Watch Description
The American mechanism inside this watch is not a replica or an "inspired" piece. It was genuinely carried by an individual, 100 years ago, that depended on it. Each time you wear this watch, you will be transported through time, imagining who this individual was and the work they did to help build our country. Simply put, American Artisan Series watches make you feel something when you put them on. At Vortic, we tell customers that owning a watch isn't nearly as important as owning a story. And, this is an opportunity to be a part of a story that is bigger than yourself. You won't be the first to own this watch, and you certainly won't be the last, so make your chapter count.
The American Artisan Series is a line of fully American Made wristwatches powered by restored, U.S. made pocket watch movements. Individuals commonly scrap pocket watch cases for their precious metal, leaving the original mechanism orphaned. This watch contains the original movement (timepiece), dial (face), and hands from a vintage (1880's - 1950's) pocket watch made by Hamilton Watch Company. We call this model "The Lancaster" because the company was located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
What makes the Lancaster 168 unique: We’re delighted to feature this remarkable piece of history that boasts an antique pocket watch originally manufactured by the Hamilton Watch Company in 1925 — the Lancaster 168. This splendid watch features an aged dial with stylized black numerals that look exceptional against its rustic, light-copper-colored background. The front of this piece also displays stunning violet spade & whip watch hands and a useful subdial. We paired this exquisite pocket watch with our robust, glimmering Machined Titanium case and topped it off with a copper crown that complements the dial’s color palette. Our Machined Titanium case features a transparent back, showcasing the pocket watch’s 912-grade open-face movement with a double roller escapement, Reed regulator, and ¾ plate. The back of the piece also features 17 handsome screw-set jewels that compliment the movement’s luxurious-looking gold-plated gears. Finally, we matched this historic, one-of-a-kind watch with our comfortable, American-made Rye leather watch strap, further showcasing the watch’s highly original colors.
The Hamilton Watch Company produced the Lancaster 168’s breathtaking pocket watch in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1925 — the same year that a special session of the Supreme Court of Texas met that featured all female justices. This was the first all-female supreme court in the United States, and it included Hortense Sparks Ward, Hattie Leah Heneberg, and Ruth Virginia Brazzil. The all-female Supreme Court of Texas ruled over the case, Johnson V. Darr. The case was brought forth by the Woodmen of the World — a fraternity that’s known today as WoodmenLife — which claimed that they owned two tracts of land in El Paso. The properties were included in a trust and deeded to F. P. Jones. Jones had creditors who came after the land, leading to the legal dispute. Many lawyers and state officials were members of the Woodmen of the World, including justices Calvin Maples Cureton, Thomas B. Greenwood, and William Pierson. The three justices recused themselves from
The Hamilton Watch Company produced the Lancaster 168’s breathtaking pocket watch in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1925 — the same year that a special session of the Supreme Court of Texas met that featured all female justices. This was the first all-female supreme court in the United States, and it included Hortense Sparks Ward, Hattie Leah Heneberg, and Ruth Virginia Brazzil. The all-female Supreme Court of Texas ruled over the case, Johnson V. Darr. The case was brought forth by the Woodmen of the World — a fraternity that’s known today as WoodmenLife — which claimed that they owned two tracts of land in El Paso. The properties were included in a trust and deeded to F. P. Jones. Jones had creditors who came after the land, leading to the legal dispute. Many lawyers and state officials were members of the Woodmen of the World, including justices Calvin Maples Cureton, Thomas B. Greenwood, and William Pierson. The three justices recused themselves from
Case Style:This case has been CNC milled from a solid block of aerospace grade titanium. The case is intentionally left unpolished so the intricate tool marks made during the milling process remain visible. Titanium is the ultimate material for strength to weight ratio. Titanium has a darker look than steel, and due to its low thermal conductivity, feels warm to the touch. These characteristics create an enduring, highly wearable, distinctive piece.
Movement: The manually wound, antique, pocket watch movement inside this watch has been meticulously restored to as close to original condition as possible. Vortic has an exclusive group of highly experienced watchmakers that specialize in vintage watches. Before its use in a wristwatch, each movement is completely disassembled, cleaned, oiled, and calibrated. Each finished Vortic watch is tested for at least a week before completion.
