September/October - that's quite a wait, but I will do it. Well done Eddie, Off white dial Everest will be N+1.
Keep posting your plans post financial year end.
That looks nice, especially if you axed the lollipop on the second hand.
Am I the only who thinks that, if you’re going to do some of these beautiful homages to famous old Smiths AXXX dials, it would be nice in the manual PRS-29 style case, rather than an auto, PRS-25 Oyster style case, since the PRS-29 case is more similar to the Smiths from that time??
Last edited by duder13; 26th March 2019 at 14:44.
Personally I think the lugs are too long on the PRS-29 case, especially for the 36mm size. It means the watch only really works on a NATO type strap (or perlon). A leather strap would leave a big gap where your wrist shows through (almost all Nomos watches have the same issue) and a bracelet as standard (as per the render) would probably look really odd ... too much metal "visually" ? Like that awful new PO1 Tudor :-)
So definitely the Oyster case for me !
I hear you, but the old Smiths watches, like the A409 below, also had longish, narrow lugs for their size. I’m not saying the PRS-29 case is identical, but it’s more in line with older Smiths. I guess it’s just a little odd to me to do old Smiths dials in a Rolex-like case, which is partly why I’d choose the white Explorer dial B over dial C.
Plus, the PRS-29AM looks nice in a strap, to me. Not my pic:
I would second a manual movement in the 36mm oyster case if technically possible.
Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
If I want manual I've already my 29a :)
Well, sure, but we already have a black PRS-25, too.
I guess my point is that, if there's going to be a third PRS-25 dial, outside of the two Explorer dials, it would be cool to have another more Rolex oriented white dial, like Hillary's below, and then the old Smiths dials would be cool in more Smiths-like cases. A Smiths dial in a Rolex case makes less sense to me, not that there are any rules to all of this. :)
I do see where you're coming from in principle, but that Rolex dial isn't nearly as attractive and stylishly functional as the classic 3-6-9 Explorer dial IMV and I'm doubtful it wouid sell well if both were made available in this case. (An excellent case btw.) Obviously I could be wrong ..
The Smiths style dial on the other hand offers a different vibe and lots of people seem to be keen on the design.
I can't make my mind up between the already planned two off-white dialled versions and will wait until I can see photos before deciding. The renders never do justice to the actual watches of course.
I definitely see where you're coming from. I guess I just kind of see this as the opportunity to create remakes of the Hillary expedition watches. While we're at it, a PRS-29 with the Smiths A409 sub-seconds dial. I think they'd be hard to resist. :)
Anyways, I won't bring it up anymore. Either way, I'm excited about the white 3-6-9 dial. That was a very rare Rolex combination.
Last edited by duder13; 27th March 2019 at 01:00.
I'm with you, duder13, as you would surely have guessed if you managed to make it through my earlier, introductory post/diatribe!
I say forget Rolex altogether. If I really want a Rolex Explorer, I can go and buy a Rolex Explorer, new or vintage, and if I want to save some money, there are plenty of companies out there doing homages. But if I want a Smiths expedition watch, specifically, that's a different proposition. I'm stuck with vintage, and it's becoming increasingly difficult, and increasingly expensive, to buy one in reasonable condition. Yes, I understand that Rolex homages sell well, and I appreciate that Eddie needs to put food on the table. But I don't think it is a wise decision to risk devaluing the Smiths brand name in the long term for the sake of sales in the short term. And as you say, I think a modern Smiths with a A409 sub-seconds dial would be a real winner, commercially speaking. I know I'd be all over it. As I said before, Smiths is a great British company with a proven connection to a great British accomplishment. It has its own story to tell, if permitted to do so. If I was going to do a Rolex homage, in whatever colour, I'd put any other name on the dial. Just not Smiths.
Having said that (again, sorry), Eddie's latest render looks damn good. As much as I'm against conflating the Smiths brand with any other, it's really well done and I'm still eagerly awaiting any new developments.
I'm REALLY keen on the white dial C on oyster-like case.
To me, the combination of case, size and dial design make it the ultimate everything watch - both dressy and sporty, never out of place.
The two Smiths shown there have different cases: the first is an unsigned one with 16mm lugs, the second is the Dennison Aquatite. Smiths used the latter from about 1951 until maybe 1956 (iirc) then switched to the smaller (and imho) inferior and less attractive case -- possibly made in-house and almost certainly cheaper.
Last edited by Ghost Chilli; 8th April 2019 at 14:57.
36mm is what it should be!
This is the TF project I've been most excited about.
Can it be automatic in the slab-sided PRS29 case? That, for me, would be the perfect combination.
Ideally 18mm lugs, too, but now I'm just being picky.
Yet why would it be created later rather than sooner, if it came from nothing; so, it must be created all together or not (created at all)
For certainly all men are in the clutches of a dread—
Beholding many things take place in heaven overhead
Or here on earth whose causes they can't fathom, they assign
The explanation for these happenings to powers divine.
Nothing can be made from nothing—once we see that's so,
Already we are on the way to what we want to know
Lucretius?
Here's my AM
the two versions of the A404, with 18mm and 16mm lugs.
Last edited by M4tt; 23rd April 2019 at 18:22.
Eddie
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
^^^ that’s a nice thing to see on a drab Thursday! Looking great!
Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
Nice dial good outlines for daylight visibility, and lume plots for night. Perfect.
Is the other dial also in preparation (the "Everest Expedition" dial) as well?
D
Looks good, albeit with a minor criticism that I think the top half logo is too small in comparison to the "Everest" in the lower half, or the Everest is too big if you prefer. Either way, it lacks the balance of the black dial version ...
Last edited by 459GMB; 25th April 2019 at 12:18.
The dial does look 😎
Agreed. Perhaps if EVEREST font was in shade of the dial colour like the original? Other than that, no complaints here. Can’t wait for the full release.
Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
This pleases me greatly. I'm definitely holding out for one of these when they arrive. I've always found white dials to wear larger than dark ones, so I think it would complement my 40mm black dial rather nicely.
Dave E
Skating away on the thin ice of a new day
Beautiful!
Was hoping they’d be here by late May to be a gift to my father but he’s just going to have to wait, looks like it will be more than worth it.