Watch Description
What makes the Springfield 160 unique:
The Springfield 160 carries a quiet warmth that immediately sets it apart. Its softly aged dial shows a gentle, even patina that brings out the character of the original surface without obscuring its clarity. Applied Arabic numerals rise cleanly from the dial, their warm tone shifting subtly as light moves across them. At center, we preserved the original clover-style hands, whose rounded tips and delicate cutouts add a touch of elegance that feels both ornamental and purposeful. A recessed sub-seconds dial at 6 o’clock introduces depth and balance, its fine markings reinforcing the watch’s measured, composed aesthetic.
Inside, this watch is powered by a 17-jewel Illinois movement manufactured in 1923. Through the open caseback, the movement reveals finely executed bridgework with polished steel surfaces and gold-toned gears that catch the light as the watch moves. The layout and finishing reflect the careful engineering that defined Illinois production in the early twentieth century, where reliability and visual refinement were treated as complementary qualities rather than competing priorities.
We housed this movement in a sandblasted steel Version 3 case, whose matte finish gives the watch a grounded, understated presence on the wrist. A bronze coin-edge bezel introduces warmth and texture, pairing naturally with the knurled bronze crown, which offers a secure grip and reinforces the tactile, mechanical nature of the piece. The watch is finished with a cognac-toned leather strap, chosen to complement the bronze accents and enhance the Springfield 160’s cohesive, earth-toned palette.
In 1923, the year this Illinois movement was produced, American manufacturing continued its rapid evolution toward greater efficiency and standardization, while still relying heavily on skilled hands for precision work. Watchmakers were refining processes without sacrificing craftsmanship, producing movements that were both dependable instruments and carefully finished machines. The Springfield 160 reflects that balance — a watch shaped by an era when progress and tradition existed side by side, now preserved on the wrist as a lasting piece of American watchmaking history.
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: 1923
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Diameter: 45mm
- Case Material: Sandblasted Steel
- Crown/Hardware: Stainless Steel
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: 22mm Cognac - Hadley Roma
Movement
- Manufacturer: Illinois Watch Company
- Serial Number: 4273786
- Manufacture Year: 1923
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes the Springfield 160 unique:
The Springfield 160 carries a quiet warmth that immediately sets it apart. Its softly aged dial shows a gentle, even patina that brings out the character of the original surface without obscuring its clarity. Applied Arabic numerals rise cleanly from the dial, their warm tone shifting subtly as light moves across them. At center, we preserved the original clover-style hands, whose rounded tips and delicate cutouts add a touch of elegance that feels both ornamental and purposeful. A recessed sub-seconds dial at 6 o’clock introduces depth and balance, its fine markings reinforcing the watch’s measured, composed aesthetic.
Inside, this watch is powered by a 17-jewel Illinois movement manufactured in 1923. Through the open caseback, the movement reveals finely executed bridgework with polished steel surfaces and gold-toned gears that catch the light as the watch moves. The layout and finishing reflect the careful engineering that defined Illinois production in the early twentieth century, where reliability and visual refinement were treated as complementary qualities rather than competing priorities.
We housed this movement in a sandblasted steel Version 3 case, whose matte finish gives the watch a grounded, understated presence on the wrist. A bronze coin-edge bezel introduces warmth and texture, pairing naturally with the knurled bronze crown, which offers a secure grip and reinforces the tactile, mechanical nature of the piece. The watch is finished with a cognac-toned leather strap, chosen to complement the bronze accents and enhance the Springfield 160’s cohesive, earth-toned palette.
In 1923, the year this Illinois movement was produced, American manufacturing continued its rapid evolution toward greater efficiency and standardization, while still relying heavily on skilled hands for precision work. Watchmakers were refining processes without sacrificing craftsmanship, producing movements that were both dependable instruments and carefully finished machines. The Springfield 160 reflects that balance — a watch shaped by an era when progress and tradition existed side by side, now preserved on the wrist as a lasting piece of American watchmaking history.
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.
