Watch Description
What Makes The Springfield 192 Unique:
The Springfield 192 is built around a 17-jewel Illinois Grade 405 movement manufactured in 1917, a period when the Illinois Watch Company was producing some of the most refined 12-size dress and gentleman’s pocket watches in America. According to the movement record, this example is a Model 3, open-face movement with a patinated nickel finish, bridge-plate architecture, pendant setting, and factory adjustment to three positions and temperature. Those details matter to collectors because they place this movement well above a basic utility-grade watch, even though it was not railroad grade.
The dial is an exceptionally clean example of early twentieth-century American watch design. Its bright white enamel surface is framed by bold black Arabic numerals and a crisp black minute track, creating a stark, highly legible layout that feels almost architectural in its simplicity. The blued Breguet-style hands bring a touch of elegance to the otherwise restrained composition, while the recessed subsidiary seconds register at six o’clock mirrors the same clean typography and fine minute markings. A subtle gold-toned ring around the seconds register adds just enough warmth to break up the monochrome palette without distracting from the dial’s disciplined layout. The result is a watch face that feels formal, precise, and remarkably modern despite being more than a century old.
Turning the watch over reveals the 17-jewel Grade 405 movement, where the Springfield 192 becomes considerably more mechanical in character. The warm, patinated nickel-finished bridges are decorated with broad damaskeening, contrasted by polished winding wheels, exposed golden train components, and ruby jewels set throughout the movement. Collectors will appreciate that this Grade 405 was adjusted to three positions as well as temperature, a meaningful indication that Illinois intended the movement to maintain dependable performance across changing orientations and conditions. Pocket Watch Database records this specific production run as 1,000 movements, while the Grade 405 itself was produced in substantial numbers, making this example representative of one of Illinois’ most proven and enduring movement families.
Vortic houses that century-old movement inside a lightweight titanium case that gives the Springfield 192 a distinctly contemporary personality. The tumbled Grade 5 titanium case and crown are paired with a tumbled 316L stainless steel bezel, creating subtle tonal variation rather than a completely uniform finish. An oxblood Cordovan strap adds a deep burgundy accent that complements the cool gray metals while giving the watch a more elevated, traditional feel. Together, the combination lets the pristine white Illinois dial remain the focal point while preserving the movement’s original American craftsmanship behind the exhibition caseback.
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: 2025
- Warranty: Full 1-Year Warranty
- Case Diameter: 45mm
- Case Material: Tumbled Titanium with Tumbled Stainless Steel Bezel
- Crown/Hardware: Titanium
- Water Resistance: 1 ATM
- Crystals: Sapphire
- Case Back: Titanium
- Strap: 22mm Oxblood Cordovan Leather Strap by Horween with Steel Buckle
Movement
- Manufacturer: Illinois Watch Company
- Serial Number: 3252229
- Manufacture Year: 1917
- Function: Manual Wind
- Jewels: 17 Jewels
- Hands: Original
- Size: 12s
- Power Reserve: ~36 Hours
What Makes The Springfield 192 Unique:
The Springfield 192 is built around a 17-jewel Illinois Grade 405 movement manufactured in 1917, a period when the Illinois Watch Company was producing some of the most refined 12-size dress and gentleman’s pocket watches in America. According to the movement record, this example is a Model 3, open-face movement with a patinated nickel finish, bridge-plate architecture, pendant setting, and factory adjustment to three positions and temperature. Those details matter to collectors because they place this movement well above a basic utility-grade watch, even though it was not railroad grade.
The dial is an exceptionally clean example of early twentieth-century American watch design. Its bright white enamel surface is framed by bold black Arabic numerals and a crisp black minute track, creating a stark, highly legible layout that feels almost architectural in its simplicity. The blued Breguet-style hands bring a touch of elegance to the otherwise restrained composition, while the recessed subsidiary seconds register at six o’clock mirrors the same clean typography and fine minute markings. A subtle gold-toned ring around the seconds register adds just enough warmth to break up the monochrome palette without distracting from the dial’s disciplined layout. The result is a watch face that feels formal, precise, and remarkably modern despite being more than a century old.
Turning the watch over reveals the 17-jewel Grade 405 movement, where the Springfield 192 becomes considerably more mechanical in character. The warm, patinated nickel-finished bridges are decorated with broad damaskeening, contrasted by polished winding wheels, exposed golden train components, and ruby jewels set throughout the movement. Collectors will appreciate that this Grade 405 was adjusted to three positions as well as temperature, a meaningful indication that Illinois intended the movement to maintain dependable performance across changing orientations and conditions. Pocket Watch Database records this specific production run as 1,000 movements, while the Grade 405 itself was produced in substantial numbers, making this example representative of one of Illinois’ most proven and enduring movement families.
Vortic houses that century-old movement inside a lightweight titanium case that gives the Springfield 192 a distinctly contemporary personality. The tumbled Grade 5 titanium case and crown are paired with a tumbled 316L stainless steel bezel, creating subtle tonal variation rather than a completely uniform finish. An oxblood Cordovan strap adds a deep burgundy accent that complements the cool gray metals while giving the watch a more elevated, traditional feel. Together, the combination lets the pristine white Illinois dial remain the focal point while preserving the movement’s original American craftsmanship behind the exhibition caseback.
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.
