Originally founded in London in 1851 by Samuel Smith, the company first established itself by making automotive dials and cockpit instruments and obtained a Royal warrant in 1907. A factory was built in Cheltenham at the beginning of the Second World War, and it is from this factory that the majority of vintage Smiths come from. It was at this time that Smiths’ military involvement began. They received contracts from the MoD to provide watches, which they made from scratch. By the end of the War, Smiths consisted of over 20 companies, ranging from motors to aviation, and, of course, clocks and watches. By the late 1970s, the clock and watch division of the company had broken up. The most famous Smiths wearer has to be Sir Edmund Hilary, who carried a Smiths watch to the summit of Everest.
Extra Points
The watch has a 19 jewelled, manual wind, cal. 0104. In 1960, the caliber numbers on Smiths watches no longer appeared, so we can date this watch fairly precisely.
What we think
We love this symmetrical dial and the mix of Arabic and dagger baton markers make for a very interesting design! This watch looks great on any strap and is a great size for both men and women. Smiths is a fantastic brand for a first-time, vintage watch buyer but we also know many collectors with at least one Smiths in their watch collection!
Spec Stuff
Reference :
Movement : Manual Wind Cal. O104 Age : 1951/1960 Specific Age : Circa 1958-60 Case Size : 35mm Case Thickness : 12mm Lug to Lug : 40mm Lugs :18mm Condition : Pre-Owned Box & Papers : No Case Material : Stainless Steel Service History : 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty
1950s Smiths Imperial all English made Wristwatch in Rarer Stainless Steel Circa 1958-60
