Watch Description
What Makes The Springfield 179 Unique:
The Springfield 179 is a study in restrained elegance, pairing the dependable engineering of an Illinois pocket watch movement with a dial that reflects the clean, architectural styling of the late 1920s. Manufactured in 1927, this 17-jewel Illinois movement comes from an era when the Springfield-based company was producing watches renowned for their precision, durability, and distinctive design language. Nearly a century later, it continues to showcase the craftsmanship that made Illinois one of America’s premier watch manufacturers.
The original antique white dial immediately draws attention with its crisp Art Deco Arabic numerals and finely textured center medallion. Vertical engine-turning radiates through the central portion of the dial, creating a subtle geometric pattern that shifts beautifully with changing light. A recessed sub-seconds register at 6 o’clock preserves the balanced proportions collectors expect from high-grade Illinois pocket watches, while the blued-steel hands feature an elegant arrow-and-spade design that adds both visual character and exceptional legibility.
Turning the watch over reveals one of the movement’s most desirable features. This Illinois Governor movement carries the coveted Governor designation engraved directly on the bridge, a name reserved for one of the company’s respected higher-grade movement lines. Collectors will appreciate the movement’s open architecture, polished steel winding wheels, gold jewel settings, and the skillfully designed regulator assembly, all of which showcase the thoughtful finishing that defined Illinois production during this period. The clean bridge layout allows much of the gear train and balance assembly to remain visible, offering an unobstructed view of the movement in operation.
The Springfield 179 is housed in Vortic’s 45mm machined 316L stainless steel Springfield case, whose crisp finishing complements the dial’s precise Art Deco geometry. A matching machined stainless steel bezel and crown create a cohesive industrial aesthetic, while the American-made Brown leather strap adds warmth and timeless versatility that pairs naturally with the white dial.
The result is a watch that balances decorative refinement with mechanical honesty. From its textured Art Deco dial and distinctive blued hands to its sought-after Illinois Governor movement, the Springfield 179 preserves a remarkable piece of American watchmaking history while giving it a new life for everyday wear.
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: 4853006
- Manufacture Year: 1927
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What Makes The Springfield 179 Unique:
The Springfield 179 is a study in restrained elegance, pairing the dependable engineering of an Illinois pocket watch movement with a dial that reflects the clean, architectural styling of the late 1920s. Manufactured in 1927, this 17-jewel Illinois movement comes from an era when the Springfield-based company was producing watches renowned for their precision, durability, and distinctive design language. Nearly a century later, it continues to showcase the craftsmanship that made Illinois one of America’s premier watch manufacturers.
The original antique white dial immediately draws attention with its crisp Art Deco Arabic numerals and finely textured center medallion. Vertical engine-turning radiates through the central portion of the dial, creating a subtle geometric pattern that shifts beautifully with changing light. A recessed sub-seconds register at 6 o’clock preserves the balanced proportions collectors expect from high-grade Illinois pocket watches, while the blued-steel hands feature an elegant arrow-and-spade design that adds both visual character and exceptional legibility.
Turning the watch over reveals one of the movement’s most desirable features. This Illinois Governor movement carries the coveted Governor designation engraved directly on the bridge, a name reserved for one of the company’s respected higher-grade movement lines. Collectors will appreciate the movement’s open architecture, polished steel winding wheels, gold jewel settings, and the skillfully designed regulator assembly, all of which showcase the thoughtful finishing that defined Illinois production during this period. The clean bridge layout allows much of the gear train and balance assembly to remain visible, offering an unobstructed view of the movement in operation.
The Springfield 179 is housed in Vortic’s 45mm machined 316L stainless steel Springfield case, whose crisp finishing complements the dial’s precise Art Deco geometry. A matching machined stainless steel bezel and crown create a cohesive industrial aesthetic, while the American-made Brown leather strap adds warmth and timeless versatility that pairs naturally with the white dial.
The result is a watch that balances decorative refinement with mechanical honesty. From its textured Art Deco dial and distinctive blued hands to its sought-after Illinois Governor movement, the Springfield 179 preserves a remarkable piece of American watchmaking history while giving it a new life for everyday wear.
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.
