I just picked this Ingersoll up a couple of hours ago at an antique store near my house here in NH. I own a few Yankees (and was wearing an Ingersoll Wrist Midget today, coincidentally) but nothing quite like this.

Dial

Back

Movement and Warranty Paper

Might be a Dollar watch Eric, but it is a very nice find. I have a bit of a soft spot for some of these. Let me know if you ever want to sell it?

Cheers,
Bila

Eric, That is a 3 star (VERY VERY RARE) "dollar watch" that "books" at about $600.00 . . . NO KIDDING!

Eric, very nice rare watch. Let me know if you need the minute hand for it. I may be able to help.

Nice.....

regards,
bb

Thanks. I knew it was rare when I bought it but had no idea how rare. I hope the photos give an accurate idea of the condition of the finish of the case. I peeked under the label and, of course, it is bright and brand-new. How should I handle the case?

Great stuff. I enjoy this type of find as much as any other.

The warranty paper is an interesting read as well.

Thanks. I also find this piece fascinating because I am an admirer of William McKinley, the president who was assassinated on September 6, 1901 at this exposition. Not surprisingly, one of my favorite watches is my 16s Hunter Case Hampden Wm.McKinley.
I am still not sure what to do with this gilt case. What accounts for the way it looks? Why is it not discolored at the edges of the raised portions? It can't be wear, because it would not be so uniform. Should it be popped into the ultrasonic with my movement cleaning solution? Or should I just clean it lightly to get the surface dirt off and leave it with this original "patina"?

Please leave it as~is. It has a great patina that collectors want. To clean it and shine it would alter its true value.

regards,
bb

I would have to agree with the sentiment to leave this one alone.

A search for "patina" brings up some fun threads.

This whole idea of "patina" or "polish" was being kicked around quite a bit when I first joined the club a couple years ago. There were no shortage of ideas and opinions on the matter.

I have a few sterling watches I've deliberately left alone because the patina is so appropriate to the particular watch.

One I polished out and regretted it immediately because I ended up with a beat up polished case... it would have looked much better had I left it alone.

As a rule, I do polish out my cases. I figure they would have been maintained in polished and serviced condition when they were in service.

Stainless cases get the buffer machine with a cotton wheel and polishing wax.

Everything else gets hand polished with a high end metal cleaner/polish.

I never put gold or gold filled or solid silver on the buffer. I have a nice solid silver case that once had crisp, never polished out engraving on the back. It was beautiful and crisp... until I made the rookie mistake of putting it up to the polishing wheel. Now it is quite polished and quite average in appearance because the buffer had enough power to knock the crisp edges off the pristine engravings... making it quite ordinary.

Hear hear, this is like an old piece of furniture. Refinishing ruins the value. That microscopically thin gold flash wore off except where protected by the embossing. Gives it a nice "used" look.
Also keep the dial side out of direct sunlight.

Thanks, everyone. I will just use a mild detergent to remove any grime from the surface, being careful not to rub any spot too hard or for too long. The watch will be apart at the time. Cleaning a watch case with a paper dial in place is not something you want to do. By the way, on my other cases I often use Simichrome Polish with great results.

Eric, no liquids or paper towels. Just a yellow dust rag. The Brass plate has stabilized now, no point in getting it stirred up again.

Eric, et al,
I just purchased an older reprint book on Dollar watches. I'm not a collector of those (I have just one), so I'll be selling it to someone who is.

Ken H.

I just listed an Ingersoll on another site, (you know the one). I'll stick a link in Pittfalls if anyone collects these let me know.

The Ingersoll Reliance you listed for $21.00 has a very good dial and has more value because it is actually a true 7 Jewel movement. I suspect Ingersoll mechanically "flavored" this much like the Early New York Watch & "Ingersoll Trenton".

Later with Trenton, the Ingersoll jeweled movement tooling probably became the source of the short but illustrious Ingersoll Trenton series, but still quite unlike the earlier (and later) Ingersoll "Dollar" type Ingersoll designs.