Watch Description
What makes the Lancaster 154 unique: Today, we have a stunning piece of history to share with you — the Lancaster 154. Initially produced by the Hamilton Watch Company in 1937, the Lancaster 154 features an elegant cream-colored face with an intricate star-shaped inlay accompanied by a simple subdial below. Additionally, the movement’s striking blue hands and elegant black numerals also showcase the face’s stunning design. We have encased this movement with our gunmetal titanium case and added a nickel crown to complement the timepiece’s original hues. On the back of the watch — which you can view through our one-of-a-kind clear-backed case — you can view the stunning inner workings. The design features a brilliantly machined ¾ plate along with matching nickel-plated gears. In addition to the beautiful plate, this watch also features a Reed regulator, double safety rollers, and 17 sumptuous screw-set jewels. To round out this watch and further highlight the watch’s beauty, we have paired the movement with our supple stone leather strap.In May of 1937 — the same year the original pocket Hamilton watch was produced — audiences were shocked as the Hindenberg airship burst into flames while mooring to a mast near Lakehurst, New Jersey. One calculation by NASA estimated that it only took 16 seconds for the highly-combustible hydrogen gas to envelop the airship completely. Astonishingly, there were more survivors of the tragic accident than casualties. Of the 97 passengers and crew that were on board, 62 survived.
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
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 47mm
- Thickness: 12mm
- Lug to Lug: 55mm
- Lug Width: 22mm
- Case Material: Gunmetal Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Nickel Plated
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Hamilton Watch Company
- Serial Number: 3456043
- Manufacture Year: 1937
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
In May of 1937 — the same year the original pocket Hamilton watch was produced — audiences were shocked as the Hindenberg airship burst into flames while mooring to a mast near Lakehurst, New Jersey. One calculation by NASA estimated that it only took 16 seconds for the highly-combustible hydrogen gas to envelop the airship completely. Astonishingly, there were more survivors of the tragic accident than casualties. Of the 97 passengers and crew that were on board, 62 survived.
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.
