+2
Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
+2
Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
Thanks Martin, much appreciated.
The +20% as it fills the space better / is more proportionate and also, being larger, is more legible.
As for whether it is closer to the originals . . . well, there's a lot of variation there!
I've got a number of 1950s De Luxes in front of me and the size of the SDL text varies considerably.
On the ones where it is smaller it looks too small.
(I wonder if Smiths didn't shout their name on the dials either because it wasn't a prestige marque (and from a distance could pass for any number of Swiss makes) or -- more likely -- good old British modesty. The originals whisper, if not downright mumble, their simple English surname; Edde's @ +20% says it clearly without shouting.)
But on others it is considerably larger -- and, to my eye, looks better, looks "right"
So 20% for me -- although if you could do a 15% I'd love to see it just to be sure.
I really, really like this -- certainly on the lower three lines of text the 20% is spot on.
For a quick look at a number of originals see here:
https://www.smithswatches.com/collec...eluxe-1?page=1
and compare the various A4xx models
Last edited by Rev-O; 18th June 2019 at 22:00.
20% looks very good, 10% fine too... shaping up to be a very impressive watch IMO.
Yes the spacing between the two words should be maybe 1.5 the spacing between the letters.
But the +20% looks bang on to me and, without wishing to pull rank or make any appeal to authority, I have seen A LOT of Smiths De Luxes, probably as many or more than anyone else here.
I don't know much about much but I know a bit about them.
Which reminds me, there's a facebook group page here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/261717824304503/
and a Smiths forum here:
https://www.mwrforum.net/forums/foru...Vintage-Smiths
Its ironic that Eddie as a small brand can get something so right, in the above peer review. Whilst Seiko (slightly higher turnover) get it so wrong!
Lovely job Eddie clean and timeless.
https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...st-looks-wrong
Steve
Too late for changes now, it's off to production.
Eddie
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
Eddie
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
That looks stunning,I like the strap as well.
Can't wait to pick one up!
That's the sample strap I had made and when it arrived, I thought it was too dark. The strap that's now in production will be a lighter reddy brown.
Eddie
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
That's a superb looking watch Eddie, 100% winner I'm in
Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk
Looks great, love the lume shot and the strap, although I am less impressed with the roller buckle.......
Dave
Looks good on both the bracelet and the strap.
That looks really good. Great work.
I've even come round to the wide spacing between DE and LUXE
Frankly the originals look odd now, with their more-than-a-letter-but-less-than-a-word spacing that they seem to have.
It is two words and should be rendered thus, not as one-and-a-half words.
I has been interesting looking so closely at so many old Smiths dials. I'd never really realised that there was so much variation in those three words on two lines but there is and there seems to be no "standard" or "majority" or "right" version.
I really hope this looks as good in real life as it looks on the screen.
And, please, can nobody put this on a NATO? Thanks
Looks far batter on a strap to me.
I have a new black Perlon waiting.
I knocked together a vintage/modern photo comparison, here:
https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...oto-Comparison
Perlon schmerlon. Dark brown leather for this watch.
F.T.F.A.
It´s not making it any easier to choose between the 2 white options, the red, white and blue Brexpedition version,is ticking all the right boxes.
Eulit Panama is my favourite. The Krystak is OK but a bit thin and I dont like the weave of the Palma. Also - it has to be the old style buckles, they may look a bit flimsy but Ive never had one fail and I love the adjustability.
Aside from Perlon I think that the Expidition would look good on a TSS Atlas vintage style in tan.
The originals (A453 and A404) came on brown leather straps but could be "supplied with expanding bracelets" instead if wanted.
These were the stainless steel Fixoflex ones without a clasp that were sprung and had excellent depilatory properties.
The sub-seconds A404 was introduced in 1953 (there is a similar prototype from 1951/2, before such innovations as De Luxe and a stepped dial had been invented) and is the definitive, almost ubiquitous Smiths. It was in production until at least 1964 although after about 1954/5 they used the the smaller, unsigned case with 16mm lugs rather than the full-fat Dennison Aquatite with 18mm lugs.
The centre-seconds A453 from 1953 has more complicated history and underwent at least two major revisions. These are often called "Antarctic" watches due to their use on an expedition there.
I could bore for England on Smiths watches so I'll stop now.
tl;dr brown leather strap
Yep, an interesting read, do go on.
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
Eddie, on the brown leather it looks superb, the final vintage touch especially with the roller buckle. Totally brilliant work.
It will be difficult to resist this watch, it is very handsome, particularly on the leather. A brilliant job of walking the fine line between creating something genuinely new with reference to revered watches of the past. It also leaves room for a manual wind with sub seconds in the future......!
With you on the brown strap. But, sorry, I disagree about the roller buckle, it is a modern steam punk affectation.
No vintage watch strap ever had a roller buckle.
Horse bridles and dog's collars, sure, but watch strap? No. The roller is there to allow an easy cinch up to a high tension (without damaging the leather), but that is not something you want on a watch strap.
Just my opinion, of course.
Dave