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Thread: The 40mm Everest Thread

  1. #1
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    The 40mm Everest Thread

    Having just taken delivery of a brand new 40mm Everest from Eddie I thought I'd create a thread solely dedicated to this exceptional watch. I get the impression from around the forum that this watch is seen as a second class citizen to it's 36mm sibling. And I understand why that would be as, in homage terms, it's obviously far closer to the original dimensions and appearance.

    However in its own right it's a superb watch.

    I bought the original Smiths Everest from TF in 2012, from the very first batch actually. I wore and loved it for six years until it died. That watch with its short hands and acrylic crystal had a unique charm, a really excellent watch. It always felt a bit on the big side, especially on the bracelet, but a great watch to wear on leather and a nato. There's an old thread somewhere in the Timefactors Watches sub-forum with loads of great pics.

    So, back to the current incarnation. The changes / improvements are spot-on in my opinion. The case has a smaller profile, the hands are longer (now perfect), the 'Everest' text is grey rather than black and the minute track markers are slimmer and therefore appear more spaced out. Oh and there's now a sapphire crystal. The bracelet is a huge step-up in quality however the clasp, although technically very good and really helpful, is rather awful to wear. It's far too big, bulky and heavy. I've ordered (yet to arrive) a regular flip-lock clasp from Watchgecko which should have a much slimmer profile and be lighter. I'll share pics when I have it.

    Like its 2012 counterpart, this watch look fantastic on leather straps and natos and I've included some pics below to demonstrate. Timekeeping....actually I'll check it now....is +8 seconds across the first 48 hours of wear, straight out of the box. Not too shabby.

    I hope you get some enjoyment and information from this post and thread and I'd love to hear your thought and experiences and also see your photographs.

    Have a great day






















    Last edited by TaketheCannoli; 6th August 2020 at 10:10.

  2. #2
    Master TheGent's Avatar
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    Great post. I’ve had the 36mm version, great watch but not for me. This one often tempts me! Would be interested to see the fit of the replacement clasp when you get it!


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  3. #3
    Master
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    I couldn't agree more, my 40mm Everest is a regular in my rotation - usually when I can't make up my mind what to wear so that gets slapped on. I actually rather like the clasp, it balances well on my larger wrist and the adjustability is great in these hot / humid days.
    Mine is just under 2 years old and has developed a slight rubbery feeling when winding but works fine and keeps time great so I'm not that concerned. If it ever dies I'll be hard pressed to replace it with anything else other than another one - as I love the 3/6/9 aesthetic and dumping 5k on a rolex just isn't on the cards at the moment.

  4. #4
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TaketheCannoli View Post
    ...

    So, back to the current incarnation. The changes / improvements are spot-on in my opinion. The case has a smaller profile, ....
    Do us some profile pics. If I remember correctly, the first iteration was a bit too chunky.
    "Owning one is almost as satisfying as making one." ~ Rolex 1973

  5. #5
    Grand Master Dave E's Avatar
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    I had a Mk1 (acrylic) for just over 5 years, and bought one of the newer models in late 2018 to replace it (and sold the Mk1). I have only this picture of the two together, I haven't even unwrapped the bracelet on the newer model yet at this point!



    I wore the older version a lot, and I've worn the newer one a lot as well. The updates are generally good, particularly the dial layout and hand length. I like the link style on the newer bracelet, but I think I prefer the taper on the older bracelet (and in hindsight probably the clasp as well). I kind of miss the domed acrylic as well, but that's because I'm a sucker for domed acrylic, the profile on this newer domed sapphire is very nice.

    I do have a 36mm Everest, but I went for the white dial to give me something different to my 40mm:



    I'm glad I did, I rather like the 40mm in black, I find white dials wear bigger, so having the 36mm in white suits me size-wise.

    I'll be interested to see if you can get another clasp to fit, if so I suspect I'll give that a go. I like the new clasp well enough, but I think I'd prefer something a bit less bulky if it was available.
    Last edited by Dave E; 6th August 2020 at 13:18.
    Dave E

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  6. #6
    I have the older 2012 mk1 or whatever it was. Its nice but the clasp for me could have been better

  7. #7
    Grand Master number2's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fashfunk View Post
    It died after 6 years? Any special reason why that happened?
    Died, needed to be serviced - give us a clue.
    "Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."

