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Thread: SMITHS SEAFIRE – PVD Instrument Watch

  1. #351
    Grand Master seikopath's Avatar
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    Smiths Pilot
    Good luck everybody. Have a good one.

  2. #352
    Master Dr.Brian's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post


    Eddie
    I was going to photoshop that! LOLOL
    The other logo reminds me of this

  3. #353
    Master Jim:'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by seikopath View Post
    Smiths Pilot
    Smiths Co-Pilot

  4. #354
    Master Lampoc's Avatar
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    Smiths BF 109.

  5. #355
    Quote Originally Posted by Lampoc View Post
    Smiths BF 109.
    How about "Smiths Altimeter" or "Smiths Fighter Pilot" or "Smiths Fighter Command"?

  6. #356
    Master Lammylee's Avatar
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    The Smiths "Defiant", this was a a WW2 night fighter that would go with the stealth theme of the watch.

  7. #357
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    Hasn't it already been confirmed as seafire though?

  8. #358
    Grand Master Griswold's Avatar
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    Smiths Black Fokker
    Best Regards - Peter

    I'd hate to be with you when you're on your own.

  9. #359
    Smiths Pilot Officer (the rank of most Spitfire flyers)

  10. #360
    Craftsman dixie's Avatar
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    I like seafire...

  11. #361
    Master OldHooky's Avatar
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    Seafire is a good name, despite it veering more towards the Fleet Air Arm than RAF. Certainly suits the style and character of the watch.

    Other aircraft of merit would include:

    Defiant
    Tempest
    Typhoon (Mk 1)
    Venom and Sea Venom
    Javelin
    Hunter
    Valiant
    Victor
    Lightning
    Phantom
    Nimrod
    VC-10 (Joking)
    Jaguar
    Tornado

    And having added Smiths to the above list, I'd stick with Seafire. So a great choice by Chris from the off.

    Now please get them made! :)

  12. #362
    Grand Master Carlton-Browne's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OldHooky View Post

    VC-10 (Joking)
    Ah yes, the natural habitat of the RAF Air Steward

    "What do you mean I can't have a gin & tonic!!!?"
    In the Sotadic Zone, apparently.

  13. #363
    Master OliverCD's Avatar
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    Just playing around with the logo on the face of the watch now. I think it work quiet well...




    I might have said it before in the thread, but I always like how Damasko add a touch of colour on the second hand, and i think it can add a 'pop' to this style of instrument inspired watch.




    And jumping on the idea of a dashed second hand... this I do like.



    All there to fuel the discussion!

  14. #364
    Master Reeny's Avatar
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    Goodwood 2012 - Seafire photos

    I think the silver coloured Spitfire could be a Seafire.
    Edit: or a high altitude photo reconnaissance plane.


    Last edited by Reeny; 5th September 2013 at 13:01.

  15. #365
    Master Marios's Avatar
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    The "dashed second hand" idea seems nice to me.

  16. #366
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    I don't like the dashed second hand but the all green one looks good.

  17. #367
    Master trisdg's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OliverCD View Post
    Just playing around with the logo on the face of the watch now. I think it work quiet well...

    And jumping on the idea of a dashed second hand... this I do like.



    All there to fuel the discussion!
    Great work there.

    Think that logo actually looks excellent, although I still think Eddie would be better off sticking to the one design.

    When I suggested the striped second hand I was thinking of black/green stripes. Like the AT 15000 but changing the yellow to green.

    Think it might be a bit subtle with the green being such a dark colour, but still curious how it would look; and anyway we like subtle, right? Thinking of the Everest dial text here

  18. #368
    Master toezapper's Avatar
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    nice looking watch good name, tidy I look forward to the final fiddled design...... and watch

  19. #369
    Love that logo!

    It makes the watch come alive somehow, looks *right*

  20. #370
    Grand Master Griswold's Avatar
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    A few shots of a Seafire, along with its successor the Sea Hawk. Taken at Southport Airshow.










    Best Regards - Peter

    I'd hate to be with you when you're on your own.

  21. #371
    Master OliverCD's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by trisdg View Post
    Great work there.

    Think that logo actually looks excellent, although I still think Eddie would be better off sticking to the one design.

    When I suggested the striped second hand I was thinking of black/green stripes. Like the AT 15000 but changing the yellow to green.

    Think it might be a bit subtle with the green being such a dark colour, but still curious how it would look; and anyway we like subtle, right? Thinking of the Everest dial text here

    So here is now it looks with black like you suggested - dark, but it could of course work with some thought.




