Watch Description
What makes the Springfield 550 unique: We’re pleased to present this sophisticated and distinct watch that was initially released by the Illinois Watch Company nearly a century ago — the Springfield 550. This breathtaking watch features a pristine, white dial along with uniquely-stylized black hour numerals and red minute numerals. We typically expect to see these Gothic-style numerals and look reserved for Sangamo Railroad watches, this dial appears to be a nod to the larger version of this watch. The watch’s face also features blued-steel diamond kite watch hands and a helpful subdial. We matched this antique pocket watch with our Sandblasted Titanium case and a nickel-plated crown to complement the dial’s polished style. On the back of the watch, you can see its original 406-grade open-face movement with a center bridge plate, going barrel, pendant setting, and nickel finish. This exquisite piece also boasts 19 jewels and beautiful gold-plated gears. Finally, we equipped this one-of-a-kind watch with our artisan-designed Stone leather watch strap, making it even more remarkable.The Illinois Watch Company initially produced the Springfield 550’s pocket watch in Springfield, Illinois, in 1923 — the same year that Dr. K. Winfield Ney performed what’s believed to be the first brain tumor operation with a local anesthetic. Ney and his surgical team removed a four inch by two inch benign tumor from Henry A. Brown. The tumor was ¾ inch thick. Ney used cocaine as the anesthetic, and Brown was conscious through the entire procedure. Brown likely wouldn’t have survived the operation if he had been under a general anesthetic, and, fortunately, he was able to recover after his surgery fully.
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: 4169056
- Manufacture Year: 1923
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 19 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
The Illinois Watch Company initially produced the Springfield 550’s pocket watch in Springfield, Illinois, in 1923 — the same year that Dr. K. Winfield Ney performed what’s believed to be the first brain tumor operation with a local anesthetic. Ney and his surgical team removed a four inch by two inch benign tumor from Henry A. Brown. The tumor was ¾ inch thick. Ney used cocaine as the anesthetic, and Brown was conscious through the entire procedure. Brown likely wouldn’t have survived the operation if he had been under a general anesthetic, and, fortunately, he was able to recover after his surgery fully.
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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.
