Anglo-Celtic Company

Anglo Celtic

At the government's instigation, the British company, Ingersoll Ltd, joined with Smiths (S Smith & Sons Ltd) and, briefly, Vickers Armstrong in setting up the Anglo-Celtic Watch Company Ltd (incorporated August 1945) on the Ynyscedwyn estate. This was on the outskirts of the village of Ystradgynlais, near Swansea, Wales. The first model featured the same movement as the earlier American-designed British Ingersolls, now designated calibre PY. These watches were branded Ingersoll (Triumph for export markets) and Smiths Empire. A Swiss inspired RY low-jewel pin-pallet wrist-watch was developed in 1949 later followed by in-house designs such as the versatile fully jewelled TY and final SL. Ingersoll Ltd pulled out of the venture in 1969. Anglo-Celtic's final models included budget Swiss-made models. Between 1946 and 1980, when the factory closed down, over 30,000,000 watches were made, and exported to 60 different countries throughout the world.