Watch Description
What makes the Springfield 596 unique: We are very happy to offer this unique timepiece built from an antique pocket watch that was originally manufactured by the Illinois Watch Company. We love the aged character of this dial, and as you lean in for a closer look you will notice that this dial has been carefully machined to leave behind vertical lines throughout that add to the complexity of this design. The machined titanium case adds an air of sophistication while being lightweight and durable. It houses the original 17-jewel movement that was skillfully converted into a modern-day wristwatch. The copper crown creates the perfect contrast against the titanium casing while adding warmth to this classic piece.
This watch was originally produced in Springfield, Illinois by the Illinois Watch Company in 1922. In this same year, the Irish Free State was established. This marked a major event in history and one of great significance for the Irish people. After centuries of struggle, political unrest, and civil war, Ireland finally gained independence from British rule. The people celebrated with pride and joy as they experienced self-governance for the first time in their nation's history. Not only did this mark a new era of freedom and opportunity for the citizens of Ireland but it also set an example to other nations around the world that true democracy is possible through perseverance and dedication to justice.
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: Machined Titanium
- Crown/Hardware: Copper
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Illinois Watch Company
- Serial Number: 4147277
- Manufacture Year: 1922
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes the Springfield 596 unique: We are very happy to offer this unique timepiece built from an antique pocket watch that was originally manufactured by the Illinois Watch Company. We love the aged character of this dial, and as you lean in for a closer look you will notice that this dial has been carefully machined to leave behind vertical lines throughout that add to the complexity of this design. The machined titanium case adds an air of sophistication while being lightweight and durable. It houses the original 17-jewel movement that was skillfully converted into a modern-day wristwatch. The copper crown creates the perfect contrast against the titanium casing while adding warmth to this classic piece.
This watch was originally produced in Springfield, Illinois by the Illinois Watch Company in 1922. In this same year, the Irish Free State was established. This marked a major event in history and one of great significance for the Irish people. After centuries of struggle, political unrest, and civil war, Ireland finally gained independence from British rule. The people celebrated with pride and joy as they experienced self-governance for the first time in their nation's history. Not only did this mark a new era of freedom and opportunity for the citizens of Ireland but it also set an example to other nations around the world that true democracy is possible through perseverance and dedication to justice.
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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.
