What makes the Chicago 117 unique: For today’s Watch of the Day we bring you this wonderful example from the Elgin National Watch Company, our Chicago 117. We love the classic look of this watch, featuring these very bold Roman Numerals following the outside face of the dial. With such a crisp white dial, we wanted to give this watch a stark black and white feel and decided to place it inside of our machined titanium case with a nickel-plated crown and classic black strap. The kite-shaped blue steel hands bring some visual interest and color to give a little more character and add to the appeal of the hard contrast within this watch. As we turn this watch over, we notice the light, floral designs on the Moseley regulator, a signature design that we come to enjoy from these older Elgin movements. A shiny nickel-plated surface all across the build plate brings focus to the intricate designs throughout, while the 17 screw-set jewels stand out nicely. Gold-plated gears and a brass balance wheel beneath are the heart of this watch, powering everything nicely. This watch was originally manufactured all the way back in 1912, in Elgin, Illinois. This is the same year that Henry Flagler’s Overseas Railroad finally completed construction, with the attempt to take advantage of trade passing through the Panama canal. The idea was to create a trade route that would take goods from South America through the canal, and train them up through Florida to the West Coast.