Ingersoll

[baglc1]

Anyone know why Ingersoll watches are so inexpensive considering all the different caliber movements. The build looks OK.

[Pix]

Hi,

it seems you find this only on ebay, as many other "unknown" brands. These are all Chinese made, and the level of our replicas as far as the parts are concerned. With an additionnal QC made by the local sellers.

Some use German or French sounding brands to make them considered as German or Swiss made, but they are all Chinese (which is not a bad thing actually).

[baglc1]

Thanks Pix, but this is what is said on there web site, no mention of chinese movements and this is what made me ask the question.

Ingersoll Watches

Official supplier of the complete UK range of Ingersoll Watches.

Tel: 0844 41 42 970

Fax: 0870 131 4474

Email: enquiries

home / about ingersoll / contact us / terms and conditions / Log In /

PDF VERSION OF INGERSOLL WATCH CATALOGUE

INGERSOLL MENS WATCHES

Alamo

Apache

Buffallo

Cheyenne

Cobham

Colorado

Dakota

Darling

Denver

Dreamstar

Gandhi

Geronimo

Golden Gate

Greyhound

Louisiana

Montana

Navajo

Newton

Nugget

Ohio

Old River

Rebecca

Richmond

Sioux

Texas

Topeca

Utah

Wells Fargo

Ingersoll Since 1892

During their years of tireless creative urge. Robert and Charles Ingersoll, the founders of one of the oldest American watch manufacturers established many milestones in the field of developing pocket watches and wrist watches.

They followed an ambitious plan to on one hand, offer watches to the broad public and on the other hand to offer reasonable prices whilst maintaining real quality. In 1892 thanks to Henry Ford they succeeded to develop an automated production first for pocket watches and later for wrist watches. Alongside the existing handcrafted production of Ingersoll watches an automated production of watches was established.

With high quality and precision, at the very reasonable price of 1 dollar (which was a days wages at the time) the so-called "Dollar-Watch" was born. The Dollar-Watch became so popular that about 1 million of these watches were produced. Even Theodore Roosevelt mentioned that during his hunting trip in Africa he was described as "the man from the country where Ingersoll was produced".

The succes of the "Dollar Watch" from then on also called the "Yankee" was amazing. The Ingersoll brothers had to adapt to increasing production and increasing production plants. Meanwhile, the product range had been expanded by some technical pioneering refinements. Also the production of the smallest pocket watch ever seen had begun.

In 1919 the Ingersoll brothers developed the first watch with the so called "night design", the "Radiolite" with luminoious dial.

www.ingersoll-watches.co.uk, Tabernus Ltd, Registered Office: Middleborough House, 16 Middleborough, Colchester, Essex CO1 1QT

All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

[Pix]

Well, IMO the old story of this company is not uncompatible with Chinese manufacturing : look at the movements, they are all the same layouts we have in our cheap reps. For more bucks.

None are swiss or German movements : no chrono movement, cheap moonphases, faux Tourbillons etc... All are complications you meet on ioffer for 50 dollars.

Put anyhting but Ingersoll as a name on the dial, and you will pay the very same watch half the price, Breguet or Patek branded.

What I understand is that they don't sell the "dollar watch" anymore.

Conclusion : buy the name of a dead company ; use it to sell products that have nothing to do with what was done in the past. And you understand what Ingersoll is.

[baglc1]

Enough said.