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Ingersoll I12302 The Challenger Automatic Black Strap Watch - W49104
Ref. I12302
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Stepping up in Ingersoll's range
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The Challenger sits within a line that Zeon Ltd designs in Britain and powers with third-party mechanical movements — an approach that keeps the focus on the case and dial rather than on a proprietary calibre. What lands here is the tonneau shape: the barrel silhouette curves with the wrist in a way a round case of similar width does not, so at 44.6mm it carries less obtrusively than the number suggests. The skeleton treatment pairs with that case well. Rose gold-toned plating on the bezel, crown and accents sits against brushed and polished steel, and through the open dial the bridges and rotor catch whatever light is available — in shade, the silver chapter ring anchors the display; angled towards a window, the movement itself does the work. At 108g on a rubber strap, it is present without being punishing across a long day.
- Reference
- I12302
- Brand
- Ingersoll
- Collection
- The Challenger
- Case size
- 44.6mm
- Case thickness
- 13.5mm
- Lug width
- 28mm
- Case material
- Two-tone
- Case shape
- Tonneau
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Mineral
- Movement
- Automatic
- Functions
- Skeleton dial
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Rubber strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Additional specifications
- Weight
- 108g
Learn more about Ingersoll
Charles and Robert Ingersoll started selling watches by mail order from New York in 1892, and in 1896 introduced the Yankee at one dollar. It was the first watch a working American could simply buy, and it sold in enormous numbers — the company's slogan, that it was the watch that made the dollar famous, was barely an exaggeration.
Volume on that scale changed the industry. Ingersoll sold tens of millions of watches, produced the first Mickey Mouse watch in 1933 under licence from Disney, and for a time was among the largest watch companies in the world.
The American business did not survive the century intact, and the name passed through several hands. It is now owned by a British company, which relaunched it in 2016 around mechanical watches rather than the cheap quartz the name had drifted into.
The modern collection leans on automatics with open dials and prominent date and day complications, priced in the low hundreds. It has little manufacturing continuity with the original firm, but the name and the Yankee heritage are genuine.
- 1892
- The Ingersoll brothers begin selling watches by mail order.
- 1896
- The Yankee sells for one dollar.
- 1933
- Produces the first Mickey Mouse watch.
- 1968
- The original American company is broken up.
- 2016
- Relaunched under British ownership around mechanical watches.
Also in 6 collections
This watch appears in Automatic Watches (1,750), Watches 44mm and Over (802), Silver Dial Watches (715), Automatic Watches Under £500 (336), Skeleton Watches (316) and Tonneau & Cushion Watches (133).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Sits in the lower half of Ingersoll's range as we list it
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
- 44.6mm sits at the larger end
Ingersoll I12302 The Challenger alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | I12302 | AX2456 | ME3098 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £195 | £195 | £239 |
| Case size | 44.6mm | 46mm | 44mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Rubber strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap |
| This watch | Closely matched |
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Showering yes, swimming no. 50m covers splashes and brief immersion, but a swimming stroke generates well above the pressure that figure describes.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
It can, over time. Mineral glass handles daily wear but will pick up fine scratches that sapphire would not.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedWhat size strap does it take?
28mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
F.Hinds is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
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