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Thread: Two more Smiths

  1. #1
    Administrator swanbourne's Avatar
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    Two more Smiths







    Eddie
    Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".

  2. #2
    Master chris2982's Avatar
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    I really do like the look of that dial.

    Chris.

  3. #3
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    Is it just me.....

    .... Or does the top of the Smith's crown remind you of something else?

    Off to the Boys' room!

  4. #4
    Yes, it does. Quack quack!

  5. #5
    I really like that style of watches. That one looks very nice.

  6. #6
    Master OliverCD's Avatar
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    This is looking very much my style! What is the dimensions Eddie? Looking like 36-38mm without the crown. I really like the use of the Smiths logo with crown on the watches - ties them up beautifully.

  7. #7
    Administrator swanbourne's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OliverCD View Post
    This is looking very much my style! What is the dimensions Eddie? Looking like 36-38mm without the crown. I really like the use of the Smiths logo with crown on the watches - ties them up beautifully.
    The round one is 36mm and the square one will be 34mm square. The movement for the first 50 of each will be the Peseux 7040 hand-winding and thereafter, a different movement.

    Eddie
    Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".

  8. #8
    I recognise elements of that dial - e.g. the sub-seconds.

    When are you going to do a proper Everest re-edition with that sub-dial?

  9. #9
    Master OliverCD's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post
    The round one is 36mm and the square one will be 34mm square. The movement for the first 50 of each will be the Peseux 7040 hand-winding and thereafter, a different movement.

    Eddie

    Interesting...do you have a dial designed for the 34mm yet? Is the third picture you posted a shot of the movement? You don't see many watches of that size these days, so quiet exciting - Bund strap part of the design?

  10. #10
    Grand Master SimonK's Avatar
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    Here's how my sterling siver, cushion-cased Smiths looks, I find the dial particularly handsome.

    These watches didn't appear in any of the Smiths catalogues or advertising and as they all seem to be long service award watches for ICI (including mine, which happens to be a birth year watch for me) I think they were made especially to order by Smiths and never sold to the general public, but I may be wrong.




    And here's a Deluxe Everest model with the famous 1215 movement (12 lignes, 15 jewels), another very handsome watch in my opinion.





    And finally, the real McCoy - Sir Edmund Hilary's Smiths, on display in the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers' museum at The Guildhall. I don't think this exact configuration was ever sold, I believe Sir Edmund was given a prototype.



  11. #11
    Master OliverCD's Avatar
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    You can see that Eddies has taken inspiration on the round Smiths, from the second hand set up on Sir Edmund's... Lovely.

  12. #12
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    Nice design Eddie, really like it!

  13. #13
    love the simplicity of the dial

  14. #14
    Will there be an arabic numeral dial or just Roman?

    Thanks,

    Myron

  15. #15
    Administrator swanbourne's Avatar
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    These are the watches that these two are based on, the JW Benson had a Smiths movement.





    Eddie
    Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post
    I'd be all over a timefactors homage to that.

  17. #17
    Grand Master Dave E's Avatar
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    That second one is a peach!
    Dave E

    Skating away on the thin ice of a new day

  18. #18
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    Perhaps I'm in the minority but I can't stand Roman Numerals. It always seems to me that they belong on a Grandfather clock, not a watch.

    Rob

  19. #19
    Master Dunnster's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Barryboy View Post
    Perhaps I'm in the minority but I can't stand Roman Numerals. It always seems to me that they belong on a Grandfather clock, not a watch.

    Rob
    I don't like roman numerals on watches either, but I have to say I absoloutely love the logo and dial layout!

  20. #20
    Administrator swanbourne's Avatar
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    Eddie
    Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".

  21. #21
    ^^^^^^^Gosh that's elegant. I love those hands. The subsecond dial markers seem a little wide perhaps and I'm be inclined the lower the SMITHS logo a micron but I'll leave it to others' OCD.

    Any dial texture?
    Last edited by gentlemenpreferhats; 20th December 2012 at 17:56.

  22. #22
    Master
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    I like both of those a lot. Particularly the first one with the Roman numerals.

  23. #23
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    Is it just my eyes or is the V in the numeral eight not quite right?

    Love the display back picture, it's very similar to the Nomos Orion, I suppose it's basically the same movement, which is a good thing obviously
    Last edited by cad monkey; 20th December 2012 at 19:39.

  24. #24
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post





    Eddie
    This one I like very much and would have to raid the penny jar for one.

  25. #25
    Master bigbaddes's Avatar
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    please dont cut the digits with the sub second dial; i hate that. arabic only for me too.

  26. #26
    Craftsman _jonte's Avatar
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    Love the dial of the first one!

  27. #27
    Quote Originally Posted by bigbaddes View Post
    please dont cut the digits with the sub second dial; i hate that. arabic only for me too.
    Couldnt agree more. For a Smiths watch I prefer Arabic. I must say though I like the look of the log with the Sheffied on it, looks much more "Your own"

  28. #28
    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post



    Eddie
    Would pre-order this watch today if I could. Really nice, Eddie.

