Watch Description
What Makes The Springfield 189 Unique:
The Springfield 189 showcases the refined elegance of American watchmaking during the height of the Art Deco era. Built around a 17-jewel Illinois Grade 415 movement produced in 1927, this watch comes from the final year of Illinois Watch Company's independent production before the company was acquired by Hamilton. That timing alone makes the movement significant, representing the closing chapter of one of America's most respected watch manufacturers after more than half a century of innovation in Springfield, Illinois. The Grade 415 itself was produced in relatively modest numbers, with only about 7,000 movements manufactured across eight production runs between 1916 and 1927.
The dial immediately draws the eye with its striking blend of textures and finishes. A vertically brushed silver center is framed by an engraved wreath motif that creates a sense of depth rarely found on watches of this size. Surrounding it, warm champagne tones provide a subtle contrast that beautifully complements the raised gilt Arabic numerals and matching gilt gothic-style hands. At six o'clock, the recessed subsidiary seconds register features crisp black printing and a clean circular border, reinforcing the balanced symmetry that made late-1920s Illinois dials so distinctive. Together with the sandblasted bronze bezel, the dial strikes a remarkable balance between understated sophistication and decorative craftsmanship.
Turning the watch over reveals Illinois' dependable Grade 415 movement, finished in bright nickel with graceful Geneva striping that catches the light from every angle. Collectors will appreciate the movement's open architecture, exposing the polished winding wheels, ruby jewel settings, and finely finished bridges that demonstrate the company's commitment to mechanical refinement. The movement is factory adjusted for temperature, helping maintain consistent timekeeping as environmental conditions change, and its 17 synthetic ruby jewels reduce friction throughout the gear train for long-term reliability. Produced during Illinois' final year as an independent manufacturer, this movement embodies the maturity of a design that had been refined over more than a decade of production before the historic transition to Hamilton ownership.
Housing this historic movement is Vortic's 45mm Springfield case, precision-machined from American-made 316L stainless steel with a bright machined finish that contrasts beautifully against the sandblasted bronze bezel. The pre-patinated bronze crown introduces an immediate sense of age and character while foreshadowing the evolving patina the bezel will continue to develop over time. Paired with a handcrafted tan leather strap, these modern American-made components ensure that an Illinois movement crafted during the company's final independent year will continue measuring moments for generations to come.
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
- Model Year: 2025
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Diameter: 45mm
- Case Material: Machined Stainless Steel Case with Sandblasted Bronze Bezel
- Crown/Hardware: Bronze
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Front: Domed Sapphire Back: Sapphire
- Case Back: Stainless Steel
- Strap: 22mm Tan Leather Strap with Bronze Buckle
Movement
- Manufacturer: Illinois Watch Company
- Serial Number: 4968918
- Manufacture Year: 1927
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What Makes The Springfield 189 Unique:
The Springfield 189 showcases the refined elegance of American watchmaking during the height of the Art Deco era. Built around a 17-jewel Illinois Grade 415 movement produced in 1927, this watch comes from the final year of Illinois Watch Company's independent production before the company was acquired by Hamilton. That timing alone makes the movement significant, representing the closing chapter of one of America's most respected watch manufacturers after more than half a century of innovation in Springfield, Illinois. The Grade 415 itself was produced in relatively modest numbers, with only about 7,000 movements manufactured across eight production runs between 1916 and 1927.
The dial immediately draws the eye with its striking blend of textures and finishes. A vertically brushed silver center is framed by an engraved wreath motif that creates a sense of depth rarely found on watches of this size. Surrounding it, warm champagne tones provide a subtle contrast that beautifully complements the raised gilt Arabic numerals and matching gilt gothic-style hands. At six o'clock, the recessed subsidiary seconds register features crisp black printing and a clean circular border, reinforcing the balanced symmetry that made late-1920s Illinois dials so distinctive. Together with the sandblasted bronze bezel, the dial strikes a remarkable balance between understated sophistication and decorative craftsmanship.
Turning the watch over reveals Illinois' dependable Grade 415 movement, finished in bright nickel with graceful Geneva striping that catches the light from every angle. Collectors will appreciate the movement's open architecture, exposing the polished winding wheels, ruby jewel settings, and finely finished bridges that demonstrate the company's commitment to mechanical refinement. The movement is factory adjusted for temperature, helping maintain consistent timekeeping as environmental conditions change, and its 17 synthetic ruby jewels reduce friction throughout the gear train for long-term reliability. Produced during Illinois' final year as an independent manufacturer, this movement embodies the maturity of a design that had been refined over more than a decade of production before the historic transition to Hamilton ownership.
Housing this historic movement is Vortic's 45mm Springfield case, precision-machined from American-made 316L stainless steel with a bright machined finish that contrasts beautifully against the sandblasted bronze bezel. The pre-patinated bronze crown introduces an immediate sense of age and character while foreshadowing the evolving patina the bezel will continue to develop over time. Paired with a handcrafted tan leather strap, these modern American-made components ensure that an Illinois movement crafted during the company's final independent year 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.
