Rule Britannia! - The rise and fall of Smiths
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- Опубліковано 23 вер 2023
- Today we have a lovely Smiths De Luxe wrist watch from 1956 on the bench, a rather rare watch to find nowadays but which sold in droves especially in the UK in the last century. It has a few issues however...
Join Stian for a full service and repair of this black beauty as we go on a few tangents involving both the police and the Rolex Explorer!
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Video by Suzy Hazelwood: www.pexels.com/video/firework... - Розваги
5:48 Satan is co-credited for inventing the quartz oscillator ?!?
😎
I came for the watches, stay for the great history and information, and totally enjoy the humor in every video!
That's very nice to hear, thanks! :)
Ed Hillary wasn't British. He was a New Zealander.
Edmund Hillary’s grandfather, also called Edmund, was a watchmaker born in Lancashire (there’s a watch connection for starters). His great-grandparents came from Yorkshire. Most EU countries would trip over their own shoelaces to sell you citizenship on that basis, but I digress.
The 1953 expedition was a British one, led by Colonel John Hunt (British, although born in British India), appointed by the Alpine Club and Royal Geographical Society, with over 400 participants, including 13 climbers, 362 porters and 20 Sherpa guides. Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were nominated by Hunt as the second team to attempt the summit and made the attempt after the first team of Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans (both British) nearly made it but had to abandon the attempt 300ft from the summit due to problems with their breathing apparatus. The rest is history.
There is no evidence that anyone on the expedition wore a Rolex, whatever its marketing department would have you believe. 😂
@borassictime918
To quote Rolex directly from their website:
"The first expedition to fly over Everest was equipped with Rolex Oysters. The members of the crew were highly satisfied with the performance of the watches."
They, however, use a large picture of Hillary and Tenzing for this article which would surely confuse the story greatly.
@@christiankirkenes5922 Flying over Everest in a plane was the closest any Rolex got to the summit 😆😂🤣
@bubarowe yup, it's little wonder he tried to (successfully) get high 😁
I have a modern Hamilton with a black dial and red tip arrow type pointer on the seconds hand. That is one of the things that drew me to the watch. I like the simplicity of that watch. Very nice.
My very first watch was a Smiths. It was given to me for my 8th birthday, in 1963 - and I still have it. It still runs, too, but not well. I doubt the back has ever been taken off in its 60 years of life.
Maybe a service would give it a new lease of life.
@@stephencrowsen8537 I’m sure it would, but it’s honestly not worth spending a lot of money on.
Well done. Apart from your watchmaker's skills, you also are very entertaining and do a great job informing us on the history of watch brands. Congratulations on your >100K subscribers. There sure are more people that like your channel.
Thank you very much!
Hi Stian. Super video as usual and a beautiful British watch. Unfortunately Sir Edmund Hillary wasn't even British. A Kiwi, if I'm not mistaken.
Ah, you are of course right, Howard, he was a Kiwi! He was part of the British expedition however, which was probably why he wore a Smiths :)
Vintage watches with black dials scare me..... a lot.
Well done on 100k you have got there so quickly!
After 6 years I’m only half way there 😢
Thanks so much, Mike! It's only been going fast the last few months for me, but it's very nice that it started off :)
I collect vintage Smiths watches. I have six or seven in total, Astrals, DeLuxes, a solid gold Everest, an Imperial and a pre-DeLuxe no name model.
Happy days! My first watch, a gift from my father in 1953 (my eighth birthday) was a Smith’s.
Im working for a moment as airport ground service agent. I throw the bags out and into planes. I wear this watch on my shifts because we use GMT time and it can survive the beating. Well recently the acrylic glass started to crack underneath (maybe the glue is failing) as we work in 40 degrees celsius often. I swim also in the sea with it, and the moisture is getting in already as I can observe the fog. Maybe its time for a Gshock😂.
Edit: gramatic corrections, im falling into sleep.
These watches were never meant to be taken swimming with and that age an acrylic crystal going is not unheard of
I Serviced a Smiths Astral which had a 85 movement in it, it too had a gold case and black dial and dial was mint!. This movement had a balance shock setting which looked like a KIF Flecktor. The rest of the movement was pretty much the same as this. It was a pleasure to work on and the client was over the moon when they had it back. I really did like this watch and the movement was quality. Smiths watches were made in Coventry i believe which is about an hour from where I live.