    Myron

  29. #29
    Grand Master Carlton-Browne's Avatar
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    Will the cushion-case be made with silver? I seem to remember this being a stumbling block for the earlier trench project but may be mistaken. Can't help thinking that 36-37mm might be a better size but, then again, what do I know.
    In the Sotadic Zone, apparently.

  30. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post



    Eddie
    Great, I really like this one.

    I'd prefer it without the logo or, at least, without the two 'dots'.

  31. #31
    Grand Master Rod's Avatar
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    I really like that cushion case ^^^ if it turns out like that I'm in for one

    Rod

  32. #32
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    The cushion design now looks truly super-retro and very stylish Perhaps a nice acrylic dome on top would complete the Gestalt? Very nice!

    Cheers,
    Gert

  33. #33
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    I like both of these designs, nice to see something in this sector of the market.


    Something about the first one has been bugging me; with the new position of the sub dial, there is no need to omit the numeral VI.


  34. #34
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    A black dial would be good too...


  35. #35
    Just to add another request for a slightly smaller case. 36mm up to 40mm max, with a preference for a 38/39mm. The crown and two dots logo? .... NO. For all the reasons that have been hinted at. The Smiths name is more than enough.

  36. #36
    Administrator swanbourne's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by halfscrew View Post
    Just to add another request for a slightly smaller case. 36mm up to 40mm max, with a preference for a 38/39mm. The crown and two dots logo? .... NO. For all the reasons that have been hinted at. The Smiths name is more than enough.
    Slightly smaller than what? The round one is 36mm and the cushion case is 34mm.

    Eddie
    Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".

  37. #37
    Grand Master SimonK's Avatar
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    Fantastic news - I've been looking for a sensible sized cushion watch for ages, the only one I found was the Dubey & Schaldenbrand Carré Cambré.

    So you can put me down for one, with or without the Smiths 'page 3' logo.

  38. #38
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    Thanks, Eddie. I think they should prove to be two more "hits" for Smiths. I am anxious to see more...

  39. #39
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    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post



    Eddie
    I too like a smaller case and I love cushion shaped cases. I think this is perfect. You've got it right the first time here Eddie, I'd just go right to production with this one! Oh and don't change from the Smiths Sheffield logo you have here. It is an era perfect style for the watch! I think the Minoan logo is perfect. It even has the two snakes in the word Smiths! ;-)

  40. #40
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    A beautiful 34 mm design

    It's nice to see a watch case that is "only" 34 mm. I am not so fond of the ever increasing case sizes in watches. I also like the cushion case design. I would be interested in buying such a watch.

    One thing I would reconsider in your draft design of the dial, is the text and logo at 12 o'clock. I think it should somehow be reduced in size, or maybe the combination of a crown, "Smiths" and "Sheffield" is too much. I prefer the balance of the design of the original watch dial (posted in this thread) which says "Smiths" in a smaller font size. I really like clean and simple dials (such as the Speedbird's dial), and I think some kind of texture or two tones on the dial could make it stand out without filling it with too much text or a logo.
    Last edited by Palma; 18th January 2013 at 15:43. Reason: misprint

  41. #41
    Craftsman loqv75's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post



    Eddie
    It looks very nice! Very good Idea/project! Definitely this is my next one, thank you Eddie!
    Last edited by loqv75; 19th January 2013 at 01:16.

  42. #42
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    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post


    I stumbled on this:

    http://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/index...dpost&p=708103

    I think that the case on this Smiths version is a more interesting than the JW Benson.

  43. #43
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dapper View Post
    A black dial would be good too...

    A quite interesting possibility, but I don't think Eddie ever realized any PVD finish ?

  44. #44
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    Two More Smiths and Their Perseux Mov'ts?

    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post
    The round one is 36mm and the square one will be 34mm square. The movement for the first 50 of each will be the Peseux 7040 hand-winding and thereafter, a different movement.

    Eddie

    This is my first regular post in a very long time so hello everybody. I hope all had a great Christmastime (or whatever you're celebrating) and everyone's new year of 2013 is going great as well.

    I like these two new Smiths very much and especially the cushion cased one. I like the design of the [crowned] "Smiths Sheffied" logo a lot on these also but I'm not aesthetically sophisticated enough to know what the perfect size font for it would be in correlation to the respective watch's size and design. It just looks good and "right" to me on these mock-ups and is destinctive in its own way like the scripted TF "Precista" I think is. I have noticed that the original vintage Smiths of the same era these two new ones draw on for inspiration seem to tend to have a quite small and fine-line logo font I thought, for what that's worth. I am guessing that in laying out a watch's aesthetics, it can be as simple as the talented and experienced designer choosing just what strikes his senses best as opposed to formulaic calculations -- but I don't myself know on that.

