Roger W. Smith
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DETAILS
Roger W. Smith, who preserves and continues 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 handcraftsmanship and the use of one of the most advanced modern escapements: the co-axial escapement, originally developed by Mr. Daniels in 1975.
After founding 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 launched in 2006 and, unlike Series 1, which used parts from a Swiss ebauche, became the brand’s first watch entirely crafted 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.”
The story goes that 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, Mr. Smith used the original Daniels’ co-axial escapement design with a double escape wheel, consisting of two stacked wheels on one pinion. In 2010, Mr. Smith replaced the double escape wheel with a single one, 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. It is distinguished by a blue tone, characteristic of blued steel, while earlier escapement wheel versions were made of uncolored steel. One of the main goals of these modifications from the original escapement to Version 3 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 many late Series 2 watches, including this Series 2 Mark 2 No. 03, Mr. Smith moved away from the original austere, technical appearance of the caliber in favor of a more decorative look, featuring hand-engraved finishes on the raised part of the 2/3 plate above the winding and ratchet wheels, as well as on the balance cock.
REASONS TO BUY
In our view, the Roger W. Smith Series 2 watch line, launched in 2007, has profoundly shaped the concept of a modern, high-quality, English-made collectible watch. This is the source of its historical significance and much of its collector appeal. Additionally, the watches are handcrafted using traditional techniques, making each piece, including this one, essentially unique. This Series 2 Mk2 yellow gold watch, equipped with an upgraded movement featuring Mr. Smith’s Version 3 co-axial escapement, is especially significant as it represents the first Mk2 run of just three pieces, launched in 2019.
The solid gold hour and minute hands, which appear massive, deserve special mention as a unique feature of the characteristic design created by Mr. Smith. Their distinctly bold appearance, with uncommon heart-shaped tips, clearly references the hands of English and other pocket watches made in the 17th century and earlier, when hands were turned on a lathe and finished by hand. The tips of the hands perfectly follow the markings on their respective scales – a sensible rule not always observed by modern watch designers. The dial of this watch gains distinctive character from the power reserve indicator hand, crafted from blued steel. Mr. Smith typically favors hands in the same shade of gold as the case, but he occasionally breaks this tradition. The small seconds hand, with its distinctively long counterweight, is crafted from gold.
ABOUT THIS WATCH
In 2019, Mr. Smith launched the Series 2 Mark 2 (Series 2 Mk2), then the latest version of the Series 2 design. The main difference from previous releases in the long history of the Series 2 is the updated movement design, which includes numerous changes. Many are minor, such as the modified shape of the steel bridge for the power reserve indicator gear and the hairspring stud. Others are significant, including the use of a separate bridge for the fourth (seconds) wheel, which no longer has a cap to hold the end-jewel; a slightly redesigned balance wheel; and a new shape for the two-thirds plate of the movement. All these changes are clearly visible in the movement of this Series 2 Mk2 watch.
Upon close inspection of this Series 2 Mk2 watch, one can observe the distinctive details of Roger W. Smith’s craftsmanship, demonstrating exceptional handwork. Even in the early Series 2 watches, Mr. Smith established the hallmarks of his signature style, which he maintains to this day. On the dial, this includes a multi-layer structure with a raised chapter ring, as well as the power reserve and small seconds scales, all circularly brushed and highlighted by hand-crafted guilloché patterns – vieux panier, clous de Paris, and filet sauté – creating a soft, ethereal glow.
The 18k yellow gold case of this Series 2 Mk2 watch is designed in the Empire style, typical of Roger W. Smith watches. The case is generally cylindrical, with a rounded caseband outer profile that flows into the rounded edges of the bezel and caseback. The proportionally large winding crown is also cylindrical and features straight knurling. The relatively tall, short, and generously curved-down 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 reveals its English origins. The finish is traditionally English, featuring frosted gilded bridges, a two-thirds plate, and a mainplate, with large chatons and blued screws. Engraved and black-filled inscriptions of the brand name, serial number, and production year appear on small arched plates screwed to the movement mainplate and two-thirds plate. The traditional movement layout with a two-thirds plate is harmoniously complemented by a large balance wheel with adjustment eccentrics, while the steel power reserve bridge and escapement bridge, finished 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 highlights the components of the co-axial escapement, including the blued Version 3 escape wheel.
This Series 2 Mk2 watch was released in 2019, as indicated by the engraving on the plate attached to the movement. It is marked No. 03 on the other plate and is part of the first batch of this model, with only three pieces made.
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