Watch Description
What makes the Springfield 439 unique: We are just too excited about how this watch came out, we are really feeling the blue on this one! We would love to introduce you to our Springfield 439, a magnificent timepiece from the Illinois Watch Company. We knew right away when we saw this dial that dark navy straps and bold blued steel hands to match would be a truly stunning combination. The accents on the inside of the dial pull you in for a closer look, pointing out all the fantastic age marks and wear and tear that has occurred over the years. We love to preserve the watches to the state that we get them in, and emphasize their age as a point of pride. This watch was manufactured in Springfield, Illinois in 1920 and still lives proudly over 100 years later. As you turn the watch over, a wonderfully subtle patina continues the vintage feel of this watch, showcasing some of the finer details of the Geneva lines that have been carefully machined across the build plates. 17 screw set jewels and stainless steel hardware throughout help emphasize some of the discolorations that carries throughout. Rose-gold gears show from beneath, while this brass balance wheel with double-roller escapement keeps everything running smoothly. This is the first year that the United States began to keep track of a national census. The system wasn’t perfect at first but came in with a population of just over 100 million people at this time.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
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 47mm
- Thickness: 12mm
- Lug to Lug: 55mm
- Lug Width: 22mm
- Case Material: Machined Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Copper
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Illinois Watch Company
- Serial Number: 3734674
- Manufacture Year: 1920
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
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.