    By the way, is the Peseux 7040 a very different movement, technically, sizewise, and availabilitywise, than the Peseux 7001 mov't that RGM used in modified form for a version of its nice custom "Model 22" Power Reserve Marine Chronometer, and shown, described, and [expoded view] diagrammed near the end of the below linked review of that watch?

    http://justmywatches.com/private/wat...2/22review.htm

    Also, are there enough of the new-old-stock A. Schild(?) [AS] mechanical movements that TF watches of the past have often used still out there and available enough in versions appropriate for future production runs of these two new Smiths?

    Rollon

  45. #45
    Master Lammylee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Guardala View Post

    A quite interesting possibility, but I don't think Eddie ever realized any PVD finish ?
    Unfortunately Eddie has previously advised me that any quality PVD finishing company would require a case order in the thousands rather than hundreds to be economically viable to sell.

  46. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gert View Post
    The cushion design now looks truly super-retro and very stylish Perhaps a nice acrylic dome on top would complete the Gestalt? Very nice!

    Cheers,
    Gert

    +1

    I think a version of this new cushion case Smiths with a low domed steel tension-ring secured "armoured" acrylic crystal; a more invulnerable solid steel caseback; a more easily maintained and parts sourced generic Rolex "OysterCrown" thread specification screwed-in crown tube for the cushion Smiths' "semi-diamond"(?) style screw-down(?) crown (for myself, I always think that crowns for active use, especially when they are shaped like this one, need the screw-down feature or other means of locking the crown down); and 50m or 100m water resistance would be ideal (subjectively to my view, anyway) as a vintage/classic/retro civilian style everyday and all-around "wearing" watch.

    If someone wants versatile and enduring, yet unobtrusive and ungaudy classic civilian styling that fits formal occasion to the most casual of wear, along with military grade toughness, aviation levels of negative pressure resistance and reliable crystal retention across a wide range of temperature conditions, and probably enough water resistance for most of the things one normally does, I think a cushion Smiths with specs as above would be very near uniquely well qualified in the modern world of watches.

    Since Rolex quit making the last of their classic plexiglass Oystercase "Air Kings" and such, I personally can't think of anybody making watches now that have classic civilian styling along with what I think of as comprehensive, durably maintainable, and pretty much environmentally immune military grade toughness. Eddie certainly makes some with military styling that have this fully comprehensive all-conditions toughness, but I think a very technologically tough under the nice
    non-martial looks version of this new vintage 1930s style cushion case Smiths would have the very special qualities of both classic good looks and outstanding technological character combined if you would like other than military style aesthetics.

    I also think that latter combination of good looks and great character is what tended to make the old Rolex plexiglass Oysters "lifetime" watches their owners didn't get tired of and want to flip after 6 months. Before I start thinking of analogies to women to write about, though, I'll end this now except to say that this new cushion case Smiths looks so good I think it deserves the high underlying specifications to go with it.

    Rollon
    Last edited by Rollon; 1st February 2013 at 09:58.

  47. #47
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    Two more Smiths

    Woah big fella! Screw down crown on a manual wind watch = bad idea. If it were an auto, sure, but I wouldn't want a SDC on a winder. I'd have the threads messed up in under a month!

  48. #48
    Master SternG's Avatar
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    Those look great. I've been hankering after a small watch for quite a while. Any idea as to when they might be available, Eddie m'man?

  49. #49
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    Quote Originally Posted by wainair View Post
    Woah big fella! Screw down crown on a manual wind watch = bad idea. If it were an auto, sure, but I wouldn't want a SDC on a winder. I'd have the threads messed up in under a month!

    Hi Wainair. I certainly understand your concern and I thought about it too before I wrote that, but I don't know.

    The combination of a telescoping-stemmed screw-down crown on a manual wind watch seems to have worked out OK in the long run for Eddie with the PRS-20. And many of the older Rolex OysterCase design "Precisions" and such were apparently pretty popular with the screw-down OysterCrown and the more economical manual wind movements. The fact that these latter Rolex manual wind watches used an excellent screwed-in crown tube design greatly eased the replacement of stripped crown/crown tube units if such occured.

    I think that once you get the technique down, it's not that hard to avoid stripping crown threads. I've used screw-down crowns often and for many years and have never stripped or even damaged one, and I assume that I don't exactly have the dexterity of a brain surgeon.

    Still, though, I can fully understand why screw-down crowns and manual wind movements might strike you and many others as incompatible. I think a push/pull crown with good multi-gasketing and stiff return spring might be O.K. for the new cushion case Smiths, and perhaps quite preferable to most people, but I would myself then be concerned about the crown shape.

    The reason is that I think that the shape of the "Semi-Diamond"(?) crown would too likely be grabbed by one obstacle or other, such as brush or your own sweater, resulting in the crown more or less regularly being pulled out of battery during wear, stopping the movement, and increasing the chance water will ingress. It has happened to me even with good quality and well reputed circa 1980s steel case military issue mechanical hand-wind field/pilot watches having small push/pull crowns discreetly designed to avoid that.

    Rollon

  50. #50
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    Two more Smiths

    I can see your point but even with much practice I fear crossthreading crowns. I have many SDC autos but they all get me nervous. Maybe if the thread wasn't superfine. Nice and course and hard to crossthread.

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