Watch Description
What Makes The Lancaster 140 Unique:
The Lancaster 140 captures Hamilton at a fascinating point in its history, when the company was blending the dependable precision it had become famous for with dial designs that reflected the softer, more decorative aesthetic of the late Art Deco era. Built around a 17-jewel Hamilton movement manufactured in 1936, this watch represents one of the last generations of American pocket watch production before wristwatches would fully dominate the industry. While the movement delivers the exceptional reliability collectors expect from Hamilton, it is the beautifully aged dial that gives this piece its unmistakable personality.
The first feature collectors will notice is the warm ivory dial, which has naturally mellowed over nearly ninety years into a rich parchment tone. Rather than presenting a traditional open layout, the dial is framed by an elegant circular cartouche accented with four delicate ornamental flourishes positioned at the cardinal points. This subtle decorative border draws the eye inward while preserving remarkable visual balance. Stylized Arabic numerals surround the dial with distinctly Art Deco character, while the original Louis XV-style openwork hands add an uncommon elegance rarely found on Hamilton's more utilitarian offerings. At six o'clock, the recessed sub-seconds register is crisply printed and proportioned, completing a design that feels refined without sacrificing legibility. Light age spotting and honest patina throughout the dial further reinforce its originality, qualities many collectors actively seek rather than avoid.
Turning the watch over reveals the beautifully finished 17-jewel Hamilton movement beneath the sapphire exhibition crystal. Wide Geneva stripes sweep across the bridges, while polished winding wheels, gold jewel settings, and the exposed balance assembly showcase the meticulous finishing that established Hamilton as one of America's finest watch manufacturers. Every component reflects the company's commitment to precision, craftsmanship, and mechanical longevity.
Vortic houses this historic movement in its 45mm Lancaster case, pairing a machined 316L stainless steel case with a tumbled Grade 5 titanium bezel and matching titanium crown. The subtle contrast between the bright machined steel and softly textured titanium creates additional visual depth while allowing the antique dial to remain the centerpiece. Completing the watch is an American-made Oxblood Cordovan leather strap whose deep burgundy tones beautifully complement the dial's warm ivory patina.
The Lancaster 140 is an outstanding example of Hamilton's ability to combine precision engineering with understated artistry. Its naturally aged parchment dial, elegant decorative cartouche, original Louis XV-style hands, and beautifully finished movement create a watch that feels both historically significant and effortlessly timeless.
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: 45mm
- Case Material: Machined Stainless Steel with Tumbled Titanium Bezel
- Crown/Hardware: Titanium
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Front: Domed Sapphire Back: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: 22mm Oxblood Cordovan Leather Strap by Horween with Steel Buckle
Movement
- Manufacturer: Hamilton Watch Company
- Serial Number: 3448288
- Manufacture Year: 1936
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What Makes The Lancaster 140 Unique:
The Lancaster 140 captures Hamilton at a fascinating point in its history, when the company was blending the dependable precision it had become famous for with dial designs that reflected the softer, more decorative aesthetic of the late Art Deco era. Built around a 17-jewel Hamilton movement manufactured in 1936, this watch represents one of the last generations of American pocket watch production before wristwatches would fully dominate the industry. While the movement delivers the exceptional reliability collectors expect from Hamilton, it is the beautifully aged dial that gives this piece its unmistakable personality.
The first feature collectors will notice is the warm ivory dial, which has naturally mellowed over nearly ninety years into a rich parchment tone. Rather than presenting a traditional open layout, the dial is framed by an elegant circular cartouche accented with four delicate ornamental flourishes positioned at the cardinal points. This subtle decorative border draws the eye inward while preserving remarkable visual balance. Stylized Arabic numerals surround the dial with distinctly Art Deco character, while the original Louis XV-style openwork hands add an uncommon elegance rarely found on Hamilton's more utilitarian offerings. At six o'clock, the recessed sub-seconds register is crisply printed and proportioned, completing a design that feels refined without sacrificing legibility. Light age spotting and honest patina throughout the dial further reinforce its originality, qualities many collectors actively seek rather than avoid.
Turning the watch over reveals the beautifully finished 17-jewel Hamilton movement beneath the sapphire exhibition crystal. Wide Geneva stripes sweep across the bridges, while polished winding wheels, gold jewel settings, and the exposed balance assembly showcase the meticulous finishing that established Hamilton as one of America's finest watch manufacturers. Every component reflects the company's commitment to precision, craftsmanship, and mechanical longevity.
Vortic houses this historic movement in its 45mm Lancaster case, pairing a machined 316L stainless steel case with a tumbled Grade 5 titanium bezel and matching titanium crown. The subtle contrast between the bright machined steel and softly textured titanium creates additional visual depth while allowing the antique dial to remain the centerpiece. Completing the watch is an American-made Oxblood Cordovan leather strap whose deep burgundy tones beautifully complement the dial's warm ivory patina.
The Lancaster 140 is an outstanding example of Hamilton's ability to combine precision engineering with understated artistry. Its naturally aged parchment dial, elegant decorative cartouche, original Louis XV-style hands, and beautifully finished movement create a watch that feels both historically significant and effortlessly timeless.
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.
