Watch Description
What Makes The Lancaster 141 Unique:
The Lancaster 141 embodies the refined craftsmanship that defined Hamilton during the mid-1930s, a period when the company had perfected the balance between dependable precision and sophisticated Art Deco styling. Built around a 17-jewel Hamilton movement manufactured in 1936, this watch represents the final chapter of America's golden age of pocket watch production. While the movement delivers the accuracy and reliability that established Hamilton as one of the country's premier manufacturers, it is the remarkably textured dial that immediately distinguishes this piece from its contemporaries.
The first detail collectors will notice is the striking vertically brushed silver dial, whose fine engine-turned finish creates a remarkable sense of depth as it catches changing light. Rich gilt Arabic numerals stand proudly against the textured background, developing a warm bronze-like character through decades of natural aging. Complementing the numerals is a set of elegant openwork gothic-style hands, whose delicate curves reinforce the watch's refined Art Deco influence while remaining exceptionally legible. At six o'clock, the recessed sub-seconds register features a concentric circular finish that subtly contrasts with the vertical brushing across the main dial, adding another layer of visual complexity. Honest age marks and a beautifully patinated surface give the dial an unmistakable originality that seasoned collectors value far more than modern perfection.
Turning the watch over reveals the beautifully preserved 17-jewel Hamilton movement beneath the sapphire exhibition crystal. Broad Geneva stripes flow across the bridges, while snailed winding wheels, gold jewel settings, and the exposed balance assembly demonstrate the meticulous finishing standards that made Hamilton synonymous with American precision. Every bridge, screw, and wheel reflects the thoughtful engineering that allowed these movements to remain dependable ninety years after they first left Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Vortic houses this historic movement within its 45mm Lancaster case, crafted entirely from tumbled Grade 5 titanium, including the case, bezel, and crown. The soft matte finish of the titanium perfectly complements the dial's aged metallic tones while providing exceptional durability and lightweight comfort for daily wear. Completing the watch is an American-made Black Cordovan leather strap, whose understated appearance allows the richly textured dial to remain the undeniable focal point.
The Lancaster 141 is an outstanding example of Hamilton's mastery of both engineering and design. Its vertically brushed silver dial, naturally aged gilt numerals, elegant gothic-style hands, and beautifully finished movement create a watch that rewards close inspection and celebrates the enduring artistry of American watchmaking.
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: Tumbled Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Titanium
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Titanium
- Strap: 22mm Black Cordovan Leather Strap by Horween with Steel Buckle
Movement
- Manufacturer: Hamilton Watch Company
- Serial Number: 3433881
- Manufacture Year: 1936
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What Makes The Lancaster 141 Unique:
The Lancaster 141 embodies the refined craftsmanship that defined Hamilton during the mid-1930s, a period when the company had perfected the balance between dependable precision and sophisticated Art Deco styling. Built around a 17-jewel Hamilton movement manufactured in 1936, this watch represents the final chapter of America's golden age of pocket watch production. While the movement delivers the accuracy and reliability that established Hamilton as one of the country's premier manufacturers, it is the remarkably textured dial that immediately distinguishes this piece from its contemporaries.
The first detail collectors will notice is the striking vertically brushed silver dial, whose fine engine-turned finish creates a remarkable sense of depth as it catches changing light. Rich gilt Arabic numerals stand proudly against the textured background, developing a warm bronze-like character through decades of natural aging. Complementing the numerals is a set of elegant openwork gothic-style hands, whose delicate curves reinforce the watch's refined Art Deco influence while remaining exceptionally legible. At six o'clock, the recessed sub-seconds register features a concentric circular finish that subtly contrasts with the vertical brushing across the main dial, adding another layer of visual complexity. Honest age marks and a beautifully patinated surface give the dial an unmistakable originality that seasoned collectors value far more than modern perfection.
Turning the watch over reveals the beautifully preserved 17-jewel Hamilton movement beneath the sapphire exhibition crystal. Broad Geneva stripes flow across the bridges, while snailed winding wheels, gold jewel settings, and the exposed balance assembly demonstrate the meticulous finishing standards that made Hamilton synonymous with American precision. Every bridge, screw, and wheel reflects the thoughtful engineering that allowed these movements to remain dependable ninety years after they first left Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Vortic houses this historic movement within its 45mm Lancaster case, crafted entirely from tumbled Grade 5 titanium, including the case, bezel, and crown. The soft matte finish of the titanium perfectly complements the dial's aged metallic tones while providing exceptional durability and lightweight comfort for daily wear. Completing the watch is an American-made Black Cordovan leather strap, whose understated appearance allows the richly textured dial to remain the undeniable focal point.
The Lancaster 141 is an outstanding example of Hamilton's mastery of both engineering and design. Its vertically brushed silver dial, naturally aged gilt numerals, elegant gothic-style hands, and beautifully finished movement create a watch that rewards close inspection and celebrates the enduring artistry of American watchmaking.
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.
