearable touch.
In 1925—the same year this movement was produced—Hamilton introduced its first line of watches specifically marketed to women, marking a pivotal moment in expanding the brand’s reach. It was a year of evolution not only for Hamilton, but for American manufacturing, as innovation and market awareness began to shape the watch industry’s future.
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.
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
- Model Year: 2021
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 47mm
- Thickness: 12mm
- Lug to Lug: 55mm
- Lug Width: 22mm
- Case Material: Sandblasted Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Stainless Steel
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Hamilton Watch Company
- Serial Number: 3114101
- Manufacture Year: 1925
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes the Lancaster 109 unique:
The Lancaster 109 pairs rich visual character with historical charm, showcasing a dial that wears its century of experience with style. The surface bears a constellation of natural speckling and light scratches, adding depth and authenticity without compromising legibility. A ring of ornamental engraving encircles the center, drawing the eye toward a recessed sub-seconds dial with a distinctly different finish—smoother and more reflective than the surrounding patina. Framing it all are flared, almost playful numerals that curve gently toward the edge of the dial, echoing the elegant motion of the blued steel diamond kite hands above.
At the heart of this watch is a 17-jewel Hamilton movement, originally manufactured in 1925. Visible through the open caseback, the movement features sharply defined Geneva stripes that ripple across the bridges, complemented by gold-toned gears and polished steel components. This blend of artistry and engineering stands as a testament to the precision of early American watchmaking.
We encased this historic mechanism in a sandblasted titanium case with a matching smooth sandblasted bezel. The matte texture of the case adds a contemporary counterpoint to the aged dial, while the round copper crown lends warmth and contrast. A cognac-toned American-made leather strap completes the build, picking up the dial’s natural warmth and adding a refined, wearable touch.
In 1925—the same year this movement was produced—Hamilton introduced its first line of watches specifically marketed to women, marking a pivotal moment in expanding the brand’s reach. It was a year of evolution not only for Hamilton, but for American manufacturing, as innovation and market awareness began to shape the watch industry’s future.
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.
