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Thread: Smiths Weems

  1. #1
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
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    Smiths Weems





    1. Case Size

    2. Second crown at 2 or 4

    3. Dial

    4. Hands

    5. Lume or No-lume?


    1. Overall case size: 37mm with 30mm dial.
    (The Timefacors Expedition at 36mm has a 30mm dial. The original Antartic at 32mm had a 28mm dial.)

    Of interest that the original Smiths company sized watches by the size of the dial.

    There are people who complain that the dial of the 39mm Rolex Explorer is larger than the dial of the 40mm Rolex Sub... doh.

    2. Second crown at 2 or 4? I don't really mind. I like both. The Longines L2.608.4. is at 2, so let's go for 4.

    3+4. Dial and hands go together. I like the sector dial with the blued leaf hands above.



    I also find the circular numbers with the red 12 very attractive.

    5. I prefer solid blued leaf hands but lumed can look good too.


  2. #2
    Master
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    Does the second crown lock the bezel.

  3. #3
    Administrator swanbourne's Avatar
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    As I understand it, they didn't have hack seconds when the Weems was introduced so they set the "0" on the bezel to the seconds hand and then locked the bezel with the second crown, reading elapsed seconds from the bezel instead of the dial.

    If my understanding is correct, there is no longer a need for a second crown or even a rotating bezel.

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

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post
    As I understand it, they didn't have hack seconds when the Weems was introduced so they set the "0" on the bezel to the seconds hand and then locked the bezel with the second crown, reading elapsed seconds from the bezel instead of the dial.

    If my understanding is correct, there is no longer a need for a second crown or even a rotating bezel.

    Eddie
    Correct.

  5. #5
    Master alfat33's Avatar
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    I’d be in for a Smiths Weems watch if it was possible to make one. I’ve seriously thought about the Longines replica one (not the one with the date).

    I prefer the blued hands FWIW.

  6. #6
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post
    ...

    If my understanding is correct, there is no longer a need for a second crown or even a rotating bezel.

    Eddie
    It is not a need, it is a want. People seem to want a locking metal bezel, because it looks cool, and it's called Weems. I'd buy one.

  7. #7
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post
    As I understand it, they didn't have hack seconds when the Weems was introduced so they set the "0" on the bezel to the seconds hand and then locked the bezel with the second crown, reading elapsed seconds from the bezel instead of the dial.

    If my understanding is correct, there is no longer a need for a second crown or even a rotating bezel.

    Eddie
    The locking crown is a huge characteristic of the Weems. I don't see how you could make a homage to the Weems without it. It would make more sense if the movement wasn't hacking I suppose

  8. #8
    Master
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    It would be pointless without the bezel, and the bezel will find other uses.

  9. #9
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by thenikjones View Post
    It would be pointless without the bezel, and the bezel will find other uses.
    To all intents it is a 60 minute bi-directional bezel with a lock.

  10. #10
    Master sweets's Avatar
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    Instead of a hack correction bezel, this has definite merit as a time elapsed bezel, I think it would be a great addition to the range.
    FWIW, I prefer upright numerals and leaf hands, and would not complain id the bezel diameter were, say, 38mm.
    Lume is not necessary, imho
    Dave

  11. #11
    Grand Master Dave E's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by abraxas View Post
    To all intents it is a 60 minute bi-directional bezel with a lock.
    Yep. And a useful thing.

    I can't help but look at the Expedition dial and notice that it might suit this style as well. I do like the red 12 on that dial you showed, John, though.

    (Crown at 2 for me...)
    Dave E

    Skating away on the thin ice of a new day

  12. #12
    Master alfat33's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by abraxas View Post
    The Longines L2.608.4. is at 2, so let's go for 4.
    I think that reference is the re-issue that had a date. A Smiths that looked similar to the L2.606.4 would be amazing. I guess it would be really hard to make though.

  13. #13
    Master gerard's Avatar
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    With a locking bezel I'd have one. Not too bothered about location, 2 or 4, though I like my Glycine Airman at 4.

    Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk

  14. #14
    Craftsman
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    Smith's Seems gets my vote

    Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

  15. #15
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
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    The Spitfire Watch
    https://www.great-british-watch.co.u...pitfire-watch/

    I remember Eddie saying that the Weems mechanism was fully locked down with a patent...
    Last edited by abraxas; 8th May 2021 at 11:48.
    "Owning one is almost as satisfying as making one." ~ Rolex 1973

  16. #16
    Journeyman
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    Gorgeous piece. I didn't know about the use of the bezel. Certainly wouldn't say no to a modern interpretation!

  17. #17
    Master alfat33's Avatar
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    Thanks for posting abraxas. Hard to be sure exactly what it will be like from the render.

  18. #18
    Master gerard's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by abraxas View Post
    The Spitfire Watch
    https://www.great-british-watch.co.u...pitfire-watch/

    I remember Eddie saying that the Weems mechanism was fully locked down with a patent...
    Bremont should be worried....another manufacturer using part of historic planes (or the likes)!!!


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  19. #19
    Grand Master
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    The point was that the introduction of hacking movements overtook this development, so sourcing a non hacking movement would return it to full relevance!
    Because it's a lovely thing to fiddle with.


  20. #20
    Master sweets's Avatar
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    The bezel lock cannot be very securely patented, Yema and Glycine have been using very similar on the Superman and Airman ranges for decades.

  21. #21
    Apprentice
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    Smiths Weems

    That is interesting, but I can’’t help but feel that it’s a little gimmicky.

    I’d love to see a Smiths version without all the powdered Unicorn horn. Just a faithful homage, well executed, at a price point that most people could afford.

    On a side note, is the Weems actually THE Battle of Britain watch? Or is it one of several that would have been worn by the RAF at the time?

    I’’m always a bit suspicious of Hyperbole in these things.


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  22. #22
    Master sweets's Avatar
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    I don't think there is anything gimmicky about it.
    Even with a hacking movement, the 0-60 bezel can be used as a timing bezel, and locked into position, avoiding unintended movement in either direction (whereas a polit bezel allows both, and a dive bezel only one direction).
    I grant you, as a compensator for a non-hacking movement, it is now irrelevant, but that doesn't mean it can't have other (very useful) functions.
    Most bezel lock screws do not penetrate the case either, so WR is not compromised if you wanted to re-set the bezel.

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by sweets View Post
    I don't think there is anything gimmicky about it.
    Even with a hacking movement, the 0-60 bezel can be used as a timing bezel, and locked into position, avoiding unintended movement in either direction (whereas a polit bezel allows both, and a dive bezel only one direction).
    I grant you, as a compensator for a non-hacking movement, it is now irrelevant, but that doesn't mean it can't have other (very useful) functions.
    Most bezel lock screws do not penetrate the case either, so WR is not compromised if you wanted to re-set the bezel.
    I guess I’m speaking of the dial.

    It may be just the artists representation. But the dial somehow appears to me like bare aircraft aluminum?

    I thought that was the schtick. Watch made of old Spitfire parts.

    If they do a faithful dial, then I stand corrected. I thought they were going for Meteorite Dial Speedy here.


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  24. #24
    Master sweets's Avatar
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    My mistake, I thought you were commenting on the Smiths Weems idea, not the particular executuon of the Spitfire watch from somewhere else.

    I still think that with either the Smith "parking" watch re-creation, or a Smiths Weems, there is a nice niche in a sensible good-looking watch for Eddie here, that has the functionality of a dive watch timing bezel, but doesn't have the dive watch machismo to the appearance.

    D

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by sweets View Post
    My mistake, I thought you were commenting on the Smiths Weems idea, not the particular executuon of the Spitfire watch from somewhere else.

    I still think that with either the Smith "parking" watch re-creation, or a Smiths Weems, there is a nice niche in a sensible good-looking watch for Eddie here, that has the functionality of a dive watch timing bezel, but doesn't have the dive watch machismo to the appearance.

    D
    Absolutely. If Eddie made a Weems, I’d be all over it.


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