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

  8. #8
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    It’s a very long story which is why I didn’t tell it. The summary is that it needed a service and crown tube so off it went to Germany. This was a 40th gift from my wife therefore had sentimental value. It had a serial number with meaning to us and my battle scars and was very much my watch. Many months later and after many, many chase up communications, it was returned. Now, without asking me or even telling me he was doing it, he returned a new watch head with my case back.

    To me it wasn’t my watch anymore so I sold it here with full disclosure. So the buyer effectively got a new watch for a used price.

    A boring but factual story

  9. #9
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    New Clasp

    The new clasp has arrived from WatchGecko and is a massive improvement. Yes you lose the glide-adjust which is useful but the overall profile and appearance of the watch has improved significantly. It was a PITA to fit as the holes in the Everest bracelet ends don't align with the adjustment holes in the clasp but by turning the end link around (so attaching it backwards) is works perfectly.

    Apologies the hosting site mixed up the order of the pics but I hope you can get the idea and see the difference.
















    Last edited by TaketheCannoli; 7th August 2020 at 11:40. Reason: Pics.

  10. #10
    Grand Master Dave E's Avatar
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    That doesn't look at all bad, and nice thinking on fitting the end link upside down to get it to fit! (I just tried the end link upside down in the original clasp to see if it made the micro-adjustments work, but it doesn't, the clasp won't close properly with the link the other way up due to the link depth.) I think I might have to get one of those and give it a try.
    Dave E

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  11. #11
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    Go for it, makes a world of difference,

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave E View Post
    That doesn't look at all bad, and nice thinking on fitting the end link upside down to get it to fit! (I just tried the end link upside down in the original clasp to see if it made the micro-adjustments work, but it doesn't, the clasp won't close properly with the link the other way up due to the link depth.) I think I might have to get one of those and give it a try.

  12. #12
    Master TheGent's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TaketheCannoli View Post


    Am I correct in seeing it has an unsigned crown?


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  13. #13
    Grand Master Dave E's Avatar
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    Mine certainly isn't a signed crown (unlike the smaller model).
    Dave E

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    Master TheGent's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave E View Post
    Mine certainly isn't a signed crown (unlike the smaller model).
    Thanks for confirming


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    Grand Master Dave+63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave E View Post
    Mine certainly isn't a signed crown (unlike the smaller model).
    Nor mine.

  16. #16
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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  17. #17
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    After five days it’s gained 18 seconds which is excellent. I’m sure if I reset it now it would be averaging around 2-3spd as it got off to a sluggish start out the box.

  18. #18
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    I've an original Everest which was my daily wear for six years. Accuracy was remarkable. Gained about a minute over a month.

    When I first got the new 36mm with the glide adjust bracelet, I thought I'd made a mistake and it would wear too small. After about a week, however, everything else now seems too large! It's now my daily wear. And in this hot spell, I like the ease of letting out the bracelet a little. Appreciate I'm in a minority but the practicality trumps the aesthetic for me.

    Still break out the original now and again as I do like the plexiglass crystal.
    Last edited by SussexScots; 9th August 2020 at 21:10.

  19. #19
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    Six days in with the new clasp and it’s excellent.

  20. #20
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    On an original TF nato, the one with the rounded keepers:


  21. #21
    Grand Master Dave E's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TaketheCannoli View Post
    Six days in with the new clasp and it’s excellent.
    I've ordered one and am looking forward to trying it out (away for a few days at the moment, should be waiting for me when I get home).
    Dave E

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  22. #22
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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  23. #23
    Grand Master Dave E's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave E View Post
    I've ordered one and am looking forward to trying it out (away for a few days at the moment, should be waiting for me when I get home).
    Fitted it now, and first impressions are good. Less bulky on the wrist than the original clasp, and there are a lot of adjustment holes in the clasp to tune the fit. A bit of a fiddle to fit, because the spring bars supplied were a very tight fit through the ends of the Everest bracelet (and the ones from the original clasp were too fine for the new clasp), but the end result seems good!
    Dave E

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  24. #24
    Administrator swanbourne's Avatar
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    I'm dscontinuing the 40mm version when they're gone (about 15 left). The 36mm versions outsell it by a ratio of 4:1.

