Watch Description
What makes the Lancaster 178 unique: Today, we’re pleased to present to you this incredibly unique piece of watch history that was initially released by the Hamilton Watch Company — the Lancaster 178. The front of this piece displays an astonishingly rare and distinct dial with breathtaking gold-colored Roman numerals that look especially breathtaking against its aged brown background. Its numerals also feature an unusual style that reveals the original pocket watch case’s octagonal shape. Finally, the face of this remarkable watch features a matching subdial with Roman numerals and blued-steel solid diamond kite watch hands. We encased this antique pocket watch within our robust and luxurious Gilded Titanium case and topped it off with a gold-plated crown, complementing the dial’s unforgettable numerals. Our Gilded Titanium case boasts a transparent back, enabling you to see its 918-grade open-face movement with a Breguet hairspring, Micrometer regulator, nickel finish, pendant setting, and a ¾ plate. The piece continues displaying sumptuous details on its rear side with 19 screw-set ruby jewels with gold settings and gold-plated gears. To top it off, we matched this one-of-a-kind watch with our artisan-designed Natural leather watch strap.
The Hamilton Watch Company originally manufactured this memorable pocket watch in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1929 — the same year that the Grand Teton National Park opened in northwestern Wyoming, just 10 miles south of Yellowstone National Park, and the park’s original human inhabitants were likely Paleo-Indians who migrated into the area over 11,000 years ago. The first American explorer to discover the region was John Colter, one of the members of the Lewis and Clark expedition of the early 19th century; the inhabitants at that time were members of the Shoshone tribe. The Grand Teton National Park is around 310,000 acres and includes parts of the Teton mountain range as well as some of the northern parts of the Jackson Hole valley.
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: Machined Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Gold Plated
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Hamilton Watch Company
- Serial Number: 3138145
- Manufacture Year: 1929
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 19 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
The Hamilton Watch Company originally manufactured this memorable pocket watch in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1929 — the same year that the Grand Teton National Park opened in northwestern Wyoming, just 10 miles south of Yellowstone National Park, and the park’s original human inhabitants were likely Paleo-Indians who migrated into the area over 11,000 years ago. The first American explorer to discover the region was John Colter, one of the members of the Lewis and Clark expedition of the early 19th century; the inhabitants at that time were members of the Shoshone tribe. The Grand Teton National Park is around 310,000 acres and includes parts of the Teton mountain range as well as some of the northern parts of the Jackson Hole valley.
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.