    But when I had it white, I was thinking it could be lume, so it would look like this in the dark


  22. #372
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    I really like the green/white stripe as a look.

  23. #373
    Grand Master seikopath's Avatar
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    Don't mess around with the seconds hand. Keep it simple.
    Good luck everybody. Have a good one.

  24. #374
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    ^^^I agree - keep the second hand as simple as possible - I prefer white at most with a green or red tip. The black and green second hand would probably just sink back into the dial and all pretension for functionality would be lost.

    I like the curved Smiths logo - thats just the sort of individuality that I was trying to argue for a couple of posts back. I think it looks a lot more balanced and distinctive and for me has a better weight and presence on the dial than the other logo currently used on the Everest etc.

  25. #375
    Grand Master seikopath's Avatar
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    I don't like the curved logo. Eddie should stick with the one he has.
    Good luck everybody. Have a good one.

  26. #376
    Master trisdg's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OliverCD View Post
    So here is now it looks with black like you suggested - dark, but it could of course work with some thought.


    Thanks Oliver, looks great :-)

    I know it's not the most practical design, but think it looks pretty cool.


    Tris

  27. #377
    Master toezapper's Avatar
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    liking the SMITHS logo and the banding exercise, personally I would extend the geen onto the baton on the base of the second hand too. Is the GMT model to have a yellow and black stripe colour scheme in the style of cockpit hazard striping with a red GMT hand?
    Last edited by toezapper; 4th September 2013 at 07:22. Reason: typo

  28. #378
    Craftsman dschaen81's Avatar
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    The curved SMITHS logo looks great and suits the design of the watch very well imho. Personally, I'm not sold on the striped seconds hands, I guess I'm also leaning towards all white or just a green tip.
    How about using a white the seconds hand and making the 12 on the dial green? Would this look good? Just a thought...

  29. #379
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  30. #380
    Re logos, the dials / gauges that were the original inspiration for this watch were probably made by a division of S Smith and Sons, later renamed to Smiths Aircraft Instruments Ltd. Few of the Seafire gauges that I have seen have a predominant Smiths logo on them. In reality, any incorporation of the Smiths logo on the watch is going to be "wrong" (it might be period correct for a Smiths watch produced between 1942 and 1950 - the Seafire had a short service history and was largely replaced by the Sea Fury by 1951), but it's unlikely to be correct for the gauge, so perhaps the best option is to go for the current logo.

    Upon further research, I have found several period gauges** with the Smith logo (with a slight curve, no less) - although I'm not able to prove that they were used in the Seafire. By 1950-1, the logo appears to incorporate either "England" or a stylised 'plane.



    ** Check out the delta-wing-esque 'planes in the picture above the advert
    Last edited by Broussard; 4th September 2013 at 08:50. Reason: Additional info

  31. #381
    Administrator swanbourne's Avatar
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    Interesting you should post that, I've been looking at a watch design based on a Smiths speedo from a vintage Vincent. It's difficult to keep the look of a speedo and still make it work as a watch. Anyone for a Black Lightning or Black Shadow?

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

  32. #382
    Craftsman Dentsmithy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post
    Interesting you should post that, I've been looking at a watch design based on a Smiths speedo from a vintage Vincent. It's difficult to keep the look of a speedo and still make it work as a watch. Anyone for a Black Lightning or Black Shadow?

    Eddie
    Ain't nothin in this world like Vincent black Lightening and a red headed girl.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0kJdrfzjAg

  33. #383
    Master Lammylee's Avatar
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    Attachment 4568

    A few Lambrettas have these, how about a Smiths "Tachimetro". The date could possibly be positioned where the lower odometer reading is.

    Attachment 4570

    .

    Attachment 4571

    .
    Last edited by Lammylee; 4th September 2013 at 09:08.

  34. #384
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    pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze not PVD. It will scratch and look naff!!. Loads of people wont touch it because it is PVD!!

    Titanium will give a similar look once it darkens a bit and will be MUCH more popular

  35. #385
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    Quote Originally Posted by Broussard View Post
    ** Check out the delta-wing-esque 'planes in the picture above the advert
    That's a De Havilland DH.108 Swallow and a trio of Armstrong Whitworth AW.52 Flying wings; all late 1940s jet research aircraft. What, me, spoddy?

  36. #386
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    I'm not normally a huge fan of PVD because of the scratches, but thinking about vintage aircraft cockpits a bit more, most instruments have chipped paint and the like on the bezels, so it could be argued it adds extra authenticity...

