Ingersoll Cal 1700 Automatic Gold Plated Watch
A high quality watch in a gold plated brass case with an automatic A Schild 1700 movement. Running well, and keeping time, a superb quality watch by Ingersoll dating to the late 1960's. With a lovely case, an attractive silver champagne dial, and an engraved back. New crystal, and a new leather strap. 33mmx42mm.
The A. Schild Caliber AS 1700 is a classic vintage Swiss automatic watch movement manufactured by A. Schild S.A. starting around 1960 to 1965. Highly ubiquitous during its era, this workhorse mechanism was utilized by numerous watch brands much like ETA or Sellita movements are today.
The Ingersoll Watch Company was founded in New York City in 1892 by brothers Robert and Charles Ingersoll, transforming the watch industry by making reliable timepieces affordable for everyday people. 1882–1892: The brothers started with a mail-order business selling novelties like rubber stamps before moving into watch distribution.
1892/1896: They partnered with the Waterbury Clock Company to create the famous "Dollar Watch" (later named the Yankee), selling for just $1.00.
Manufacturing: Working with Henry Ford, they set up mass-production assembly lines, producing millions of watches per year and earning the slogan "the watch that made the dollar famous".
1919 (Radiolite): Introduced the Radiolite, featuring a luminous glow-in-the-dark radium dial widely used by soldiers during World War I.
WWI Trench Watches: Adapted early pocket-watch movements into some of the earliest military wristwatches.
1933 (Mickey Mouse Watch): Partnered with Walt Disney to release the iconic Mickey Mouse character watch, which saved the company during the Great Depression.
Bankruptcy & Acquisition: After financial troubles led to bankruptcy in 1921, the company was bought by the Waterbury Clock Company (later becoming Timex), while the British branch (Ingersoll Ltd) operated independently in Europe.
Present Day: The brand is owned by Zeon Watches (part of the Herald Group).
Current Style: Ingersoll focuses on mechanical, automatic, and skeleton-dial timepieces under the "Ingersoll 1892" heritage line.
1919 Foundation: Fritz Schluep launches the Felco watch manufacture, growing quickly to 15 employees by the following year.
1940s Expansion: The brand name is updated to Felca as it expands distribution into Asia and the United States. Fritz's son Bruno Schluep helps secure notable international contracts, including military watch orders from the U.S. Army.
1950s Introduction of Titoni: The company launches a second brand, Titoni, featuring a plum blossom (meihua) logo, which becomes an immense success in Asian markets.
1960 Name Change: The company officially renames itself Felca & Titoni Uhren AG, selling Felca watches primarily in Europe and Titoni models in Asia.
1981 Transition: Following Bruno Schluep's passing, his son Daniel Schluep takes over, navigating the quartz crisis and eventually fully integrating the historic Felca line into the independent Titoni brand.
