Watch Description
What makes the Springfield 134 unique:
The Springfield 134 presents a beautifully weathered dial from Illinois Watch Company, where character and geometry meet in a surprisingly playful layout. A lightly patinaed silver surface anchors a bold, stylized font that dances around the dial—each numeral subtly leaning and stretching, creating a sense of motion across time. At the center, an engraved square-within-circle minute track pulls the eye inward, framed by an ornate border and balanced by a sharply defined sub-seconds dial at 6 o’clock. Blued steel diamond/kite-style hands offer a pop of contrast and vintage flair, catching the light with every motion.
Beneath the dial, this piece is powered by a 17-jewel Illinois “Autocrat” movement, originally manufactured in 1922. Known for its reliability and charm, this movement reflects an era of American ingenuity. What truly sets it apart, though, is the striking bridge design—crisp Geneva stripes running diagonally across a series of gracefully sculpted plates, accented with rose-gold script and polished hardware. It’s an intricate, architectural display that rewards a closer look through the exhibition caseback.
The movement is housed in a 45mm machined stainless steel case with an angled bezel and a knurled machined-steel crown. This industrial silhouette is softened by the warmth of a black American-made leather strap, stitched in ivory for a classic finish. Together, the textures create a piece that feels modern yet storied—engineered for longevity and style alike.
In 1922, the U.S. Navy commissioned its first aircraft carrier, the USS Langley, setting the stage for a new era in naval warfare. As American innovation took to the seas, Illinois Watch Company was busy refining its own precision instruments—many of which, like the movement inside this watch, remain a testament to that same spirit of progress.
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.
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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: 55mm
- Lug Width: 22mm
- Case Material: Machined Steel
- Crown/Hardware: Stainless Steel
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Illinois Watch Company
- Serial Number: 4111874
- Manufacture Year: 1922
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes the Springfield 134 unique:
The Springfield 134 presents a beautifully weathered dial from Illinois Watch Company, where character and geometry meet in a surprisingly playful layout. A lightly patinaed silver surface anchors a bold, stylized font that dances around the dial—each numeral subtly leaning and stretching, creating a sense of motion across time. At the center, an engraved square-within-circle minute track pulls the eye inward, framed by an ornate border and balanced by a sharply defined sub-seconds dial at 6 o’clock. Blued steel diamond/kite-style hands offer a pop of contrast and vintage flair, catching the light with every motion.
Beneath the dial, this piece is powered by a 17-jewel Illinois “Autocrat” movement, originally manufactured in 1922. Known for its reliability and charm, this movement reflects an era of American ingenuity. What truly sets it apart, though, is the striking bridge design—crisp Geneva stripes running diagonally across a series of gracefully sculpted plates, accented with rose-gold script and polished hardware. It’s an intricate, architectural display that rewards a closer look through the exhibition caseback.
The movement is housed in a 45mm machined stainless steel case with an angled bezel and a knurled machined-steel crown. This industrial silhouette is softened by the warmth of a black American-made leather strap, stitched in ivory for a classic finish. Together, the textures create a piece that feels modern yet storied—engineered for longevity and style alike.
In 1922, the U.S. Navy commissioned its first aircraft carrier, the USS Langley, setting the stage for a new era in naval warfare. As American innovation took to the seas, Illinois Watch Company was busy refining its own precision instruments—many of which, like the movement inside this watch, remain a testament to that same spirit of progress.
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.
