Watch Description
What makes the Springfield 118 unique:
The dial of this Springfield 118 is a timeless representation of early American watchmaking, featuring a classic cream background with bold, stylized numerals that exhibit the signature charm of Illinois Watch Company designs. The spade and whip hands, now strikingly blued, contrast beautifully against the aged dial, while the traditional sub-seconds dial at six o’clock adds to the watch’s historical character. A simple yet refined outer minute track ensures precision in timekeeping.
Beneath the dial, an original Illinois Watch Company movement powers this exceptional piece. This 17-jewel movement is adorned with intricate Geneva stripes, polished screws, and gold-plated gears, exemplifying the high-quality finishing of early 20th-century American horology. The movement bridge proudly bears “The Autocrat” inscription—Illinois’ designation for a premium-grade timepiece known for its durability and accuracy.
Encasing this meticulously restored movement is our finely machined titanium case, offering strength without excess weight. Unlike traditional polished designs, this case features a brushed finish, enhancing its understated elegance. The watch is paired with a hand-stitched, American-made leather strap in deep navy blue, adding a bold yet sophisticated touch.
This movement was originally manufactured in 1923, a year of cultural transformation in America. That same year, the iconic Hollywood sign was first erected in California, symbolizing the meteoric rise of the film industry. As Hollywood laid the foundation for modern cinema, Illinois Watch Company was crafting some of the finest pocket watches of the era—timepieces that we proudly preserve today.
Movement Manufacturer Information
The movement inside of this watch was made by Illinois Watch Company. We call this model "The Springfield" because the company was located in Springfield, Illinois.
Originally called the Springfield Watch Company, Illinois came to Springfield, Illinois in 1869 while the "modern" watch industry was fairly new but highly promising. City officials felt that the addition of industry to the city of Springfield would be excellent for the city's growth. However, after a series of failures and re-brandings, the company had a slow start until 1903 when they decided to manufacture high-quality watches only. Eventually making some of the most beautiful watches of their time, the company sold to Hamilton in 1927. Hamilton continued producing watches under the Illinois name for some time, but the original Springfield factory no longer stands.
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
- Model Year: 2025
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 45mm
- Thickness: 12mm
- Lug to Lug: 55mm
- Lug Width: 22mm
- Case Material: Machined Stainless Steel
- Crown/Hardware: Stainless Steel
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Illinois Watch Company
- Serial Number: 4551726
- Manufacture Year: 1925
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes the Springfield 118 unique:
The dial of this Springfield 118 is a timeless representation of early American watchmaking, featuring a classic cream background with bold, stylized numerals that exhibit the signature charm of Illinois Watch Company designs. The spade and whip hands, now strikingly blued, contrast beautifully against the aged dial, while the traditional sub-seconds dial at six o’clock adds to the watch’s historical character. A simple yet refined outer minute track ensures precision in timekeeping.
Beneath the dial, an original Illinois Watch Company movement powers this exceptional piece. This 17-jewel movement is adorned with intricate Geneva stripes, polished screws, and gold-plated gears, exemplifying the high-quality finishing of early 20th-century American horology. The movement bridge proudly bears “The Autocrat” inscription—Illinois’ designation for a premium-grade timepiece known for its durability and accuracy.
Encasing this meticulously restored movement is our finely machined titanium case, offering strength without excess weight. Unlike traditional polished designs, this case features a brushed finish, enhancing its understated elegance. The watch is paired with a hand-stitched, American-made leather strap in deep navy blue, adding a bold yet sophisticated touch.
This movement was originally manufactured in 1923, a year of cultural transformation in America. That same year, the iconic Hollywood sign was first erected in California, symbolizing the meteoric rise of the film industry. As Hollywood laid the foundation for modern cinema, Illinois Watch Company was crafting some of the finest pocket watches of the era—timepieces that we proudly preserve today.
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.
