# Smiths Astral - More Tales From The Bench



## Agent orange (Feb 11, 2006)

Just thought I'd share another watch I've been working on and just finished.

This is my step Grandfathers Smiths Astral given to him after 50 years service for British Railways. Interestingly the case back is engraved "in appreciation of 45 years service" but he served a 5 years apprenticeship which BR never considered to be part of an employees service.

This was awarded in 1972 from memory (so probably wrong) and was worn everyday until it eventually broke. I'm amazed it's survived in such good condition as he was a very practical bloke and rather er robust shall we say.

The movement is a cal.60466E as used in the Smiths W10 but without the hacking feature. A hack lever was added by Smiths under the train wheels to meet MOD requirements for the W10. It's a very well made and finished movement with frosted gilding and lovely shaped balancecock. These were made in Bishops Cleeve which is north of Cheltenham although the cases were supplied by BWC (British Watch Case Company) of London.

It needed a new bolt spring, a little attention to the hairspring, a service and a replacement crystal. I foolishly didn't take any before pics but here's how it now looks.























































TBC...


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## Agent orange (Feb 11, 2006)

And something that you don't see too often.



















All in all it's a lovely, well made little watch and a snap shot into English watchmaking and manufacturing that's unfortunately long gone. I'm sure my stepdad will be delighted with the results.

Cheers,

Gary


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## taffyman (Apr 26, 2011)

what a nice clean looking watch i doubt if you would find many watches in that condition around today njoy H


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## bridgeman (Dec 9, 2008)

excellent job. How did you clean the dial and what with?

love these long service awards- a lifetimes history there.


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## Rotundus (May 7, 2012)

very nice - astrals were one of the first watches i collected.


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## Agent orange (Feb 11, 2006)

bridgeman said:


> excellent job. How did you clean the dial and what with?
> 
> love these long service awards- a lifetimes history there.


Fortunately the dial was pretty clean but you could hardly see it under the completely hazed plexi. A little bit of patience and some rodico removed most of the stains, dust and hair that were on it.

I've heard rumours that brown sauce it a good dial cleaner, probably the vinegar content in it I'd guess. Anyone tried it and if so was it successful?

You're not wrong about a lifetimes history. He joined the railway in 1922 and retired in 1972 so must have lived through a huge amount change and turmoil.

Cheers,

Gary


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## rovert (Aug 2, 2012)

Nicely done Gary, it looks great.

Rovert


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## pugster (Nov 22, 2004)

nice work and a great clean watch :thumbup:


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## IGGULDEN (Sep 12, 2012)

Lovely watch. I bet the 5 year apprenticeship were some of the hardest years he spent there!


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## gaz64 (May 5, 2009)

Gary a fantastic watch and of sentimental value as well. I love to see these retirement pieces


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## streety (Jan 17, 2009)

A beauty. And I'm really interested in the brown sauce and vinegar clean up method if anybody has tried.


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## Agent orange (Feb 11, 2006)

Thanks guys 

I spoke to my stepdad as he got the watch back this morning and I did get the dates wrong. My step grandfather actually retired from BR in 1966 after 52 years service. He carried on working for another 6 years until eventually retiring in 1972, hence my confusion.

My stepdad is delighted with the makeover. His dad was a hard drinking man so he's going to wear the watch in his dads local tonight and toast him over a pint or two, rather fitting I thought :cheers:

Cheers,

Gary


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## streety (Jan 17, 2009)

Agent orange said:


> Thanks guys
> 
> I spoke to my stepdad as he got the watch back this morning and I did get the dates wrong. My step grandfather actually retired from BR in 1966 after 52 years service. He carried on working for another 6 years until eventually retiring in 1972, hence my confusion.
> 
> ...


Really nice sentiment. Cheers to the guys that pass on those little treasures :cheers:


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## aroma (Dec 11, 2009)

They are lovely watches and I've noticed prices creeping up recently. If that watch of yours was being sold by a dealer, I reckon the price would be upwards of 600 GBP.


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## aroma (Dec 11, 2009)

BTW is that an Edinburgh hallmark (a castle)? If it is then the case was made in 1968 - I would think that organisations like BR would have bought these watches in bulk and stored them until needed. Hence the difference between manufacturing date and retirement date.


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## Agent orange (Feb 11, 2006)

I can't be completely sure about the assay mark but i think it's probably the Edinburgh castle, in which case it's from 1968. The odd thing is though I've been told he retired from BR in 1966 which was the year his wife died, very curious.

Here's the best pics I could get when I had it open.










Price wise I doubt they'd command so much. About 6 months back there was one pretty much identical in a pawn brokers in Crewe for Â£250.

Cheers,

Gary


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## aroma (Dec 11, 2009)

Yes, that's an Edinburgh stamp - Can you tell me the 'batch' number of the movement as I'm constructing a database of Smiths watches and dating them is ever so difficult. Any info is always useful.

It is very strange that BWC, who resided in London, sent their watches to Edinburgh for assaying.

Virtually all the BR long service watches have the same inscription so they must have had a good stock and just issued them out when someone achieved the magic age. I can't imagine being in the same job from 15 to 65 - mind you, your grandad would have been there in the heyday of steam - wonderful. BTW have a look at this:

http://www.antiquewatchstore.com/product_info.php?products_id=1397

I know it's an Imperial but that what they go for from a dealer nowadays - with a bit of provenance mind you

Cheers


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## Agent orange (Feb 11, 2006)

The only numbers on the movement are on the pic below. Is 109 the batch number?










I think my step grandad started at 13 and worked a couple of extra years until he was 65. He must have seen a lot of over the course of his lifetime.

As a side note I was chatting to my stepdad and he was telling me about his uncle in the Merchant Navy who sailed around Cape Horn on a clipper, imagine that! He used to send issues of the Sea Breezes back to my stepdad which he still has. I must have a look at them next time I'm in Crewe.

Cheers,

Gary


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## aroma (Dec 11, 2009)

Yes, 109 is the batch number - I'll see how it fits in now I have the hallmark as a dating reference

Thanks


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