Watch Description
What makes the springfield 483 unique: Today we are pleased to present the absolutely stunning Springfield 483 from the Illinois Watch Company. One of the most rewarding aspects of restoring antique pocket watches is to discover old pieces such as this that have such an incredible visual story that truly shows their age. The dark patterns of wear that come through on this dial will beg you to lean in for a closer look and ponder the journey this watch has taken over the years. We kept the dark motif by casing this watch in our black DLC titanium, as well as a black cordovan strap. Gold hardware throughout brings the extra attention to the small details and really sets this watch over the top. As if that wasn't enough to entice you, we turn this watch over to reveal the movement within and are taken aback by this gorgeous 21 jewel display within this Illinois 274. All the jewels have been screw-set with brass hardware throughout, pairing well with the brass balance wheel and gold-plated gears beneath. We love this uniquely shaped build plate that accentuates the many curves and patterns that have been machined onto it. This watch was originally produced in 1926 in Springfield, Illinois by the Illinois Watch Company. In August of this same year, the very first weather map was televised, from the NAA Arlington to the Weather Bureau office in Washington, D.C.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
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Dimensions:
- Diameter: 47mm
- Thickness: 12mm
- Lug to Lug: 55mm
- Lug Width: 22mm
- Case Material: DLC Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Gold Plated
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Illinois Watch Company
- Serial Number: 4740790
- Manufacture Year: 1926
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 21 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.
