Watch Description
What Makes The Lancaster 135 Unique:
The Lancaster 135 is a study in restraint. Built around a 17-jewel Hamilton Grade 917 movement manufactured in 1939, this watch captures a moment when American watchmaking was shifting toward cleaner, more refined designs while maintaining the mechanical standards that had made Hamilton one of the country’s most respected manufacturers. The result is a watch whose appeal grows stronger the longer it is examined.
The dial immediately establishes the character of the piece. Unlike many antique pocket watch dials that rely on bold railroad styling or heavily decorated layouts, this example embraces simplicity. The warm ivory dial serves as a quiet backdrop for applied gold-tone Arabic numerals that have developed a subtle softness with age. Their slightly raised construction creates depth across the dial surface, while the combination of gilt numerals and matching hands gives the watch a cohesive elegance that feels distinctly late-1930s.
Collectors will likely notice the handset almost immediately. The ornate spade-style hour hand paired with the long tapered minute hand provides a level of visual sophistication that separates this watch from more utilitarian examples. The contrast between the darker aged hour hand and the brighter gilt minute hand creates an appearance that feels entirely authentic to a watch that has lived nearly a century of history. Together with the recessed sub-seconds register at 6 o’clock, the dial achieves a balance that feels deliberate and highly refined.
Turning the watch over reveals one of the strongest features of the Lancaster 135: its Hamilton Grade 917 movement. Produced during an era when Hamilton was regarded as one of America’s premier manufacturers of precision timekeeping instruments, the Grade 917 was designed to deliver dependable performance while maintaining a level of finishing that collectors continue to admire today.
The movement displays broad Geneva-style striping across the bridges, polished screw heads, gold jewel settings, and the distinctive spiral-pattern winding wheel that has become a recognizable hallmark of many Hamilton movements from this period. The exposed balance assembly provides constant mechanical motion beneath the crystal caseback, offering a reminder that every component visible here was manufactured and assembled decades before the arrival of modern electronic timekeeping.
As a 17-jewel movement adjusted to three positions, the Grade 917 occupied an important place within Hamilton’s production, balancing everyday reliability with the precision standards expected from one of Lancaster’s most respected watchmakers. The movement’s clean architecture and restrained decoration perfectly complement the understated nature of the dial.
The modern execution enhances those historic qualities without overwhelming them. Vortic’s 43mm sandblasted stainless steel case introduces a subtle matte texture that mirrors the utilitarian roots of the movement, while the black cordovan strap adds contrast and sophistication. The slightly smaller 10-size case profile also gives the Lancaster 135 a notably balanced wrist presence, preserving the proportions of the original pocket watch while creating a highly wearable modern timepiece.
Some watches command attention through rarity or dramatic patina. The Lancaster 135 succeeds through proportion, balance, and quiet confidence. From its elegant applied numerals and distinctive handset to its beautifully finished Hamilton movement, every element works together to create a watch that feels timeless in the truest sense of the word.
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: 2025
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Diameter: 43mm
- Case Material: Sandblasted Stainless Steel
- Crown/Hardware: Stainless Steel
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Hamilton Watch Company
- Serial Number: X52519
- Manufacture Year: 1939
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 10s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What Makes The Lancaster 135 Unique:
The Lancaster 135 is a study in restraint. Built around a 17-jewel Hamilton Grade 917 movement manufactured in 1939, this watch captures a moment when American watchmaking was shifting toward cleaner, more refined designs while maintaining the mechanical standards that had made Hamilton one of the country’s most respected manufacturers. The result is a watch whose appeal grows stronger the longer it is examined.
The dial immediately establishes the character of the piece. Unlike many antique pocket watch dials that rely on bold railroad styling or heavily decorated layouts, this example embraces simplicity. The warm ivory dial serves as a quiet backdrop for applied gold-tone Arabic numerals that have developed a subtle softness with age. Their slightly raised construction creates depth across the dial surface, while the combination of gilt numerals and matching hands gives the watch a cohesive elegance that feels distinctly late-1930s.
Collectors will likely notice the handset almost immediately. The ornate spade-style hour hand paired with the long tapered minute hand provides a level of visual sophistication that separates this watch from more utilitarian examples. The contrast between the darker aged hour hand and the brighter gilt minute hand creates an appearance that feels entirely authentic to a watch that has lived nearly a century of history. Together with the recessed sub-seconds register at 6 o’clock, the dial achieves a balance that feels deliberate and highly refined.
Turning the watch over reveals one of the strongest features of the Lancaster 135: its Hamilton Grade 917 movement. Produced during an era when Hamilton was regarded as one of America’s premier manufacturers of precision timekeeping instruments, the Grade 917 was designed to deliver dependable performance while maintaining a level of finishing that collectors continue to admire today.
The movement displays broad Geneva-style striping across the bridges, polished screw heads, gold jewel settings, and the distinctive spiral-pattern winding wheel that has become a recognizable hallmark of many Hamilton movements from this period. The exposed balance assembly provides constant mechanical motion beneath the crystal caseback, offering a reminder that every component visible here was manufactured and assembled decades before the arrival of modern electronic timekeeping.
As a 17-jewel movement adjusted to three positions, the Grade 917 occupied an important place within Hamilton’s production, balancing everyday reliability with the precision standards expected from one of Lancaster’s most respected watchmakers. The movement’s clean architecture and restrained decoration perfectly complement the understated nature of the dial.
The modern execution enhances those historic qualities without overwhelming them. Vortic’s 43mm sandblasted stainless steel case introduces a subtle matte texture that mirrors the utilitarian roots of the movement, while the black cordovan strap adds contrast and sophistication. The slightly smaller 10-size case profile also gives the Lancaster 135 a notably balanced wrist presence, preserving the proportions of the original pocket watch while creating a highly wearable modern timepiece.
Some watches command attention through rarity or dramatic patina. The Lancaster 135 succeeds through proportion, balance, and quiet confidence. From its elegant applied numerals and distinctive handset to its beautifully finished Hamilton movement, every element works together to create a watch that feels timeless in the truest sense of the word.
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.