Really enjoyed this episode.
Major congratulations on the 100K mark, Stian. It was too long in coming but is so well-deserved. You represent the best of the interwebs. Lol, you really had me going with the calculations for adjusting the seconds tension spring. 😂
😂👍
Really nice old watch. My first experience with Smiths instruments was with an old British car dad bought when I was young, a Wolseley I recall. More recently, about two years ago, my wife bought me a vintage Smiths bedside alarm clock which is still going strong👍👍
Very cool!
Congratualtions on having 102k subscribers! I enjoy the relaxing and calm way of you talking, which really helps me in the evenings when I need to wind down.
Thank you so much!
Congratulations Stian, and thank you so much for your kind words on my post recently, big love to you and yours Ralfy
Thanks Ralfy, same to you! 😊
Great vid as usual! 🙂 IIRC it was Zenith who invented the direct centre seconds in the late 1940's, but it took a while for it to catch on with others. Shock protection by various brands was another fairly early innovation(mid 30's)but it took until around the 60's for it to be near standard. The external rotating bezel was late 20's(Longines), but took until the 50's to end up on diver watches. Maybe patents were the issue? I find it interesting that Longines bezel patent ran out around a year before Blancpain, Rolex et al came along with the modern diver watch layout.
Congratulations on 100k! It's overdue, I think. You have what is perhaps the most... um... watchable watchmaking channels around. You always explain what you're doing, keeping in mind you newer viewers who might not know by now, and your history, humor, and personal touches keep it all interesting and engaging for everyone. Please keep it up!
Thanks so much! 😊
Congrats on 100,000 subscribers! I would never have thought there would be that many people interested in a watch channel, but your commentary IS quite nice so there we are!!!
Thank you very much!
A few years ago I started my journey of watch repairing and restoring very optimistic with two abused Smiths cheap pocket watches, aka dollar watches. I fell in love with the design of the dials and the hands. But, the movements were a real pain, never meant to open and work on, I believe. After several days of struggling and breaking parts I trashed the stuff. Stil have the lovely dials in my part trays, to look at on rainy days.
Cool!
Great to see your channel grow. 👍👍
Thanks! 👍
Love the Smiths watches. When I joined the British Military in 1972 my first G1098 watch was a Smiths.
Oh and congratulations on 100k subs. A great achievement for our niche subject.
Thank you so much 😀
I've just done my first service ever on a Smiths Empire, a pocket watch, mostly inspired by your channel and your contents. Thanks! Ciao from Rome!
That is awesome!
I have to admit, I have watched all your channel videos and you are the only one that takes the hands off and folding them in the plastic! Such a professional touch as no one does it. I appreciate your attention to detail and you really are a skilled craftsmen!
Thanks! 😊
See the Nekkid guy, he does that always
Great camera work and storytelling. Your talents on the watch and in the narration is enjoyable. Thank you for sharing your talents from a watchmaker wanna be
Thank you very much, Kody 😊
@@VintageWatchServices I'm sure you've been asked this tons, but do you have any advice to those who want to explore the art for hobby and just for self enjoyment? Not looking to do anything but learn and appreciate mechanical timepieces. I did purchase the watch fix lesson videos I need to sit down and view.
102k - well done Stian you totally deserve it. I've been watching since the beginning of your channel and you've kept the formula about the same, so you're onto a winner! OK, apart from the rumble 🙂
Thanks, Alan! Yes, I thought the idea of a watchmaker getting ready to rumble was fun but it didn't really work 😂
Beauty what they made back then so simple and joy to look at good job as usual
As always, a clever and ever educational service. For my part as a lover and enthusiast of all things horological it is important to get the basics right. Your education is/was much the same I am certain.
Dear Stian, Congratulations on 100 000 subscribers! You so deserve it, as this and all of your previous videos are of such great quality, most instructive and fun to watch and listen to. P.S. Love the list of inventions, particularly the shared contributions to the Quartz Oscillator.
Thank you so much 😁👍
THANKS,,,,GREAT VIDEO
Very nice watch ❤
Congrats on your 100K subscriptions.
The first watch bought for me by my grandmother was a Smiths 17 jewel. That would have been about 1962 when I was 7 years old. I was under strict instructions to look after it which I did until I was about 17 practicing archery. The bowstring caught the watch strap and ripped it off my wrist and launched it about 30m down range. The crystal and hands were gone and it won't work. I still have the watch and it had exactly the same design second hand with the red pointer but the watch is a rectangular shape. I did see about getting it repaired but was told its beyond economic repair.
