Watch Description
What makes The Springfield Railroad 161 unique:
The Springfield Railroad 161 is defined by contrast, clarity, and an unmistakable sense of purpose. Its crisp white full Montgomery dial is framed by a distinctive outer seconds chapter designed for rapid, precise reading and instantly signals its railroad intent. Hand-painted gothic-style Arabic numerals anchor the layout, their sharp angles and slight irregularities revealing the human touch behind the dial’s execution. Most notably, the “6” is printed inside the sub-seconds register at 6 o’clock, a rare detail on Montgomery dials where the 6 was often omitted due to space constraints. We preserved the original purpled-steel hands, whose deep hue shifts subtly depending on the light and provides striking contrast against the bright surface. A recessed sub-seconds dial adds depth and balance, reinforcing the disciplined visual hierarchy required of railroad timekeeping.
Inside, this watch is powered by a 19-jewel Illinois movement manufactured in 1913. Through the open caseback, the movement displays carefully finished bridges with straight striping, polished steel surfaces, and gold-plated gears that catch the light as the watch moves. With 19 jewels (versus the more common 17-jewel configurations found in many pocket watches of the era), this movement benefits from reduced friction at key points, supporting long-term durability and consistent performance. Built for reliability and long-term precision, it exemplifies Illinois’ approach to professional-grade timekeeping.
We housed this movement in a machined steel Version 3 Railroad case, scaled to 49mm to preserve the commanding presence of the original pocket watch. A sandblasted steel coin-edge bezel adds subtle texture without distracting from the dial, while the knurled sandblasted-steel crown offers secure operation and reinforces the watch’s tool-forward character. The watch is paired with a black Horween leather strap with stitching, creating a sharp visual contrast against the white dial and completing the Springfield Railroad 161’s clean, purposeful aesthetic.
The original Illinois movement in the Springfield Railroad 161 was produced in 1913, a period when American railroads were rapidly expanding and standardizing timekeeping practices across the country. Precise, synchronized time was essential to preventing collisions and maintaining safe rail operations, and watches like this were relied upon as professional instruments rather than personal accessories. The Springfield Railroad 161 preserves that legacy today — a disciplined, high-contrast timepiece built for accuracy, now carried forward on the wrist as a living piece of American railroad history.
Note: This watch features a lever set, railroad grade pocket watch. To set the time, the whole front of the watch must be removed, exposing the dial and hands. Please feel free to contact us with questions before making your purchase. We are here to help!
Watch this video on YouTube to learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lNisquLqtc
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
- Model Year: 1913
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Diameter: 49mm
- Case Material: Machined Steel
- Crown/Hardware: Stainless Steel
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Domed Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: 24mm Black Horween leather strap w/stitching
Movement
- Manufacturer: Illinois Watch Company
- Serial Number: 2527159
- Manufacture Year: 1913
- Function: Manual Wind, Lever-Set
- Jewels: 19 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 16s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What makes The Springfield Railroad 161 unique:
The Springfield Railroad 161 is defined by contrast, clarity, and an unmistakable sense of purpose. Its crisp white full Montgomery dial is framed by a distinctive outer seconds chapter designed for rapid, precise reading and instantly signals its railroad intent. Hand-painted gothic-style Arabic numerals anchor the layout, their sharp angles and slight irregularities revealing the human touch behind the dial’s execution. Most notably, the “6” is printed inside the sub-seconds register at 6 o’clock, a rare detail on Montgomery dials where the 6 was often omitted due to space constraints. We preserved the original purpled-steel hands, whose deep hue shifts subtly depending on the light and provides striking contrast against the bright surface. A recessed sub-seconds dial adds depth and balance, reinforcing the disciplined visual hierarchy required of railroad timekeeping.
Inside, this watch is powered by a 19-jewel Illinois movement manufactured in 1913. Through the open caseback, the movement displays carefully finished bridges with straight striping, polished steel surfaces, and gold-plated gears that catch the light as the watch moves. With 19 jewels (versus the more common 17-jewel configurations found in many pocket watches of the era), this movement benefits from reduced friction at key points, supporting long-term durability and consistent performance. Built for reliability and long-term precision, it exemplifies Illinois’ approach to professional-grade timekeeping.
We housed this movement in a machined steel Version 3 Railroad case, scaled to 49mm to preserve the commanding presence of the original pocket watch. A sandblasted steel coin-edge bezel adds subtle texture without distracting from the dial, while the knurled sandblasted-steel crown offers secure operation and reinforces the watch’s tool-forward character. The watch is paired with a black Horween leather strap with stitching, creating a sharp visual contrast against the white dial and completing the Springfield Railroad 161’s clean, purposeful aesthetic.
The original Illinois movement in the Springfield Railroad 161 was produced in 1913, a period when American railroads were rapidly expanding and standardizing timekeeping practices across the country. Precise, synchronized time was essential to preventing collisions and maintaining safe rail operations, and watches like this were relied upon as professional instruments rather than personal accessories. The Springfield Railroad 161 preserves that legacy today — a disciplined, high-contrast timepiece built for accuracy, now carried forward on the wrist as a living piece of American railroad history.
Note: This watch features a lever set, railroad grade pocket watch. To set the time, the whole front of the watch must be removed, exposing the dial and hands. Please feel free to contact us with questions before making your purchase. We are here to help!
Watch this video on YouTube to learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lNisquLqtc
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.
