Product Details
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What makes the Chicago 504 unique: Today, we’re pleased to showcase this sophisticated watch originally manufactured by the Elgin National Watch Company — the Chicago 504. On the front of the watch, you can see its breathtaking, single-sunk white dial with striking black hour numerals and dark-red minute indicators. The dial also features a helpful subdial and vivid blued-steel heavy spade watch hands. We made this piece even more elegant by pairing it with our Machined Titanium case and equipped it with a matching nickel-plated crown. Our Machined Titanium case comes with an open back, revealing the watch’s antique 345-grade open-face movement with remarkable features, including its Quick train, Going barrel, Breguet hairspring, and Moseley regulator. The movement also comes with a ¾ plate with 17 screw-set ruby and sapphire jewels as well as beautiful gold-plated gears. Finally, to tie the final product together, we matched it with our comfortable, artisan-designed Black leather watch strap.
The Elgin National Watch Company initially produced the Chicago 504’s historic pocket watch in Elgin, Illinois, in 1923 — the same year the U.S. Army accomplished the first successful aerial refueling. Lt. Virgil Hine and Frank W. Wifert conducted the first in-air fuel transfer on June 27, 1923, over Rockwell Field in San Diego. The Army outfitted a DH-4B as a tanker and equipped it with a 50-foot hose and a shutoff valve. The DH-4B lowered its fuel hose to the receiving plane — another DH-4B plane — and the person sitting in the rear seat received the hose and attached it to the aircraft.