Yet another excellent video! 🇺🇲🇸🇯🇺🇲🇸🇯
Good show Stian, old boy.
Much obliged, old chap! 😁
@@VintageWatchServices Pip pip
Congratulations on a hundred grand. Always enjoy watching!🥳
Thanks so much!!
Stian, you’re on fire with this one! Taking shots at the dog, the Americans, Rolex, the wife, the perfume, the British automakers, and yourself. Whew!
🤣💪
A first time seeing that movement for me. Always nice to see a new one...
More to come!
Amazing photography, Stian! Especially the close up of the pallet fork lubrication. Your my favorite watch maker!
Wow, thanks! 😊
100 k is a serious accomplishment. Nice dress watch. Gold-black is very classy color combo. That strap goes along nicely.
Thanks!
You are showing your Norwegian heritage with your comment about "our Destination". Edvard Munch's The Scream comes to mind. 😱
😁
Huge congrats on 100k subs! 👏Already up to 103k too - the channel just won't stop growing! Pretty soon we'll see Stian using diamond encrusted, solid gold tweezers, and on the cover of all watchmaking tabloids. 😁 Seriously though, well deserved! You always give us such great content, and your work is always incredible. 🙏
PS: I always knew Walter Guyton Cady collaborated with Satan, thank you for raising awareness on this issue -- Big Quartz wants to keep us all quiet, wake up sheeple!
😂👍
Congratulations, Stian. Nice watch
Well done. I'd agree with the accolades other's have given you. I enjoy the relaxed tone of your voice plus the odd dad joke and other snippets of information. Next stop 200k.
Thank you kindly!
Congrat's on 100k subscribers. Have to say that I don't understand why there aren't more because I find you very entertaining as you service the watches. Well done and keep up the great work.
Wow, thank you!
Congratulations on the excellent 👍👍work, I love the videos, Greetings from Switzerland🇨🇭🇨🇭
Thank you very much!
Big congrats on reaching 100K, Stian! Well on your way to the Horology Hall of Fame!
Fingers crossed! 😂
👍 on breaking 100k. Nice looking watch with a simple yet rugged appearing movement
Meant to say the last time I watched this that Smiths made many automotive instruments, Speedos etc. One close to my heart was the chronometric Speedo that was fitted to my Triumph Trident, as well as many other bikes. Renowned for accuracy and unwavering needles.
Mind you my old Landrover went one better and had a Jaeger speedo😊
😁👍
As a schoolboy in Kent in the late 1960s I noted how other boys were digging up buried Messerschmidt's and taking instruments for souvenirs. One such was a Smith's wind up clock - from a German aircraft, please note...)
😳
Absolutely LOVED the American/Satan invention of the quartz movement! I believe that is 100% correct.
Thanks for noticing! 😂👍
First class content as always, Stian. This watch is also known as the Smiths De Luxe A358 and I think it is a lovely dress watch that isn't expensive to buy. They can be approximately dated from the serial number (C304558 on this one) stamped on the movement body.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge, John! 👍
Maybe the second hand started stuttering because Mrs. Vintage Watch came into the room and the second hand was shy. 😊
😆👍
I think that is a beautiful watch with a simple, elegant appearance. I like the central second hand, the block hour markers and the absence of complications and decoration.
Smiths were also famous for their car and motorcycle speedometers and tachometers (including chronometric speedos) that you see on lots of classic vehicles from the '50s through the '70s.
Congrats on 100k, well deserved. IIRC Smiths was absorbed into the Lucas engineering group in the 70s? 80s? hence the focus on instrumentation and sensors.
Ah, "Lucas"; American owners of British cars have attached the following to that name: "The Prince of Darkness". This epithet is along the lines as those used by (one supposes former owners back in the day) to describe Lotus cars: "Lots Of Trouble; Usually Serious".
Congratulations on 100k subscribers! It's well deserved for the quality videos you make, and the vast knowledge on the history of watches and watch brands you share! Keep up the good work!
Thank you very much!
Thank you friend, wonderful ❤
Congratulations on 100k. 🎉
My very first watch in 1972-73 was a Smiths. I was 7-8 years old. Unfortunately I don't still have it.
