Anyone got a Smiths Everest

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UncleDicky
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Anyone got a Smiths Everest

Post by UncleDicky »

From Timefactors?

I am considering a modern take on a 'sports' watch and the Timefactors Smiths Everest really appeals.

Image

I used to own a 1967 Tudor Prince Oysterdate - black face, silver hour markers and a lovely silver rose logo (Tudor dropped the rose for the shield in '69 but have recently brought it back on the Heritage range) which in those days was sold in a signed Rolex Oysterdate case and usually had a Rolex signed crown as well. It was a lovely watch but I sold it because I needed a more resilient watch and in those days I was stupid enough to think that you only needed one watch! (I know...I know....how daft!)

Thoughts?
At £250 for a 100m water resistant with a decent high frequency movement it seems rather affordable for someone with a terminal case of Compulsive Watch Buying Syndrome
C9 Marine Chronometer Small Seconds, C8 Mk2 Aviator, C600 Trident Pro; Lum-Tec Combat B19, Elliot Brown Canford, Smiths Everest, Casio Protrek.
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UncleDicky
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Re: Anyone got a Smiths Everest

Post by UncleDicky »

of course - the other advantage is - being a Smiths and not having Swiss Made written on it SWMBO won't realise what it is!
sssssshhhhh.....
:shock:
C9 Marine Chronometer Small Seconds, C8 Mk2 Aviator, C600 Trident Pro; Lum-Tec Combat B19, Elliot Brown Canford, Smiths Everest, Casio Protrek.
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Re: Anyone got a Smiths Everest

Post by reggie747 »

UncleDicky wrote:
Thoughts?
At £250 for a 100m water resistant with a decent high frequency movement it seems rather affordable for someone with a terminal case of Compulsive Watch Buying Syndrome
Thoughts ?
Buy a pre-owned one and save a hundred quid !
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Re: Anyone got a Smiths Everest

Post by jmarchitect »

These don't often come up at £100 off RRP but they do occasionally appear on TZUK at £175-200. If I didn't already own a MKII Vantage I would have picked up an Everest by now. In fact, there have been occasions where I have thought one could easily sit alongside my Vantage. The elements that appeal are the plexi crystal and slightly larger proportions.
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Re: Anyone got a Smiths Everest

Post by keepitsimple »

Yup and I like it.

Very nicely made (by Roland Kemmner, despite the "Great Britain" label)

Miyota 9015 - very accurate and consistent - after a minor regulation running easily within COSC standards.

Good price for what you get - (and I haven't seen one going used for the suggested £100 less, but would be a good buy if you do).

Bracelet and clasp isn't up there with the very best, but you can't really expect that for the price.
I'm not keen on bracelets anyway, (the one exception being the current Rolex Explorer I which is superb) so mine is fitted with a nice hefty mid brown leather strap which suits it surprisingly well. Pierced lugs make changing over very easy.

Be aware though that it isn't finished between the lugs, so that lack of finish shows with a strap if that bothers you.

By the way - it does actually say "EVEREST" on the bottom half of the dial, but it is in glossy black lettering on a matt background, so hardly visible except at some angles. Suspect when designed it was expected to show up more than that....

Dial is Rolex Explorer-ish without being too close a clone. Very visible and easy to read (good for some of us who are a bit older) with good lume.

Very wearable size (IMO) ~ 40.5mm, but with a wide bezel which makes it look smaller. So no good for those who like the current fashion for an alarm clock on the wrist :thumbdown:

Thankfully, they didn't copy the old Smiths "crown" trademark on the dial. If you've ever seen one, you'll know why :oops:
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Re: Anyone got a Smiths Everest

Post by UncleDicky »

Indeed, I have a couple of original Smiths.
I didn't know about the unfinished lug gap. Do you think this could be polished with a Dremel and some water of Ayr stone?

I saw a review with it on a decent leather... Looks the mutts nuts.
I'm no fan of bracelets. Omega ones an exception , I find them rather uncomfortable
C9 Marine Chronometer Small Seconds, C8 Mk2 Aviator, C600 Trident Pro; Lum-Tec Combat B19, Elliot Brown Canford, Smiths Everest, Casio Protrek.
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Re: Anyone got a Smiths Everest

Post by reggie747 »

keepitsimple wrote:Yup and I like it.

Very nicely made (by Roland Kemmner, despite the "Great Britain" label)

Miyota 9015 - very accurate and consistent - after a minor regulation running easily within COSC standards.

