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Thread: Smiths Navigator review

  1. #1
    Administrator swanbourne's Avatar
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    Smiths Navigator review



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

  2. #2
    Master aldfort's Avatar
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    Excellent video and a really nice watch.

    Roll on August then. Are you taking pre-orders?

  3. #3
    Apprentice smoxey's Avatar
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    Watched the review, both versions look fantastic. I do like the deployment clasp as well.


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  4. #4
    Journeyman Ogdensnut's Avatar
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    Cracking Review. Will there be an option to forgo the leather strap for a nato? Or is it indeed the only option? Thanks


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  5. #5
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    Great review. ID guy was a good choice for first review, he does his job very well.

  6. #6
    Grand Master learningtofly's Avatar
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    Superb watch (and review) - I think I'm going to need one in each colour.

  7. #7
    Master
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    Wow - both of those looked absolutely gorgeous - and the review was top class too

    As aldfort mentioned below - although its not your usual business model - why don't you think about taking pre-orders; it might help avoid some of the 'spikes' in the shopping experience and you having to do all the labelling and packaging in one go?

  8. #8
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    Excellent review Eddie, the only problem is now everyone will want one!

    I am very tempted to try and get both. Although I expect they will probably sell out on the day they go on sale.
    Last edited by ZIM; 10th June 2020 at 17:02.

  9. #9
    Grand Master number2's Avatar
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    Yeah I'm in, not decided on colour yet.
    "Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."

    'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.

  10. #10
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    God I love the cream face. I'll be in for one.

  11. #11
    Master
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    They both look stunning Eddie, congratulations you’ve got another winner on your hands there.
    Looking forward to the big day and some time to save up. ATB

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by KAS118 View Post
    Wow - both of those looked absolutely gorgeous - and the review was top class too

    As aldfort mentioned below - although its not your usual business model - why don't you think about taking pre-orders; it might help avoid some of the 'spikes' in the shopping experience and you having to do all the labelling and packaging in one go?
    Because it causes it's own hassle and is not as fair as just opening and being fastest first to buy. Long may Eddie continue with how he sells watches.

    Cracking review Eddie, still not sure which colour I prefer!

  13. #13
    Master TheGent's Avatar
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    Excellent review - really helps capture the shape and features that photos can’t.


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  14. #14
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    The review was excellent and brought the watch to life for me from the pictures and the initial schemes.

    I was a ‘maybe’ on getting one of these watches. I will now definitely join the queue on the web shop as soon as they are available.


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  15. #15
    Grand Master Daddelvirks's Avatar
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    Fantastic Edddie, a high "must have" factor.
    Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!

  16. #16
    Grand Master Dave E's Avatar
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    That's a nice review, and those look like extremely nice watches. At this size I usually like white dials, but I'm really drawn to the black dial on this one.
    Dave E

    Skating away on the thin ice of a new day

  17. #17
    Grand Master Dave+63's Avatar
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    Smiths Navigator review

    Excellent review, or should that be preview?

    That cream dial is very tempting!
    Last edited by Dave+63; 10th June 2020 at 19:33.

  18. #18
    Grand Master Dave+63's Avatar
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    Smiths Navigator review

    Duplicate
    Last edited by Dave+63; 10th June 2020 at 19:34. Reason: Duplicate

  19. #19
    Master sweets's Avatar
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    Great review, well thought and presented.
    Seeing them move brings the proportions together very well, and allows the effect of the polished bezel to be seen in a way that still photos cannot.
    Nice review of a great product, well done.
    Of the two, it is the cream one for me.
    Dave

  20. #20
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
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    Absolutely magnificent Eddie. Especially the black one. What you've done particularly well is having the dial sit high in the case and thus pushing the hands high and making them look exposed and vulnerable under the glass. The watch looks great on that guy. It sparkles. The quality is getting better all the time.
    "Owning one is almost as satisfying as making one." ~ Rolex 1973

  21. #21
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    Awesome!

    So well done, I'm definitely in for a cream one.

    Now, unlike most others, I'd prefer a quartz movement of quality. A Longines VHP springs to mind ...

