Roger W. Smith
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DETAILS
Roger W. Smith, who has preserved and carried forward George Daniels’s knowledge and legacy throughout his career, produces his distinctive English timepieces on the Isle of Man. The Series 2, his first series-produced model, is a hand-wound wristwatch with a power reserve indicator, whose design and construction strongly recall vintage English pocket watches. Overall, Mr. Smith’s timepieces are a striking blend of traditional hand craftsmanship and one of the most advanced modern escapements: the co-axial escapement, originally developed by Mr. Daniels in 1975.
After launching his own brand in 2001, following more than a decade working with Daniels, Mr. Smith focused on the rectangular Series 1 watches for several years. The Series 2 watch was introduced in 2006 and, unlike Series 1, which used parts from a Swiss ébauche, it became the brand’s first watch crafted entirely in Mr. Smith’s own workshop, with all manufacturing done in-house (as always stipulated), except for some components requiring specialized technologies, such as jewels and crystals. It is worth noting that Mr. Smith prefers the designation “Series Two,” but the market generally refers to the watches as “Series 2,” as engraved, for example, on the caseback of this watch.
This Series 2 in white gold is one of the earliest watches in this edition, its movement engraved with serial number 03, making it a highly prized timepiece from Roger W. Smith’s early period. After producing the first Series 2 watches, in 2008 Mr. Smith decided to limit production of this model to three Editions, totaling 90 pieces—30 in each gold color. However, as customers preferred custom-made watches, he soon abandoned the Edition concept, ultimately releasing only five pieces each in yellow (Series 2 Edition 1), rose (Edition 2), and white gold (Edition 3).
In the early Series 2 watches, including this one, Mr. Smith used the original Daniels co-axial escapement design with a double escape wheel, consisting of two stacked wheels on one pinion, as envisioned in Daniels’s design. In 2010, Mr. Smith replaced the double escape wheel with a single wheel, referring to this escapement as Version 1. A further modification followed in 2012, when the Version 2 escapement was introduced, featuring an escape wheel with very long teeth and no rim. The transition to the Version 3 escapement, which reduced the escape wheel diameter from 6 mm to 4.5 mm, occurred in 2014. One of the main goals of these modifications was to reduce the moment of inertia of the escape wheel, which generally aligns with the technical evolution of the Daniels co-axial escapement in Omega watches. In a significant number of late Series 2 pieces, Mr. Smith abandoned the original austere, technical appearance of the calibre in favor of a more decorative look, with hand-engraved finishes on the barrel bridge and the balance cock.
REASONS TO BUY
The Roger W. Smith Series 2 is one of the rarest modern watches produced in series, even by the standards of independent watchmakers: only 60 pieces are known to have been made between 2007 and 2019, before Mr. Smith introduced the Series 2 with the upgraded Mark 2 movement. Produced using traditional handcrafted techniques, each watch, including this example, is essentially unique. Notably, this Series 2 Mk1 Edition 3 in white gold is one of the earliest examples; its movement is engraved with serial number 03 of 5 made in total, making it an extremely valuable early Roger W. Smith timepiece. The Series 2 has defined the concept of modern, English-made collectible watches, giving this watch both historical significance and strong collector appeal.
ABOUT THIS WATCH
Upon closer inspection of this Series 2 Mk1 watch, one can discern the distinctive details characteristic of early Roger W. Smith production, illustrating the exceptional use of handcraft. In this context, some imperfections visible under high magnification in the fine details of the finish – such as the slightly uneven way the varnish has filled the engraved numerals and lettering on the dial – appear more as virtues and testaments to the craftsmanship than as flaws. Even more significantly, in the early Series 2 Mk1 watches, Mr. Smith finally established the hallmarks of his signature style, which he maintains to this day. On the dial, this includes a three-dimensional structure with a raised chapter ring, along with the power reserve and small seconds scales, accentuated by hand-crafted vieux panier and clous de Paris guilloché patterns that create a soft, ethereal glow.
The blued steel hands of this watch, which appear substantial, deserve special mention as a distinctive feature of Mr. Smith’s style. The distinctly three-dimensional shape of the hand corps and the heart-shaped point clearly reference the hands of pocket watches produced in the 17th century and earlier in England and other countries, when the hands were turned on a lathe and then finished by hand. The tips of the hands of the Series 2 Mk1 perfectly follow the markings on their respective scales – a sensible rule not always observed by modern watch designers.
The white gold case of this Series 2 Mk1 Edition 3 watch is drum-shaped, flowing smoothly into the rounded edges of the bezel and caseback. The thin bezel of the 38mm case leaves ample room for the dial to appear spacious. The proportionally large crown is also cylindrical and features straight knurling. The relatively tall, short, slightly tapered lugs characteristic of early Roger W. Smith watches convey a sense of solidity and reliability, as does the case as a whole – exactly Mr. Smith’s intention when developing this design.
A glance at the movement immediately reveals its English origins. The finish is traditionally English, with frosted, gilded bridges and mainplate, large gold chatons, blued screws, hand-engraved inscriptions, and minimal beveling, without any garish polishing. This contrasts sharply with the more ornate, classic Swiss style. The traditional two-thirds plate layout is harmoniously complemented by a large balance wheel with adjustable eccentrics, while the steel power reserve bridge, escapement bridge, and fourth-wheel bridge cap – all with spectacular black polish – impart a technical character to the movement, reminiscent of the finest English pocket chronometers of the 19th century. The rose gold plating of the escapement bridge and fourth-wheel bridge cap draws attention to the components of the co-axial escapement. Here we find its double-wheel version, typical of the early Series 2 watches.
This Series 2 Mk1 Edition 3 watch was released around 2008. The case diameter is 38 mm, and the very narrow bezel, compared to the 40 mm versions launched in 2010, gives the watch a refined, classic style that reduces the case’s presence on the wrist and emphasizes the distinctive, inimitable Roger W. Smith dial.
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