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

  25. #25
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    Wow that's interesting 4:1 with today's tastes in larger watches

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  26. #26
    Administrator swanbourne's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by snap399 View Post
    Wow that's interesting 4:1 with today's tastes in larger watches

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    I've sold almost 300 of the 40mm since December 2018 but 1200 of the 36mm Everests in the same time. Actually, it's not the same time because I've been out of stock of all the 36mm for almost 3 months.

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

  27. #27
    Grand Master Dave+63's Avatar
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    The 40mm Everest Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post
    I'm dscontinuing the 40mm version when they're gone (about 15 left). The 36mm versions outsell it by a ratio of 4:1.

    Eddie
    It’s your decision of course but you do three models in the 36mm range but only one 40mm.

    I’d love a 40mm “expedition” to go with my black dial.
    Last edited by Dave+63; 16th August 2020 at 08:25.

  28. #28
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    Mine will be worth a fortune in a few years then

    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post
    I'm dscontinuing the 40mm version when they're gone (about 15 left). The 36mm versions outsell it by a ratio of 4:1.

    Eddie

  29. #29
    Grand Master Dave E's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post
    I'm dscontinuing the 40mm version when they're gone (about 15 left). The 36mm versions outsell it by a ratio of 4:1.

    Eddie
    I'm surprised by the disparity, interesting! Hard to argue with the economics of that, mind.

    Also, I now know I have one of an LE of 300
    Dave E

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  30. #30
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    I must admit there’s something very satisfying about owning something produced in such small numbers.
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave E View Post
    I'm surprised by the disparity, interesting! Hard to argue with the economics of that, mind.

    Also, I now know I have one of an LE of 300

  31. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by TaketheCannoli View Post
    that looks great! what strap is that?

  32. #32
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    Thanks a lot, it’s this one:

    https://georgesstraps.com/products/e...rap-sage-green

    Quote Originally Posted by sk2k View Post
    that looks great! what strap is that?

  33. #33
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    One of the nicest watches I’ve ever owned was the MKII Hellion and it was this photograph that sold it to me. I considered buying another before plumbing for the Everest but buying from the US put
    me off.



    So as an alternative look for the Everest I bought a Zuludiver 371. I needed the rubber to be of excellent quality and also be thick enough at the watch ends to fill the Everest’s lugs. See what you think....


  34. #34
    Grand Master wileeeeeey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post
    I'm dscontinuing the 40mm version when they're gone (about 15 left). The 36mm versions outsell it by a ratio of 4:1.

    Eddie
    Will the store be back open this weekend or next week?

    Trying to calculate 18-20 days from 2nd August which is on the website.

  35. #35
    Administrator swanbourne's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wileeeeeey View Post
    Will the store be back open this weekend or next week?

    Trying to calculate 18-20 days from 2nd August which is on the website.
    I'm debating whether or not to wait until the new stock of Everests arrives. If I open this week and get another 3 weeks worth of orders, that means that the Everests wouldn't go on sale until the middle of September at the earliest.

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

  36. #36
    Grand Master wileeeeeey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post
    I'm debating whether or not to wait until the new stock of Everests arrives. If I open this week and get another 3 weeks worth of orders, that means that the Everests wouldn't go on sale until the middle of September at the earliest.

    Eddie
    That's fair. If there is a way to reserve or put a deposit on/pay for a 40mm I'm happy to do it. Otherwise I will stalk the store like everyone else.

  37. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by wileeeeeey View Post
    That's fair. If there is a way to reserve or put a deposit on/pay for a 40mm I'm happy to do it. Otherwise I will stalk the store like everyone else.
    2nding this, I'd love to be able to make a reservation for the new Everest. Also Eddie, any renders of the dial with the new logo? thanks.

  38. #38
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    New strap arrived from Pavel this morning and is as beautiful as I’ve come to expect from him. Burgundy Horween with dark grey stitch and brushed thumbnail buckle. Just stunning....





  39. #39
    Grand Master TaketheCannoli's Avatar
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    Such a photogenic combo....










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