  22. #22
    Craftsman canuck's Avatar
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    I too would love a quartz watch as I’d be more likely to wear on weekend when without planning find myself doing things that might shake an automatic movement a bit too much.

  23. #23
    Great review. And if the comments above are any indication, another winner that will keep Eddie busy for weeks after its release.


  24. #24
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    IDGuy is one of my favorite watch reviewers! Just got finished watching his review and now I might have another watch I have to put on my list. At this rate I’ll have more Smiths then Seikos!

  25. #25
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    Great review, I'm definitively in for a black one

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  26. #26
    Master Tenko's Avatar
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    Nice review that and the watch is looking very nice. Prefer the black out of the two.

  27. #27
    Apprentice
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    Oh no, black or cream? Hard choice

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  28. #28
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    Black ? Cream ? Or both ?

    Sigh ...


    +1 on a 36mm watch with a quartz movement (Everest black dial for choice though ... or maybe a new polar white dial version :-) )

  29. #29
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    Outstanding review of an outstanding watch. Black dial does it for me.

  30. #30
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    wow. One of the best watch reviews I've seen in a while. All of his statements were bang on IMO.

    Eddie: please make the strap + deployant clasp, or the deployant clasp by itself available for purchase so we can put it on our other Smiths 18mm watches. Thanks.

  31. #31
    Master TheGent's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by grizzlymambo View Post
    wow. One of the best watch reviews I've seen in a while. All of his statements were bang on IMO.

    Eddie: please make the strap + deployant clasp, or the deployant clasp by itself available for purchase so we can put it on our other Smiths 18mm watches. Thanks.
    +1 for that - would love a smiths deployant!


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  32. #32
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
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    The Caseback review is up...
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DS8b30m1q9U
    "Owning one is almost as satisfying as making one." ~ Rolex 1973

  33. #33
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by abraxas View Post
    The Caseback review is up...
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DS8b30m1q9U
    Again - another great review

  34. #34
    Master TheGent's Avatar
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    Looks lovely ‘in the flesh’


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  35. #35
    Grand Master number2's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by number2 View Post
    Yeah I'm in, not decided on colour yet.
    It's going to be,


    Black.
    "Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."

    'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.

  36. #36
    Craftsman
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    Quote Originally Posted by number2 View Post
    It's going to be,


    Black.
    Well it was a 50/50 chance.

  37. #37
    Craftsman NCC66's Avatar
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    I’m just catching up with the reviews. My god, this looks like an absolute stunner and winner! I suspect the lucky few will be very happy indeed if and when they manage to get their hands on one. I will be trying very hard myself!


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  38. #38
    Grand Master number2's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by kneadking View Post
    Well it was a 50/50 chance.
    Nice to see that you were paying attention during maths.
    "Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."

    'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.

  39. #39
    Apprentice
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    Wow these both look great! Leaning towards the cream dial. Is it just me or is there no ‘Great Britain’ on the bottom of the cream dial? Is this intentional to reduce clutter? On the PRS-29 Air Ministry vs the Military, ‘England’ was added to the dial instead of ‘Great Britain’ at the bottom. Guess my OCD is showing...
    Last edited by Riposte; 17th June 2020 at 19:14. Reason: Typo

  40. #40

    Smiths Navigator review

    Black looks lovely, but my PRS-29b has a domed sapphire crystal, ETA 2801 and 50,000 A/m.

    That and the sheer hassle of fighting with others and/or sagepay means a purchase of the Navigator is likely out of the question for me and possibly for many other genuine enthusiasts.

    Finding a used Hawkinge is a more realistic alternative, although a sterile San Martin can be had for £120.

    Shame really
    Last edited by messym; 16th June 2020 at 15:38.

  41. #41
    What about the price?

  42. #42
    Craftsman
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    Quote Originally Posted by Artium View Post
    What about the price?
    Eddie hasn't posted a price yet mainly because the price of the movements upon delivery will determine the price of the watch I would imagine.

  43. #43
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    Quote Originally Posted by messym View Post

    Finding a used Hawkinge is a more realistic alternative, although a sterile San Martin can be had for £120.
    bleh. An antimagnetic cage is essential to a Mark XI type watch. Without all the basic MoD requirements, the watch is just a fashion watch, which is the exact opposite of what this watch should be.

