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Ingersoll I12308 The Challenger Automatic Blue PU Strap Watch - W4966
Ref. I12308
The Challenger line draws on Ingersoll's American watchmaking identity, though the movements powering the current range come from Chinese manufacturers — competent, accessible skeleton calibres that do the job the design asks of them, which is to put the mechanical workings on display through a multi-layered cutaway dial. The tonneau case gives it a character that round skeletons at this size rarely have, and the wide 28mm strap stance means the transition from case to wrist looks proportional rather than pinched. Blue PU wears comfortably and holds its shape, though the integrated construction means changing straps requires tools and some patience. The skeleton layout reads well against the blue dial — depth and movement at a glance, with central hands keeping time legible when you need it quickly.
- Reference
- I12308
- Brand
- Ingersoll
- Collection
- The Challenger
- Case size
- 42mm
- Case thickness
- 13.5mm
- Lug width
- 28mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Tonneau
- Dial
- Blue
- Crystal
- Mineral
- Movement
- Automatic
- Functions
- Skeleton dial
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Rubber strap
- Strap colour
- Blue
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Additional specifications
- Strap
- Interchangeable
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 Back in Stock (4,300), Stainless Steel Watches (2,846), Automatic Watches (1,403), Blue Dial Watches (803), Automatic Watches Under £500 (344) and Skeleton Watches (278).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
Ingersoll I12308 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 | I12308 | GB02945/87 | ME3261 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £245 | £239 | £239 |
| Case size | 42mm | 42mm | 42mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Rubber strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap |
| This watch | Closely matched | 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.
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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