Watch Description
What Makes The Springfield 188 Unique:
The Springfield 188 is a remarkable example of Illinois Watch Company's pursuit of both technical excellence and artistic craftsmanship during the early 1920s. Built around a 19-jewel Illinois movement manufactured in 1923, this watch comes from the final years before the company was acquired by Hamilton, when Illinois was producing some of its finest movements. While the movement itself is exceptional, it is the dial's dramatic engine-turned finish and the movement's unusual "Meritime" designation that make this piece especially captivating to collectors.
The first detail that draws the eye is the spectacular gilt dial, whose radiant basket-weave engine turning fans outward from the center in a mesmerizing geometric pattern. As light moves across its surface, the intricate machining creates a remarkable sense of depth and motion rarely seen on surviving dials of this era. Bold black Art Deco Arabic numerals provide sharp contrast against the warm gold finish, while elegant diamond hands, finished in heat-blued steel, reinforce the watch's refined period styling. At six o'clock, the recessed sub-seconds register features a circular brushed finish that subtly distinguishes it from the surrounding guilloché, adding yet another layer of visual complexity. Honest speckled patina across the dial reminds the wearer that this remarkable piece has been quietly marking time for more than a century.
Turning the watch over reveals one of the most visually striking Illinois movements you'll encounter. The 19-jewel movement features beautifully executed damaskeening that flows across the bridges in sweeping wave-like patterns, complemented by polished steel winding wheels, gold jewel settings, and an exposed balance wheel beneath the sapphire exhibition caseback. Most intriguing is the engraved "Meritime" designation spanning the barrel bridge. Unlike Illinois' famous railroad grades such as the Bunn Special or Sangamo Special, the Meritime appears to have been a specialty trade designation used on a relatively small number of high-grade Illinois movements produced during the early 1920s. Surviving examples are notably scarce, making the Meritime inscription a fascinating point of interest for collectors who appreciate uncommon Illinois variants and factory designations.
The movement is housed inside Vortic's 45mm Springfield case, machined from solid tumbled bronze. The bronze case and matching machined bronze crown beautifully complement the dial's rich golden tones while allowing the deep blue diamond hands to remain a striking focal point. Over time, the bronze case will develop a deeper natural patina, ensuring that the Springfield 188 continues to evolve alongside its owner. Completing the watch is an American-made 22mm oxblood cordovan leather strap that enhances its warm vintage character.
With its brilliantly executed engine-turned dial, uncommon Meritime-marked 19-jewel movement, richly finished bronze case, and unmistakable Art Deco styling, the Springfield 188 is a watch that rewards close inspection. It represents not only the technical skill of Illinois Watch Company at the height of its craftsmanship, but also the individuality that makes American pocket watch conversions so endlessly fascinating to collectors.
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: Tumbled Bronze
- Crown/Hardware: Bronze
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Front: Domed Sapphire Back: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: 22mm Oxford Cordovan Leather Strap with Bronze Buckle
Movement
- Manufacturer: Illinois Watch Company
- Serial Number: 4487928
- Manufacture Year: 1923
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 19 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What Makes The Springfield 188 Unique:
The Springfield 188 is a remarkable example of Illinois Watch Company's pursuit of both technical excellence and artistic craftsmanship during the early 1920s. Built around a 19-jewel Illinois movement manufactured in 1923, this watch comes from the final years before the company was acquired by Hamilton, when Illinois was producing some of its finest movements. While the movement itself is exceptional, it is the dial's dramatic engine-turned finish and the movement's unusual "Meritime" designation that make this piece especially captivating to collectors.
The first detail that draws the eye is the spectacular gilt dial, whose radiant basket-weave engine turning fans outward from the center in a mesmerizing geometric pattern. As light moves across its surface, the intricate machining creates a remarkable sense of depth and motion rarely seen on surviving dials of this era. Bold black Art Deco Arabic numerals provide sharp contrast against the warm gold finish, while elegant diamond hands, finished in heat-blued steel, reinforce the watch's refined period styling. At six o'clock, the recessed sub-seconds register features a circular brushed finish that subtly distinguishes it from the surrounding guilloché, adding yet another layer of visual complexity. Honest speckled patina across the dial reminds the wearer that this remarkable piece has been quietly marking time for more than a century.
Turning the watch over reveals one of the most visually striking Illinois movements you'll encounter. The 19-jewel movement features beautifully executed damaskeening that flows across the bridges in sweeping wave-like patterns, complemented by polished steel winding wheels, gold jewel settings, and an exposed balance wheel beneath the sapphire exhibition caseback. Most intriguing is the engraved "Meritime" designation spanning the barrel bridge. Unlike Illinois' famous railroad grades such as the Bunn Special or Sangamo Special, the Meritime appears to have been a specialty trade designation used on a relatively small number of high-grade Illinois movements produced during the early 1920s. Surviving examples are notably scarce, making the Meritime inscription a fascinating point of interest for collectors who appreciate uncommon Illinois variants and factory designations.
The movement is housed inside Vortic's 45mm Springfield case, machined from solid tumbled bronze. The bronze case and matching machined bronze crown beautifully complement the dial's rich golden tones while allowing the deep blue diamond hands to remain a striking focal point. Over time, the bronze case will develop a deeper natural patina, ensuring that the Springfield 188 continues to evolve alongside its owner. Completing the watch is an American-made 22mm oxblood cordovan leather strap that enhances its warm vintage character.
With its brilliantly executed engine-turned dial, uncommon Meritime-marked 19-jewel movement, richly finished bronze case, and unmistakable Art Deco styling, the Springfield 188 is a watch that rewards close inspection. It represents not only the technical skill of Illinois Watch Company at the height of its craftsmanship, but also the individuality that makes American pocket watch conversions so endlessly fascinating to collectors.
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.