Yeah, we do not think about these things when we are kids but when we grow older we would love to have our first watch still with us :)
Wish there were some videos where you do restore a watch case and even replate etc.....kind of gets boring where it's just take apart a movement then put it back together. Channel is great and I know your a purist when it comes to cases/dials but would be cool to see at least one or two where they get restored....obviously would have to be what the client wants of course. Cheers!!
There are several videos where I restore cases and also plate them, you can find them on the channel homepage :)
Stain congratulations on the 100k subscriptions well deserved. Some fun facts about Sir Edmund Hillary he was from a small town south of Auckland NZ called Tuakau where his family had a small farm. He was educated at Auckland Boys Grammar school and later became a beekeeper. Sir Ed as he is known in NZ tragically lost his wife and a daughter in a plane crash in Nepal. After Sir Ed’s death his second wife tried to sell off his watch collection but Ed’s son Peter and family stopped the watches going to auction and I believe they are now on display at the Auckland Museum. As always keep well from New Zealand 🇳🇿 and sending this message while on holiday in Greece 🇬🇷
Thanks Bruce, and enjoy your vacation :)
Another very good video, and I applaud your 100,000 subscriber achievement! I am ceaselessly amazed by the close-up photography of the moving watch parts. That is quite an undertaking along with the watch repair itself. Thank you for making it available for viewing.
Thanks!
Edmund Hillary was a New Zealander, not British.......
Also just to clarify. old Smiths have nothing to do with the new watches produced by Eddie Platts/Timefactors - he bought the right to the Smiths name in that regard. Eddies watches (which are generally excellent btw) are manufactured in Asia.
Congrats on the 100k!!! Well deserved. Beautiful watch. Thanks for the video.
Congrats on hitting 100k!
Thank you!!
Congrats on passing 100K. Well deserved. Keep it going.
Thanks, Kev!
Takk for video Stian. Elsker all informasjon du kommer med.
Great video. Congratulations on the 100 thousand.
This is my favorite style of watch. Simple but classic. Unfortunately the closest ill get to one is my automatic TIMEX. Thanks for taking us along 👍.
The Soviet Union is still the best place to get a budget friendy, but historically important and well-made watch. I'd recommend the 22-jewel Родина (Rodina) series of watches from the 50s. Their 2415A movements are well made for their period and rather robust, being the USSR's first automatic watch. Expect to pay about $150 for one.
Thank you. I appreciate it. im going to look into one. Thanks again
Congratulations on the channel's success! Again a lovely watch with interesting details. And of course an entertaining and informative video. Thank You, Stian!
Sir Edmund Hillary was from New Zealand, the 1953 expedition was British. A Rolex Oyster Perpetual wrist watch was presented to Sir Edmund Hillary by Rolex Bosecks of Calcutta, India in 1953. Hillary Collection. Auckland War Memorial Museum
100,000 subscribers!!! Congratulations!!! Wish you good luck for the future too.
A very informative and entertaining video. During my schooldays, I have seen some cars have Smiths clocks which run on the car battery. To move the hands, you have to press a button and then turn it. So, this video took me back to those days. Take care and waiting for more videos from your end. Cheers!!!
Thank you so much, K 😀
I own a Smiths Deluxe that is closest to the one worn on Everest. It's called the A404 and has a Dennison case and a anti-magnetic iron insert, which is like a secondary case back. Unfortunately the watch looks a bit rough and does not run properly. Eventually I will go ahead and find someone to fix it up for me.
great job, Maestro…you forgot one of the most scientist ever seen, Huygens, invented the balance as we know during the 17th century
Is it the same Smiths that made automotive gauges?
Also, I've never really noticed the amount of subs you have until today Stian but I will say I think this is the best watch repair channel on all of UA-cam. You've just got the right mix of self deprecating dry humour, watch knowledge, video making skill, sarcasm and class and style. There is another watch channel I like but today is your day, so I'll desist from mentioning it (besides you're more regular than he is with your vids).
On top of all that you lift iron all day long LOL ....
What a guy, what a channel.
Yes!
And aircraft gauges
I couldn't agree more, this channel is gold!
Many watch manufacturers also made gauges indeed. A family member of mine used to drive a Citroën DS that had Jaeger gauges. Next level class.
@pierre-yvesp3769 Yeah I forgot about Jaeger automotive gauges.
