Watch Description
What makes the Springfield 136 unique:
The Springfield 136 showcases a tonal harmony rarely seen in early American timepieces. A richly patinaed gold dial sets the stage, paired seamlessly with a matching bronze scalloped bezel for a warm, cohesive aesthetic. Speckled texturing throughout the dial enhances its antique charm, while the bold, black numeral style remains crisp and readable—surrounded by a railroad-style minute track and balanced by a recessed sub-seconds dial at 6 o’clock. The composition is completed by heat-blued heavy moon-style hands that arc dramatically above the surface, catching the light with every motion.
Inside, this piece is powered by a 19-jewel Illinois movement originally manufactured in 1920. Its open-face configuration is proudly visible through the caseback, revealing sharply defined Geneva stripes and intricate mechanical detailing throughout. Gold-toned jewel cups, precise engravings, and layered bridges speak to the quality of the era—and the care taken in its restoration.
This watch is housed in a machined stainless steel case with a scalloped bronze bezel that draws the eye and reinforces the watch’s all-gold tone. The crown features a vertically grooved texture for ease of use and stylistic balance. Paired with a warm cognac leather strap, the overall design is unified, sophisticated, and ready to stand the test of time once again.
In 1920—the same year this movement was made—the American watch industry was experiencing a postwar boom. The Illinois Watch Company, like many others, was shifting production away from military contracts and back toward fine consumer timepieces. That year also marked the introduction of the U.S. Mail’s first transcontinental air service, reducing coast-to-coast delivery times from weeks to just days—a reminder of the era’s rapid progress in precision and connectivity.
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: 3763071
- Manufacture Year: 1920
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 19 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes the Springfield 136 unique:
The Springfield 136 showcases a tonal harmony rarely seen in early American timepieces. A richly patinaed gold dial sets the stage, paired seamlessly with a matching bronze scalloped bezel for a warm, cohesive aesthetic. Speckled texturing throughout the dial enhances its antique charm, while the bold, black numeral style remains crisp and readable—surrounded by a railroad-style minute track and balanced by a recessed sub-seconds dial at 6 o’clock. The composition is completed by heat-blued heavy moon-style hands that arc dramatically above the surface, catching the light with every motion.
Inside, this piece is powered by a 19-jewel Illinois movement originally manufactured in 1920. Its open-face configuration is proudly visible through the caseback, revealing sharply defined Geneva stripes and intricate mechanical detailing throughout. Gold-toned jewel cups, precise engravings, and layered bridges speak to the quality of the era—and the care taken in its restoration.
This watch is housed in a machined stainless steel case with a scalloped bronze bezel that draws the eye and reinforces the watch’s all-gold tone. The crown features a vertically grooved texture for ease of use and stylistic balance. Paired with a warm cognac leather strap, the overall design is unified, sophisticated, and ready to stand the test of time once again.
In 1920—the same year this movement was made—the American watch industry was experiencing a postwar boom. The Illinois Watch Company, like many others, was shifting production away from military contracts and back toward fine consumer timepieces. That year also marked the introduction of the U.S. Mail’s first transcontinental air service, reducing coast-to-coast delivery times from weeks to just days—a reminder of the era’s rapid progress in precision and connectivity.
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.
