The first Ingersoll watches, called "Universal" were introduced in 1892, supplied by the Waterbury Clock Company.

The crown was not functional, the watch was wound by a captive key that hinged out, and a central wheel was used to set the hands, both accessible when the back was opened just as in a clock.

Theodore Roosevelt mentioned that during his hunting trip in Africa he was described as "the man from the country where Ingersoll was produced".

That year also saw the introduction of a so-called "night design", the Radiolite featuring a luminous radium dial.

The first model featured the same movement as the earlier British Ingersolls, now designated calibre PY.

They also made many character pocket watches, of many subjects from the 1930s – Betty Boop, Big Bad Wolf, Buck Rogers, Dizzy Dean, Donald Duck, Flash gordon, Lone Ranger, Mickey Mouse, Moon Mullins, Popeye, Rudy Nebb, Skeezix, Smitty, Three Little Pigs, and Tom Mix.

In the years after World War II, watch face themes included Captain Marvel, Captain Midnight, Dan Dare, Dick Tracy, Donald Duck, Hopalong Cassidy, Jeff Arnold, and Peter Pan.

In 1989 Richard Tibber owner of Zeon ltd purchased the Ingersoll Company and Brand from Steven Strauss Ltd-Ingersoll brand is currently still owned by Zeon Watches, a British subsidiary of the Hong Kong company Herald Group.