This watch's movement is serial number 3241407 from the Hamilton Watch Company. 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
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
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Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 46mm
- Height: 12mm
- Lug-to-Lug: 55mm
- Lugs: 22mm
- Case Finish: Machined Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Copper
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Gorilla Glass
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Hamilton Watch Company
- Serial Number: 3241407
- Manufacture Year: 1925
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17j
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes the Lancaster 168 unique: We’re delighted to feature this remarkable piece of history that boasts an antique pocket watch originally manufactured by the Hamilton Watch Company in 1925 — the Lancaster 168. This splendid watch features an aged dial with stylized black numerals that look exceptional against its rustic, light-copper-colored background. The front of this piece also displays stunning violet spade & whip watch hands and a useful subdial. We paired this exquisite pocket watch with our robust, glimmering Machined Titanium case and topped it off with a copper crown that complements the dial’s color palette. Our Machined Titanium case features a transparent back, showcasing the pocket watch’s 912-grade open-face movement with a double roller escapement, Reed regulator, and ¾ plate. The back of the piece also features 17 handsome screw-set jewels that compliment the movement’s luxurious-looking gold-plated gears. Finally, we matched this historic, one-of-a-kind watch with our comfortable, American-made Rye leather watch strap, further showcasing the watch’s highly original colors.
The Hamilton Watch Company produced the Lancaster 168’s breathtaking pocket watch in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1925 — the same year that a special session of the Supreme Court of Texas met that featured all female justices. This was the first all-female supreme court in the United States, and it included Hortense Sparks Ward, Hattie Leah Heneberg, and Ruth Virginia Brazzil. The all-female Supreme Court of Texas ruled over the case, Johnson V. Darr. The case was brought forth by the Woodmen of the World — a fraternity that’s known today as WoodmenLife — which claimed that they owned two tracts of land in El Paso. The properties were included in a trust and deeded to F. P. Jones. Jones had creditors who came after the land, leading to the legal dispute. Many lawyers and state officials were members of the Woodmen of the World, including justices Calvin Maples Cureton, Thomas B. Greenwood, and William Pierson. The three justices recused themselves from
The Hamilton Watch Company produced the Lancaster 168’s breathtaking pocket watch in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1925 — the same year that a special session of the Supreme Court of Texas met that featured all female justices. This was the first all-female supreme court in the United States, and it included Hortense Sparks Ward, Hattie Leah Heneberg, and Ruth Virginia Brazzil. The all-female Supreme Court of Texas ruled over the case, Johnson V. Darr. The case was brought forth by the Woodmen of the World — a fraternity that’s known today as WoodmenLife — which claimed that they owned two tracts of land in El Paso. The properties were included in a trust and deeded to F. P. Jones. Jones had creditors who came after the land, leading to the legal dispute. Many lawyers and state officials were members of the Woodmen of the World, including justices Calvin Maples Cureton, Thomas B. Greenwood, and William Pierson. The three justices recused themselves from
Quality Straps
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.
Mission
Our mission is to preserve and enhance the legacy of manufacturing excellence in America. We believe that this legacy is highly relevant in the world of watch manufacturing because our goal is to marry form and function in a way that makes something beautiful that will last forever. American made pocket watches were of such a high quality and decoration that they evolved into more than just a way to tell time. They became traditional heirlooms to be inherited by future generations as a wedding gift or a coming of age treasure. Each piece tells a lively tale of what U.S. manufacturing meant in the past using an intricate language of decorated bridges, plates, gears, and springs. Today, we are restoring these pieces to their former glory and making them relevant again using the best of modern technology.
American Made
We feel proud and blessed to live in the country, state, and city that we do. However, our motivation to build everything in the United States, and to deal locally whenever possible, is derived from a different source of inspiration. We believe that the close relationships, face-to-face interaction, and tight quality control we achieve while dealing domestically produces a truly superior product. Because of this, we are very transparent about where our components are made as we continue to build our in-house capabilities.
