Watch Description
What makes the Lancaster 157 unique: Today’s watch of the day is a stunning piece of history initially manufactured in 1925 by the Hamilton Watch Company in Lancaster, PA — the Lancaster 157. This watch's beautifully patinated bone-colored face features bold black numerals and intricate accent marks around the dial. The piece also features blued diamond-kite hands and a subdial that catches the viewer’s eye. We’ve encased the antique movement in our bronzed titanium case and topped it with a nickel crown to complement the watch’s patina. Our unique case design allows you to view the incredible antique movement of this watch. This timepiece features a machined nickel bridge plate construction and 23 luxurious rubies set in gold. Additionally, the watch showcases a patent motor barrel, Breguet hairspring, and micrometer regulator for accurate timekeeping. We have also paired this exemplary antique movement with our supple stout leather strap to finish this one-of-a-kind piece.In October of 1925, the same year the Hamilton Watch Company originally produced this watch, the federal government dedicated the Mount Rushmore National Monument. The original idea for this landmark proposed by historian Doane Robinson was to feature prominent Sioux leaders in the “Needles” area of the Black Hills in South Dakota. After partnering with the sculptor Gutzon Borglum, the subjects were changed to feature American presidents, and the site was relocated to Mt. Rushmore. Construction lasted from 1927 to 1941, and the monument depicts the busts of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and Theodore Roosevelt.
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: Sandblasted Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Nickel Plated
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Hamilton Watch Company
- Serial Number: 3003054
- Manufacture Year: 1925
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 23 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
In October of 1925, the same year the Hamilton Watch Company originally produced this watch, the federal government dedicated the Mount Rushmore National Monument. The original idea for this landmark proposed by historian Doane Robinson was to feature prominent Sioux leaders in the “Needles” area of the Black Hills in South Dakota. After partnering with the sculptor Gutzon Borglum, the subjects were changed to feature American presidents, and the site was relocated to Mt. Rushmore. Construction lasted from 1927 to 1941, and the monument depicts the busts of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and Theodore Roosevelt.
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.
