Watch Description
What makes the Springfield 225 unique:
The Springfield 225 presents a quietly intricate dial that rewards close inspection. At first glance, the warm silver-toned surface appears smooth, but as light moves across it, a subtle, almost-pinstripe embossing emerges—fine enough to feel intentional rather than decorative. Calligraphy-style Arabic numerals curve gracefully around the dial, their hand-drawn character giving the watch an expressive, human quality. Square minute markers anchor the layout with structure, while the unconventional secometer at 6 o’clock replaces a traditional sub-seconds register, offering a functional scale that adds both visual depth and historical charm. We preserved the original gothic-style hands, whose elongated forms and pointed tips feel perfectly suited to the dial’s early-20th-century design language.
Inside, the Springfield 225 is powered by a 17-jewel Illinois movement manufactured in 1925. Through the open caseback, the movement reveals finely executed pinstripe engravings that mirror the subtle texture of the dial above—a rare and satisfying visual continuity between face and mechanism. Polished steel bridges, gold-toned gears, and carefully finished components reflect the precision and pride that defined Illinois Watch Company production during this period, when aesthetic refinement and mechanical reliability were treated as equally important.
We housed this movement in a black DLC-coated titanium case that provides a striking modern counterpoint to the antique components within. The matte black finish visually recedes, allowing the dial to command attention, while also offering exceptional durability for everyday wear. A smooth black DLC bezel keeps the profile clean and understated, and a vertically grooved crown adds tactile contrast without distracting from the overall silhouette. The watch is finished with an American-made black leather strap with light stitching, chosen to complement the monochrome palette and reinforce the Springfield 225’s restrained, cohesive aesthetic.
In 1925, the same year this Illinois movement was produced, American manufacturing reached a pivotal moment as factories increasingly adopted electrified assembly lines, dramatically improving consistency and efficiency across industries. Watch companies like Illinois benefited directly from these advances, using improved tooling and power-driven machinery to elevate finishing standards while maintaining precise tolerances. The Springfield 225 reflects that moment in time—a watch born at the intersection of hand craftsmanship and industrial progress, now preserved on the wrist as a living piece of American horological 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: 2025
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 45mm
- Thickness: 12mm
- Lug to Lug: 55mm
- Lug Width: 22mm
- Case Material: DLC Black Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Nickel Plated
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Illinois Watch Company
- Serial Number: 4608073
- Manufacture Year: 1925
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes the Springfield 225 unique:
The Springfield 225 presents a quietly intricate dial that rewards close inspection. At first glance, the warm silver-toned surface appears smooth, but as light moves across it, a subtle, almost-pinstripe embossing emerges—fine enough to feel intentional rather than decorative. Calligraphy-style Arabic numerals curve gracefully around the dial, their hand-drawn character giving the watch an expressive, human quality. Square minute markers anchor the layout with structure, while the unconventional secometer at 6 o’clock replaces a traditional sub-seconds register, offering a functional scale that adds both visual depth and historical charm. We preserved the original gothic-style hands, whose elongated forms and pointed tips feel perfectly suited to the dial’s early-20th-century design language.
Inside, the Springfield 225 is powered by a 17-jewel Illinois movement manufactured in 1925. Through the open caseback, the movement reveals finely executed pinstripe engravings that mirror the subtle texture of the dial above—a rare and satisfying visual continuity between face and mechanism. Polished steel bridges, gold-toned gears, and carefully finished components reflect the precision and pride that defined Illinois Watch Company production during this period, when aesthetic refinement and mechanical reliability were treated as equally important.
We housed this movement in a black DLC-coated titanium case that provides a striking modern counterpoint to the antique components within. The matte black finish visually recedes, allowing the dial to command attention, while also offering exceptional durability for everyday wear. A smooth black DLC bezel keeps the profile clean and understated, and a vertically grooved crown adds tactile contrast without distracting from the overall silhouette. The watch is finished with an American-made black leather strap with light stitching, chosen to complement the monochrome palette and reinforce the Springfield 225’s restrained, cohesive aesthetic.
In 1925, the same year this Illinois movement was produced, American manufacturing reached a pivotal moment as factories increasingly adopted electrified assembly lines, dramatically improving consistency and efficiency across industries. Watch companies like Illinois benefited directly from these advances, using improved tooling and power-driven machinery to elevate finishing standards while maintaining precise tolerances. The Springfield 225 reflects that moment in time—a watch born at the intersection of hand craftsmanship and industrial progress, now preserved on the wrist as a living piece of American horological 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.
