# Smiths Watches



## LincolnTom (Jul 8, 2006)

I've just been given a couple of late 60s, early 70s Smiths wristwatches that used to belong to my Grandfather (he worked for Smiths most of his life). I was wondering if anyone who reads this forum knows anything about the company and its watches?

One is a Smiths Everest, gold with a kind of champagne coloured face. The movement is 19 jewel and 'shockproof'. From a little bit of google-trawling I understand that Everest is a name Smiths used on a variety of watches - is it an indication of where the watch stood in the Smiths' range at the time or anything like that? I think this watch is probably late 60s. The second watch was presented to my grandfather by the company 'for 25 years service' and working from that I think it's a mid-70s model. It doesn't say Smiths on it, but says Astral with a little crown above the brand. This onbe has the date and day at the 3 o'clock position. The movement is 17 jewels and it also says incabloc on the face.

If anyone has any knowledge about these kind of watches or the marque I'd be really grateful if they could let me know it! I'm really pleased with them, they look a lot better than any modern watches out there in my price range, and it's saved me buying an old omega with my first pay packet!

Many thanks,

Tom


----------



## psychlist (Feb 28, 2005)

Hi and welcome - if you can post pics we'd love to see them.

I have a Smiths Everest and have seen them in a variety of different giuses. Hopefully an expert here will know the answers to your questions.

I like the idea that we used to have a watch industry in this country and have a _very_ small Smiths collection -


----------



## Jeremy67 (Jun 27, 2006)

Presumably (esp. looking at the font) the same Smiths that made the instruments for many British cars up to the 70s (under their own name and on the more upmarket cars as Jaeger) and also quite alot of military electronics.

I belive they exist to this day as: www.smiths-aerospace.com


----------



## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Your right about the car clocks and Military aircraft clocks Jeremy....









(Except Jaeger Le Coutre ( JLC ) was a maker in its own right)

Im pretty sure the Smiths in your link has nothing to do with the Watch company though......


----------



## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

jasonm said:


> Your right about the car clocks and Military aircraft clocks Jeremy....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I think they still own the Smiths watch name ..... Roy knows


----------



## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

hello tom and welcome to the forum

jase didn't mac post a link to the history of the smiths factory a couple of months ago or thereabouts??

anyone remember???

anyhow, here's a few more SMITHS




























i'm sure i have a couple more (somewhere!!) that i haven't taken pics of.

regards, john


----------



## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

Smiths Industries still own the trademark for "Smiths" to be used on watches. They will not ley anyone use it, I know , I have tried negotiating with them several times.


----------



## Roger (May 17, 2003)

They used to be made at their factory at Bishops Cleeve.....right next to Cheltenham racecourse about 15 miles from here

Roger


----------



## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

johnbaz said:


> hello tom and welcome to the forum
> 
> jase didn't mac post a link to the history of the smiths factory a couple of months ago or thereabouts??
> 
> anyone remember???


Sure did, see here









The "Tick-Tock"

I can`t be certain but I think that Smiths watches which have `Made In Gt Britain` rather then `Made In England`on the bottom of the dial were made there









I have a few Smiths watches myself including this one which is my favourite...

*Smiths Imperial, Cal0104 19 Jewels, `Made In England`, c1960.*


















Welcome to the forum Tom


----------



## greyowl (Jun 7, 2006)

It's great to see that 'Made In England' on the bottom of dial, there is something special about that..............


----------



## quoll (Apr 20, 2006)

I think Smiths 'Everest' as a name honours the first watch up Mt. Everest, which was Hilary's Smiths De Luxe. Rolex sponsored him and frankly changed history when he got back - hence the belief that the Rolex Explorer was the first watch up Everest.


----------



## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

quoll said:


> I think Smiths 'Everest' as a name honours the first watch up Mt. Everest, which was Hilary's Smiths De Luxe. Rolex sponsored him and frankly changed history when he got back - hence the belief that the Rolex Explorer was the first watch up Everest.


Rolex
















Cheers

Paul


----------



## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

i found a few more

a couple of pocket watches (still got three or four more of these somewhere), the empire (right) is boxed.










a couple more wristwatches, the one on the left is a crappy swiss (EB) movement.










regards john.


----------



## Jeremy67 (Jun 27, 2006)

jasonm said:


> Your right about the car clocks and Military aircraft clocks Jeremy....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Not Jaeger Le Coutre just Jaeger. I have an Austin Healey Sprite mk2 with Smiths instruments. Mum has an MG Midget (the same car as the the Sprite but with a different badge) and it's identical instruments are badged Jaeger.

Roy, a shame SI won't let you licence the brand, that would be cool.

With Lucas now fairly defunct maybe you can licence that brand!


----------



## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

I was checking my photo files and realised I`d never taken a photo of this Smiths which I won last year off the bay









*Smiths 7 Jewels, `Great Britain`Made at The Gurnos Works, Ystradgynlais Wales.*










In superb condition except the winder jumps, hopefully not too difficult for a repairer to fix









BTW here`s the rest (apart from the Imperial which you`ve already seen







) of my Smiths collection...

*Smiths De Luxe 15 Jewels `Made In England` c1950`s*










*Smiths Empire, 5 Jewels c1950`s `Made in Gt Britain` at The Gurnos Works, Ystradgynlais Wales *










*Smiths Empire, 5 Jewels, c1960`s? `Made in Gt Britain` at The Gurnos Works, Ystradgynlais Wales. *


----------



## Chascomm (Sep 9, 2005)

Roy said:


> Smiths Industries still own the trademark for "Smiths" to be used on watches. They will not ley anyone use it, I know , I have tried negotiating with them several times.


Roy,

Apparently they have permitted one client to use the Smiths brand name, but it is a very special exception. The company that bought the tools for the old Smiths electromechanical car-clock were permitted to produce them with the 'Smiths' brand. A friend of mine bought one new for his MG. I've been borrowing the car for a few weeks and can confidently say that the clock keeps better time than several quartzes that I have around the house









So I guess that you'd have to actually possess the means to build a genuine Smiths watch with Smiths-designed movement before they'd let you use their name









Bummer, eh?


----------

