Watch Description
What Makes The Lancaster 142 Unique:
The Lancaster 142 represents the closing chapter of America's golden age of pocket watch manufacturing. Built around a 17-jewel Hamilton Grade 917 movement produced in 1949, this watch comes from a period when Hamilton had perfected decades of precision watchmaking before the widespread adoption of wristwatches permanently shifted the industry. While earlier Hamilton movements earned their reputation on the rails, this refined Grade 917 reflects the company's postwar commitment to dependable, beautifully finished everyday timepieces.
The first thing that captures attention is the clean champagne dial, whose understated vertical brushed finish allows every design element to stand on its own. Warm gilt Arabic numerals rise subtly from the dial, pairing beautifully with the matching gilt hands to create a rich contrast against the silver backdrop. At six o'clock, the recessed subsidiary seconds register features crisp black printing and a concentric finish that adds depth without distracting from the balanced overall design. The combination of the warm bronze bezel, champagne dial, and black strap creates a timeless aesthetic that feels equally at home today as it did over seventy-five years ago.
Turning the watch over reveals one of Hamilton's most recognizable late-era American movements. The Grade 917 features a distinctive nickel finish decorated with broad Geneva striping, sharply snailed winding wheels, and Hamilton's signature movement architecture. Collectors will immediately appreciate the elegant simplicity of the movement's layout, where every bridge and wheel is arranged with purpose rather than ornamentation. Marked "Adjusted 3 Positions," the movement was factory-regulated to maintain reliable accuracy across multiple carrying positions, a meaningful upgrade that demonstrated Hamilton's continued emphasis on precision even in non-railroad grades. The 17 synthetic ruby jewels reduce friction throughout the gear train, while the exposed balance assembly showcases the precise mechanical heartbeat that has kept this movement running for generations. Produced during Hamilton's twelfth production run of the Grade 917, this movement represents the culmination of one of the company's longest-running and most successful pocket watch calibers.
Housing this movement is Vortic's 43mm Lancaster case, precision-machined from American-made 316L stainless steel with a matte sandblasted finish that complements the movement's industrial heritage. A matching sandblasted bronze bezel introduces warmth and character that will continue to develop a unique patina over time, while the black Cordovan leather strap provides a refined contrast and exceptional durability. Together, these modern American-made components preserve the legacy of a Hamilton movement that has already stood the test of time, ensuring it will continue measuring moments for generations to come.
Movement Manufacturer Information
The movement inside of this watch was made by Hamilton Watch Company. We call this model "The Lancaster" because the company was located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Hamilton is named after famous Pennsylvanian Alexander Hamilton and is the result of multiple re-organizations of attempted watch companies in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1892, Hamilton had a reputation for superior quality and maintained half of the railroad watch market share during some of the most prolific years of American railroad history. During World War II, Hamilton was integral to the production of accurate timepieces for the Military. Deemed "the watch that won the war," the company established an employee-run newsletter so that employees turned soldiers could keep up with life at the factory. While the original factory still stands as luxury apartments, the company stopped producing watches in the US in 1969. Hamilton now produces watches in Switzerland and is owned by the Swatch Group.
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: 2025
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Diameter: 43mm
- Case Material: Sandblasted Stainless Steel
- Crown/Hardware: Stainless Steel
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: Leather
Movement
- Manufacturer: Hamilton Watch Company
- Serial Number: X163743
- Manufacture Year: 1949
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 10s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What Makes The Lancaster 142 Unique:
The Lancaster 142 represents the closing chapter of America's golden age of pocket watch manufacturing. Built around a 17-jewel Hamilton Grade 917 movement produced in 1949, this watch comes from a period when Hamilton had perfected decades of precision watchmaking before the widespread adoption of wristwatches permanently shifted the industry. While earlier Hamilton movements earned their reputation on the rails, this refined Grade 917 reflects the company's postwar commitment to dependable, beautifully finished everyday timepieces.
The first thing that captures attention is the clean champagne dial, whose understated vertical brushed finish allows every design element to stand on its own. Warm gilt Arabic numerals rise subtly from the dial, pairing beautifully with the matching gilt hands to create a rich contrast against the silver backdrop. At six o'clock, the recessed subsidiary seconds register features crisp black printing and a concentric finish that adds depth without distracting from the balanced overall design. The combination of the warm bronze bezel, champagne dial, and black strap creates a timeless aesthetic that feels equally at home today as it did over seventy-five years ago.
Turning the watch over reveals one of Hamilton's most recognizable late-era American movements. The Grade 917 features a distinctive nickel finish decorated with broad Geneva striping, sharply snailed winding wheels, and Hamilton's signature movement architecture. Collectors will immediately appreciate the elegant simplicity of the movement's layout, where every bridge and wheel is arranged with purpose rather than ornamentation. Marked "Adjusted 3 Positions," the movement was factory-regulated to maintain reliable accuracy across multiple carrying positions, a meaningful upgrade that demonstrated Hamilton's continued emphasis on precision even in non-railroad grades. The 17 synthetic ruby jewels reduce friction throughout the gear train, while the exposed balance assembly showcases the precise mechanical heartbeat that has kept this movement running for generations. Produced during Hamilton's twelfth production run of the Grade 917, this movement represents the culmination of one of the company's longest-running and most successful pocket watch calibers.
Housing this movement is Vortic's 43mm Lancaster case, precision-machined from American-made 316L stainless steel with a matte sandblasted finish that complements the movement's industrial heritage. A matching sandblasted bronze bezel introduces warmth and character that will continue to develop a unique patina over time, while the black Cordovan leather strap provides a refined contrast and exceptional durability. Together, these modern American-made components preserve the legacy of a Hamilton movement that has already stood the test of time, ensuring it will continue measuring moments for generations to come.
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.
