Watch Description
What makes the Springfield 569 unique: We’re pleased to present to you this elegant watch that was initially produced by the Illinois Watch Company in 1917 — the Springfield 569. This watch features a breathtaking dial with stylish black numerals and blued steel diamond kite watch hands that look absolutely stunning against its pristine white background. The front of this piece also features a distinct subdial and an “Illinois” inscription. We encased this unforgettable pocket watch within our Machined Titanium case and topped it off with an eye-catching copper crown. On the watch's rear side, you can view its 404-grade open-face movement with a Going barrel, nickel finish, and pendant setting. The movement also displays 17 fabulous jewels throughout its center bridge plate as well as sophisticated gold-plated gears. We made this impressive antique wearable with our comfortable, hand-crafted Black leather watch strap, making this one-of-a-kind product even more special.The Illinois Watch Company originally manufactured the pocket watch in Springfield, Illinois, in 1917 — the same year that the Seattle Metropolitans became the first American ice hockey team to win the Stanley Cup. The Metropolitans led by coach Pete Muldoon defeated the Montreal Canadiens after four games. The Canadiens won the first match 8-4, but the Metropolitans made a stunning comeback and trounced Montreal’s team in the following matches. Over the course of the four games, Montreal scored a total of 11 points while the Metropolitans scored 23. You can learn all about the Metropolitans historic victory in Kevin Ticen’s 2019 book When It Mattered Most.
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: 3147146
- Manufacture Year: 1917
- 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 1917 — the same year that the Seattle Metropolitans became the first American ice hockey team to win the Stanley Cup. The Metropolitans led by coach Pete Muldoon defeated the Montreal Canadiens after four games. The Canadiens won the first match 8-4, but the Metropolitans made a stunning comeback and trounced Montreal’s team in the following matches. Over the course of the four games, Montreal scored a total of 11 points while the Metropolitans scored 23. You can learn all about the Metropolitans historic victory in Kevin Ticen’s 2019 book When It Mattered Most.
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.
