S. Smith & Sons is a multi-national British industrial group functioning under several names in the industry for over 150 years. Few people are aware of the wonderful legacy of this erstwhile watch making behemoth. Yes, that is the right word for during their heydays of watch and clock manufacturing they were producing over 25,000 timepieces per day; this was around 1950. These manufacturing facilities were in Wales.
It was also around this time that the Smith brand was associated with the first conquest of Mount Everest. Sir Edmund Hillary also wore a Smith wristwatch (DeLuxe model) although it was another world famous brand (famously advertised) associated with Hillary's climbing of Everest. Smith also got their share of publicity as the famed New Zealand mountaineer stated that the Deluxe Smith model watch worked flawlessly throughout the expedition due to the special lubrication used in the Smith watch movement. The expedition was using other sensitive equipment manufactured by S. Smith & Sons*.
The Smith watch brand has stopped production since 1980's as quartz watches and other advanced manufacturing technologies took over watch production. Smiths have diversified into other areas such as medical instruments and other products. However, vintage Smiths fetch a premium in the collector's market and ticking perfectly to this day. An avid collector posting in the Perpetual Time review forum has stated that he owns a couple of Smiths with one being the Timefactor model.
In the same Perpetual Time review he expresses his appreciation for the generic spare parts used by this restorer for the W10 military Smith model. British collectors value such craftsmanship of founder Samuel Smith and handed down several generations. With Britain once again free of the clutches of Brussels the time is ripe for Smith-styled British resilience.
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It was also around this time that the Smith brand was associated with the first conquest of Mount Everest. Sir Edmund Hillary also wore a Smith wristwatch (DeLuxe model) although it was another world famous brand (famously advertised) associated with Hillary's climbing of Everest. Smith also got their share of publicity as the famed New Zealand mountaineer stated that the Deluxe Smith model watch worked flawlessly throughout the expedition due to the special lubrication used in the Smith watch movement. The expedition was using other sensitive equipment manufactured by S. Smith & Sons*.
The Smith watch brand has stopped production since 1980's as quartz watches and other advanced manufacturing technologies took over watch production. Smiths have diversified into other areas such as medical instruments and other products. However, vintage Smiths fetch a premium in the collector's market and ticking perfectly to this day. An avid collector posting in the Perpetual Time review forum has stated that he owns a couple of Smiths with one being the Timefactor model.
In the same Perpetual Time review he expresses his appreciation for the generic spare parts used by this restorer for the W10 military Smith model. British collectors value such craftsmanship of founder Samuel Smith and handed down several generations. With Britain once again free of the clutches of Brussels the time is ripe for Smith-styled British resilience.
Related Source: https://perpetualtimereviews.wordpress.com/2016/11/02/smiths-watchmaking-legacy/
https://sites.google.com/site/perpetualtimereviews/smiths-watchmaking-legacy
http://perpetuatimereviews.weebly.com/blog/-smiths-watchmaking-legacy
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