Watch Description
What makes the Lancaster 165 unique:
The Lancaster 165 showcases a refined interplay between bold texture and elegant symmetry. At the heart of this design is a soft eggshell-toned dial accented with a circle of flared, applied gold numerals—each shaped with dimensional character and polished to catch the light. Triangle and circle-style minute markers trace the perimeter, offering a quiet nod to early field watches. A recessed sub-seconds dial with crisp, railroad-style markings adds precision at 6 o’clock, while solid diamond kite hands in heat-blued steel anchor the dial with sharp contrast and vintage edge.
Inside, this timepiece houses a 17-jewel Hamilton movement manufactured in 1936, preserved in outstanding condition. The open caseback reveals a clean, symmetrical layout, highlighted by deep Geneva stripes, polished jewel settings, and Hamilton’s iconic “Lancaster, PA” engraving—an enduring reminder of the company’s American roots.
We encased this movement in a PVD-zircon gold titanium case with a matching smooth bezel, pairing vintage luxury with modern durability. The vertically grooved crown is gold-plated for a final flourish of elegance. A camel-toned American-made leather strap completes the package, bringing warmth and wearability to a watch rich in contrast and historical detail.
In 1936, Hamilton Watch Company made headlines as the official supplier of timepieces for the U.S. military, producing highly accurate marine chronometers and field watches as war loomed on the horizon. That same year, Hamilton also celebrated its legacy of precision by timing the premiere of Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times in New York City—a fitting nod to both industrial innovation and cinematic history.
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
- Model Year: 2025
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 45mm
- Thickness: 12mm
- Lug to Lug: 50mm
- Lug Width: 22mm
- Case Material: PVD-Zircon Gold
- Crown/Hardware: Titanium
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Hamilton Watch Company
- Serial Number: 3444233
- Manufacture Year: 1936
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes the Lancaster 165 unique:
The Lancaster 165 showcases a refined interplay between bold texture and elegant symmetry. At the heart of this design is a soft eggshell-toned dial accented with a circle of flared, applied gold numerals—each shaped with dimensional character and polished to catch the light. Triangle and circle-style minute markers trace the perimeter, offering a quiet nod to early field watches. A recessed sub-seconds dial with crisp, railroad-style markings adds precision at 6 o’clock, while solid diamond kite hands in heat-blued steel anchor the dial with sharp contrast and vintage edge.
Inside, this timepiece houses a 17-jewel Hamilton movement manufactured in 1936, preserved in outstanding condition. The open caseback reveals a clean, symmetrical layout, highlighted by deep Geneva stripes, polished jewel settings, and Hamilton’s iconic “Lancaster, PA” engraving—an enduring reminder of the company’s American roots.
We encased this movement in a PVD-zircon gold titanium case with a matching smooth bezel, pairing vintage luxury with modern durability. The vertically grooved crown is gold-plated for a final flourish of elegance. A camel-toned American-made leather strap completes the package, bringing warmth and wearability to a watch rich in contrast and historical detail.
In 1936, Hamilton Watch Company made headlines as the official supplier of timepieces for the U.S. military, producing highly accurate marine chronometers and field watches as war loomed on the horizon. That same year, Hamilton also celebrated its legacy of precision by timing the premiere of Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times in New York City—a fitting nod to both industrial innovation and cinematic history.
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.