  37. #387
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    Quote Originally Posted by seikopath View Post
    I don't like the curved logo. Eddie should stick with the one he has.
    +1 because the "round" Smith logo clashes with the more modern dial
    Last edited by bmwrover; 4th September 2013 at 10:46.

  38. #388
    Master Lammylee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by redmonaco View Post
    pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze not PVD. It will scratch and look naff!!. Loads of people wont touch it because it is PVD!!

    Titanium will give a similar look once it darkens a bit and will be MUCH more popular
    I have a solid ceramic pilots watch with matt finish that still looks new. I know there would be a higher production cost and a very rare chance of cracking (e.g throwing it at a tile floor), but I feel that negates the much higher risk of scratching a PVD coating.

  39. #389
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    If the name still has not been decided, how about Smiths Robin, After badass fighter pilot Robin Olds?

    Robin Olds was an old-school blood-and-guts fighter pilot who pulled more Gs on his way to the bathroom than most mortal men ever dared to experience in their entire lives, and he could dogfight his way out of everything from a swirling flak-covered World War II air battle to the virtually-impossible final level of Ikaruga, then go home and sleep with his supermodel pin-up girl wife.


    http://www.badassoftheweek.com/index...d=784151231971

  40. #390
    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post
    Interesting you should post that, I've been looking at a watch design based on a Smiths speedo from a vintage Vincent. It's difficult to keep the look of a speedo and still make it work as a watch. Anyone for a Black Lightning or Black Shadow?

    Eddie

    Smiths odometer by Noodlefish, on Flickr

  41. #391
    Quote Originally Posted by _jonte View Post
    If the name still has not been decided, how about Smiths Robin, After badass fighter pilot Robin Olds?
    There has already been a Robin watch - see Robert Loomes' 'site for more info.

  42. #392
    Master OliverCD's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Broussard View Post
    There is massive potential in this one becoming a base design for a watch... great find.

    I'd love to see two hands like that contrasting each other. Counter to be a date? Or a jump hour?!?!

    Interesting logo as well... anyone have any ideas what the symbol is showing?

  43. #393
    Quote Originally Posted by OliverCD View Post
    There is massive potential in this one becoming a base design for a watch... great find.

    I'd love to see two hands like that contrasting each other. Counter to be a date? Or a jump hour?!?!

    Interesting logo as well... anyone have any ideas what the symbol is showing?

    It's not a "find", it's one of my photos. We've been planning a "Smiths" / cockpit instrument-inspired watch for years, so have loads of sources. This belongs to Nick English - it's from his BSA.

    The logo is Smiths (Motor Accessories).

  44. #394
    Quote Originally Posted by Lammylee View Post
    Attachment 4568

    A few Lambrettas have these, how about a Smiths "Tachimetro". The date could possibly be positioned where the lower odometer reading is.

    Attachment 4570

    .

    Attachment 4571

    .

    I think you'll find it was the Vespas made under license by Douglas (in Bristol) that sometimes had Smiths speedometers fitted as standard from new. Lambrettas may have them retro-fitted but they were never issued as such.

    Sorry, I need to go and get a life now.

  45. #395
    Master Lammylee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rev-O View Post

    I think you'll find it was the Vespas made under license by Douglas (in Bristol) that sometimes had Smiths speedometers fitted as standard from new. Lambrettas may have them retro-fitted but they were never issued as such.

    Sorry, I need to go and get a life now.


    Attachment 4575

    Very true but I'm not sure I want one of these on my wrist ;-)

  46. #396
    Master Jim:'s Avatar
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    For god's sake, stop fcuking about with the seconds hand, it's starting to look like something out of Beetlejuice!

    Just stick a green tip on it and call it done.

    Jim

  47. #397
    Master Jim:'s Avatar
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    Oh, and Seafire is a perfectly good name for it, by the way.

    Jim

  48. #398
    Grand Master markrlondon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Broussard View Post
    It's not a "find", it's one of my photos. We've been planning a "Smiths" / cockpit instrument-inspired watch for years
    Apologies if I've not been paying attention but who is "we" here, please?

  49. #399
    Master OliverCD's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Broussard View Post
    It's not a "find", it's one of my photos. We've been planning a "Smiths" / cockpit instrument-inspired watch for years, so have loads of sources. This belongs to Nick English - it's from his BSA.

    The logo is Smiths (Motor Accessories).
    Sorry, when I said 'find' I didn't mean trawl on the internet. I assumed it was your picture - my post probably didn't read very well. Great example would have probably been a better phrase. Thanks for the info!
    Last edited by OliverCD; 5th September 2013 at 12:39.

  50. #400
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    I also think Seafire is cool...

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