Watch Description
What makes the Springfield 555 unique: Today, we’re happy to present this distinct and breathtaking watch that was initially released by the Illinois Watch Company — the Springfield 555. This impressive piece of American watch history features a dial with large and bold black numerals and a matching subdial that look especially striking against its cream-colored background. The front of the watch also boasts stunning, blued steel heavy moon watch hands. We matched this splendid antique pocket watch with our Bronzed Titanium case and topped it off with a similarly-colored copper crown, making the final, one-of-a-kind watch even more unique. The rear side of the watch displays a 405-grade open-face movement with a Going barrel and a center bridge plate featuring a breathtaking engraving that reads “The Autocrat.” You can also see the watch’s 17 sumptuous jewels and gold-plated gears through its exhibition back. Finally, we paired this remarkable watch with our comfortable, hand-crafted Black leather watch strap, complementing its gorgeous color palette.The Illinois Watch Company originally manufactured the pocket watch in Springfield, Illinois, in 1918 — the same year that President Woodrow Wilson sailed to Europe for the Paris Peace Conference, making him the first sitting U.S. president to travel to Europe. The Paris Peace Conference — which lasted from 1919 to 1920 — was the meeting in which the Allies set the terms for peace for the Central Powers after the conclusion of World War I. The most significant treaties prepared at the conference were the Treaty of Versailles, the Treaty of Saint-Germain, the Treaty of Neuilly, the Treaty of Trianon, and the Treaty of Sèvres.
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: Copper
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Illinois Watch Company
- Serial Number: 3420527
- Manufacture Year: 1918
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
The Illinois Watch Company originally manufactured the pocket watch in Springfield, Illinois, in 1918 — the same year that President Woodrow Wilson sailed to Europe for the Paris Peace Conference, making him the first sitting U.S. president to travel to Europe. The Paris Peace Conference — which lasted from 1919 to 1920 — was the meeting in which the Allies set the terms for peace for the Central Powers after the conclusion of World War I. The most significant treaties prepared at the conference were the Treaty of Versailles, the Treaty of Saint-Germain, the Treaty of Neuilly, the Treaty of Trianon, and the Treaty of Sèvres.
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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.