Good price for what you get - (and I haven't seen one going used for the suggested £100 less, but would be a good buy if you do).

Bracelet and clasp isn't up there with the very best, but you can't really expect that for the price.
I'm not keen on bracelets anyway, (the one exception being the current Rolex Explorer I which is superb) so mine is fitted with a nice hefty mid brown leather strap which suits it surprisingly well. Pierced lugs make changing over very easy.

Be aware though that it isn't finished between the lugs, so that lack of finish shows with a strap if that bothers you.

By the way - it does actually say "EVEREST" on the bottom half of the dial, but it is in glossy black lettering on a matt background, so hardly visible except at some angles. Suspect when designed it was expected to show up more than that....

Dial is Rolex Explorer-ish without being too close a clone. Very visible and easy to read (good for some of us who are a bit older) with good lume.

Very wearable size (IMO) ~ 40.5mm, but with a wide bezel which makes it look smaller. So no good for those who like the current fashion for an alarm clock on the wrist :thumbdown:

Thankfully, they didn't copy the old Smiths "crown" trademark on the dial. If you've ever seen one, you'll know why :oops:
WOW ! One post in over 3 yrs membership. That must be a forum record you got there keepitsimple ? :)
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Re: Anyone got a Smiths Everest

Post by keepitsimple »

I post only when I think I may have something helpful to say...

(Edit - in fact I'd forgotten I ever signed up in the first place....)
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Re: Anyone got a Smiths Everest

Post by keepitsimple »

UncleDicky wrote:Indeed, I have a couple of original Smiths.
I didn't know about the unfinished lug gap. Do you think this could be polished with a Dremel and some water of Ayr stone?

I saw a review with it on a decent leather... Looks the mutts nuts.
I'm no fan of bracelets. Omega ones an exception , I find them rather uncomfortable
I think the Smiths logo was created in a more innocent and less prurient age :)

My AT came on the Omega bracelet - bracelet itself is quite nice, but I find the butterfly clasp a pain to use, so that's now also on a leather strap with the excellent Omega deployment buckle.

As for finishing between the lugs - outside my knowledge or skill, but initial thought is it would be tricky to do it and keep it perfectly flat vertically without marking or damaging the inside of the lugs if you think about the angles involved. The inside of the lugs is also unfinished, so you'd probably need to deal with that for consistency. The edge of the bezel is polished, so you'd either have to be very careful about not spoiling that, or remove the bezel. I'd describe the unfinished area as machined and fairly smooth, but not brushed.

I'd leave it to a professional I think.

Having said all that, you only notice it if you look for it, and it doesn't bother me. It's a tool watch with a fairly rugged strap rather than a formal dress watch with a lizard skin band - (it would bother me if it were).

I'll try to photo it for you, but it may not be straight away.
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Re: Anyone got a Smiths Everest

Post by jtc »

Have a search on this forum about Smiths, in case you should ever have problems.

Lovely cheap watch though.
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Re: Anyone got a Smiths Everest

Post by richtel »

Does it really have an acrylic crystal? If I were looking at the Everest as an everyday 'beater' I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable without something a little more scratch resistant on top.
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Re: Anyone got a Smiths Everest

Post by keepitsimple »

richtel wrote:Does it really have an acrylic crystal? If I were looking at the Everest as an everyday 'beater' I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable without something a little more scratch resistant on top.
Yup - as part of the homage to the original watches, and also part of its "charm", including the edge distortion, watch profile etc.. It would have to look quite different if designed for a sapphire crystal.

Acrylic is easily polished and/or cheaply replaced.

Almost all my other modern watches are sapphire, but I'm quite happy with acrylic on this.
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Re: Anyone got a Smiths Everest

Post by blowfish89 »

richtel wrote:Does it really have an acrylic crystal? If I were looking at the Everest as an everyday 'beater' I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable without something a little more scratch resistant on top.
Yes it does. The crystal is what makes the watch. It is easily polished by polywatch once every three months if it scratches. Can't get that with a mineral or sapphire crystal.
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Re: Anyone got a Smiths Everest

Post by Dancematt »

richtel wrote:Does it really have an acrylic crystal? If I were looking at the Everest as an everyday 'beater' I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable without something a little more scratch resistant on top.
Acrylic crystal is far better than Sapphire. Like no contest.
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Re: Anyone got a Smiths Everest

Post by richtel »

Interesting opinions, thanks chaps. To me, it just screams 'cost reduction'.
Rich

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