Watch Description
What makes the Springfield 440 unique: For today’s Watch of the Day we present this wonderful timepiece from the Illinois Watch Company, our Springfield 440. We love the soft feel of this design, with our sandblasted case and stone strap, paired with a nickel-plated crown. The contrast of these bold numerals works really well with such a unique squared-off shape and dark tones against this aged dial. The gothic hands bring even more interest and draw you in to notice the intricate design work throughout the face. As we turn this watch over to reveal the movement inside, we are immediately drawn to the Autocrat insignia in the center of the bridge plate. We are always amazed by the craftsmanship of these old movements and what they were able to accomplish, such as this radial pattern that spreads all throughout the build plate surfaces. 17 screw set jewels and stainless steel hardware bring even more visual interest, while this brass balance wheel and rose gold gears beneath keep everything running smoothly. This watch was originally manufactured in Springfield, Illinois in 1923 by the Illinois Watch Company. This is also the same year that the very first issue of Time Magazine was published. The issue was published in March and featured the Speaker of the House at that time, Joseph G. Cannon.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: Sandblasted Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Nickel Plated
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Illinois Watch Company
- Serial Number: 4194791
- Manufacture Year: 1923
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
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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.