Congratulations with 100k subscribers! Very informative vid, again. I'm glad that you make vids of less known brands (if I can call Smiths that) and more cheap brands also. And now I learned that it's possible to summit Everest without wearing a Rolex! 😅 Anyway... if I'm ever going to spend like 15000 Euro on a watch I'd rather buy a vintage Vacheron than a Rolex.
Congratulations on hitting 100k subscribers, a well deserved milestone! 👍
Very fine job as usual!
The reason why the seconds hand stutters is obviously because you sneakily replaced the original mouvement with a Miyota 82xx off camera.
😳 No one was supposed to notice that!
Congratulations on the subscriber numbers Stian! 👏
Thanks! 😃
Great video as always and _🎊Congrats on 100k 🎊 Subs,_ you deserve it! 👍👍
Kind of funny that the ad I got before the video started was for a Rue or Rule Britannia Silver Coin. 😂
Very cool!
YAY! congratulations on reaching 100k
Once again, a very engaging and entertaining video from the newly 100k+ subscribed watchmaker. Congratulations!
Thank you very much!
Stian - Congratulations on passing the 100K member mark! Richly deserved in my view and I look forward to all your future material.
Thanks, Randy!
A lovely story and a nice fix. Congrats on the 100+K subscriber level.
Thank you so much 😀
Congrats on 100k
Thank you so much 😀
Congrats! told you ! nice moment! so value and quality will win always? nice video and story !
Yes! Thank you!
@@VintageWatchServices very happy for you ! the journey will continue!
Congrats on reaching 100K Stian and Ed Hillary was a Kiwi mate.
Thanks! And yes, he was, sorry about that :)
Nice work, can't help thinking this would be well worth the time/effort to professionally refinish the dial. Such a nice time piece.
Oh, I would never consider refinishing this dial, it's in much too nice condition for that 😊
It must look better in person.@@VintageWatchServices
Maybe the seconds hand didn’t stutter before the service because it was slightly bent? That provided a little friction so the pinion didn’t drop because of gravity? The new pinion is straight of course, So it needed some extra tension on the spring to make the teeth mesh well. Bit of a stretch but the only thing I could come up with 😊.
Exactly my thinking as well!
Congratulations on 100,000 Subs.
Thank you very much!
Smith's was the most used English out/motorcycle instrumentation IE speedometrers/tachometers/gauges
Not knowing about the watch co, I assumed Smith’s was a British department store or jeweler that imported watches and put their brand on them.
Congratulations on 100k Stian.
Thank you!
Hey, don't think I didn't see the devil next to the American with the the quartz oscillator. 😅 Great channel btw. Keep up the good work
😁👍
Great video and great story 😁 thank you 👍
Glad you enjoyed it!
@@VintageWatchServices always enjoy your vids dude 👍 keep up the awesome work.
ÓTIMO SERVIÇO LINDO RELÓGIO 👍👍 🇧🇷
Thank you for another informative and entertaining video. What are your thoughts on a recent trend of skeletonized movements that even have an exposed main spring?
As long at it's tastefully done, sure, but it tends to get a bit blingy....
When I think of Smiths, I think of instrumentation in a friends ‘80s Jaguar and how reliable that car was (or rather wasn’t), and compared to the Jaeger instrumentation in another friends Peugeot 505 diesel and how reliable that tank was, and how indestructible my W123 Mercedes diesel and its VDO instrumentation was (did VDO ever make watches?). I still drive a Mercedes, and my Pug friend drives a Volvo (but still owns the Pug!). But the final friend gets all green and shakes when he here’s the name Jaguar.
I seriously associate smiths watches with Timex, not something this nice.
Yep, Smiths is probably better known for instrumentation than for watches, and especially not for nice watches. I thought I'd feature a nice specimen rather than one of their more common low level pin pallet junk watches...
wow beautiful
I love old mechanical watches the older the better .👍
I was hoping that you would mention the 'compensated' balance wheel. This is now only found on high end watches. You did not attempt to adjust the rim screws and I wonder why ? Excellent video, thank you.
Hello Mick, balance wheels in the old days used to have timing screws to be able to poise them more easily. With improved materials and production processes, they're not really necessary anymore. This watch didn't have too much of an issue with the poise of the balance wheel, so no adjustment was needed. That is also a very rare thing to have to do.