    Plus the Hawkinge is automatic and the wristshots look terrible. The watch is too thick. Also, a Mark XII homage might get away with a domed sapphire crystal, but a Mk XI homage needs a box sapphire. Just a very hohum mediocre watch.
    Last edited by grizzlymambo; 17th June 2020 at 21:37.

  44. #44
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by grizzlymambo View Post
    bleh. An antimagnetic cage is essential to a Mark XI type watch. Without all the basic MoD requirements, the watch is just a fashion watch, which is the exact opposite of what this watch should be.

    Plus the Hawkinge is automatic and the wristshots look terrible. The watch is too thick. Also, a Mark XII homage might get away with a domed sapphire crystal, but a Mk XI homage needs a box sapphire. Just a very hohum mediocre watch.
    I agree, the Smiths Navigator seems as close to ‘the ‘real deal’ as a homage could possibly be


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  45. #45
    Grand Master Daddelvirks's Avatar
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    Hawkinge schmawkinge
    Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!

  46. #46
    Quote Originally Posted by grizzlymambo View Post
    bleh. An antimagnetic cage is essential to a Mark XI type watch. Without all the basic MoD requirements, the watch is just a fashion watch, which is the exact opposite of what this watch should be.

    Plus the Hawkinge is automatic and the wristshots look terrible. The watch is too thick. Also, a Mark XII homage might get away with a domed sapphire crystal, but a Mk XI homage needs a box sapphire. Just a very hohum mediocre watch.
    An anti magnetic cage was essential when the MK XI was used for actual navigation in an actual aircraft cockpit.

    By your logic, you’re calling Eddie’s homage watches that don’t have the same magnetic protection “Fashion watches” then?


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  47. #47
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by messym View Post
    An anti magnetic cage was essential when the MK XI was used for actual navigation in an actual aircraft cockpit.

    By your logic, you’re calling Eddie’s homage watches that don’t have the same magnetic protection “Fashion watches” then?


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    Well to be fair MK11 don't identify any 'anti-magnetic' property of the Hawkins. Most, if not all, of the military Timefactors watches have at least 4,800 A/m - with the Navigator, PRS-29 and Speedbird having 20,000 A/m.

    I know which one I'll be (trying) to buy 🙂

  48. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by messym View Post
    An anti magnetic cage was essential when the MK XI was used for actual navigation in an actual aircraft cockpit.

    By your logic, you’re calling Eddie’s homage watches that don’t have the same magnetic protection “Fashion watches” then?


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    As far as I know, Eddie's military watches all have antimagnetic cages. Only the watches that aren't reissues or homages to MoD spec'ed watches don't have antimagnetic cages.

    I personally have no interest in "field watches" that don't have antimagnetic cages, which is why I'm not lining up for the Everest. But a watch that is clearly taking design cues from a military watch, and labels itself as a "field watch" should absolutely have an antimagnetic cage IMO (as well as decent WR). Why? Because a field watch only has "one job". That is: tell the time reliably in the field. The 3 things that can affect a watch in the field are water, shock and magnets. Since a field watch doesn't have any other features like a chrono, timing bezel, GMT hand and date, then it absolutely must be water/shock/magnet resistant. Absolutely.

    One of the reasons why I feel that field watches should also be manual wind, is because the automatic winding system is counter to the water/shock/magnet core requirements; I don't want the watch to have a heavy rotor spinning around when I'm running, unnecessarily putting strain on the winding mechanism and creating metal dust in the watch; why on earth do I need to have the watch constantly winding itself? I just need to feed my dog once a day, I don't need to be stuffing him with food constantly throughout the day.

    That is my thinking anyway, but obviously many people disagree, which is why most field watches don't have antimagnetic shields (and most are automatic). You can buy em, I won't. How many antimagnetic hand-wound watches with sapphire crystal and below 40mm size can you think of?
    Last edited by grizzlymambo; 18th June 2020 at 19:10.

  49. #49
    Master
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    On a side note reading about the history of the watch has got me interested in astronavigation.

  50. #50
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by gerrudd View Post
    On a side note reading about the history of the watch has got me interested in astronavigation.
    Yeah, I want to learn how to do it now as well


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