Watch Description
What Makes The Springfield 168 Unique:
The Springfield 168 is defined by clarity and restraint, built around a dial that feels balanced and quietly confident in its simplicity. The surface presents a soft, even tone with only the slightest signs of age, giving the dial a clean appearance while still retaining its original character. Bold black Arabic numerals are evenly spaced and sharply printed, creating a strong sense of legibility without overpowering the design. A finely detailed minute track frames the outer edge, reinforcing the watch’s precision-driven layout. At 6 o’clock, a recessed sub-seconds register adds depth and symmetry, its crisp inner markings offering a subtle point of contrast against the otherwise open dial. Blued-steel hands move across the surface with a smooth, reflective tone, their slender form contributing to the watch’s overall sense of refinement.
Inside, this watch is powered by a 17-jewel Illinois movement manufactured in 1920. Through the open caseback, the movement reveals a layered arrangement of striped bridges, polished steel components, and gold-toned gears that create a balanced mechanical composition. Subtle engraving across the bridges adds texture without excess, while the exposed balance assembly provides a steady visual rhythm as the watch runs. Illinois movements from this period were known for their reliability and thoughtful construction, reflecting a time when American watchmaking was focused on producing dependable, well-finished timepieces for everyday use.
The watch is housed in our Version 3 stainless steel case, finished with a clean machined texture that introduces a subtle linear grain across the surface. This finish gives the case a more structured, architectural presence, complementing the dial’s clarity without competing for attention. A matching machined stainless steel bezel frames the dial with restraint, maintaining a cohesive and understated look. The titanium crown offers a slight contrast in tone and a confident, tactile grip when winding. The movement has been reoriented within the case, placing the crown at 3 o’clock for a natural wristwatch experience compared to its original pocket watch configuration. The watch is paired with a tobacco leather strap, whose warm, earthy tone grounds the piece and adds a subtle richness to the otherwise neutral palette.
In 1920, American watchmaking was entering a period of steady refinement, with companies like Illinois producing movements that balanced durability, precision, and accessibility. These were watches built to be used daily, designed with a focus on consistency and long-term reliability. The Springfield 168 reflects that mindset, preserving a movement from an era when dependable timekeeping was becoming a standard expectation rather than a specialized luxury.
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 Diameter: 45mm
- 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: 3690776
- Manufacture Year: 1920
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What Makes The Springfield 168 Unique:
The Springfield 168 is defined by clarity and restraint, built around a dial that feels balanced and quietly confident in its simplicity. The surface presents a soft, even tone with only the slightest signs of age, giving the dial a clean appearance while still retaining its original character. Bold black Arabic numerals are evenly spaced and sharply printed, creating a strong sense of legibility without overpowering the design. A finely detailed minute track frames the outer edge, reinforcing the watch’s precision-driven layout. At 6 o’clock, a recessed sub-seconds register adds depth and symmetry, its crisp inner markings offering a subtle point of contrast against the otherwise open dial. Blued-steel hands move across the surface with a smooth, reflective tone, their slender form contributing to the watch’s overall sense of refinement.
Inside, this watch is powered by a 17-jewel Illinois movement manufactured in 1920. Through the open caseback, the movement reveals a layered arrangement of striped bridges, polished steel components, and gold-toned gears that create a balanced mechanical composition. Subtle engraving across the bridges adds texture without excess, while the exposed balance assembly provides a steady visual rhythm as the watch runs. Illinois movements from this period were known for their reliability and thoughtful construction, reflecting a time when American watchmaking was focused on producing dependable, well-finished timepieces for everyday use.
The watch is housed in our Version 3 stainless steel case, finished with a clean machined texture that introduces a subtle linear grain across the surface. This finish gives the case a more structured, architectural presence, complementing the dial’s clarity without competing for attention. A matching machined stainless steel bezel frames the dial with restraint, maintaining a cohesive and understated look. The titanium crown offers a slight contrast in tone and a confident, tactile grip when winding. The movement has been reoriented within the case, placing the crown at 3 o’clock for a natural wristwatch experience compared to its original pocket watch configuration. The watch is paired with a tobacco leather strap, whose warm, earthy tone grounds the piece and adds a subtle richness to the otherwise neutral palette.
In 1920, American watchmaking was entering a period of steady refinement, with companies like Illinois producing movements that balanced durability, precision, and accessibility. These were watches built to be used daily, designed with a focus on consistency and long-term reliability. The Springfield 168 reflects that mindset, preserving a movement from an era when dependable timekeeping was becoming a standard expectation rather than a specialized luxury.
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.
