Smiths Vanguard anyone?

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Oldhooky
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Re: Smiths Vanguard anyone?

Post by Oldhooky »

I thought I'd pressed Send on my reply yesterday, so another go at it.

Ref the customer service aspect, Eddie plays with a straight bat. Of the thousand plus watches he has designed, commissioned (at considerable expense - see threads) and sold, there have been a couple of over-reported incidents/disputes. From memory and from one I've just re-read, they were about pieces which were returned to him with dubious or incomplete explanations of faults. In terms of returning items under distance selling, I've returned a piece without any issue whatsoever; Eddie was unemotional and professional. The refund was the same day he received the piece.

He recreates some iconic pieces, and does this with considerable input from the forum. The designs go through numerous iterations, and so the final pieces tend to represent a co-design process and one which reflects what people want to add to their collections. It's not a matter of banging out homages and hoping they sell in large numbers. The Vanguard is likely to be a 100 piece run.

"This has been on the drawing board for a long time, in fact since 2012. It's taken so long because I was determined that this would have a quality movement and these are not easy to find or readily available. I initially wanted to use the Valjoux 72 but I could only find a handful and these were priced at $900 each. I was then offered some Lemania 1863 (Omega 861) but these also were $900 and, as old movements, they would need stripping, checking and lubricating which would have added further to the cost.

Step in the Seiko Instruments NE88 (Seiko 8R28), a column wheel chronograph with vertical clutch for smooth operation and the chronograph can be left running for extended periods of time without fear of undue wear to gear teeth."


He is a Northerner with dry northern humour, which probably means some folks are unintentionally offended.

I'm sure there are some equally fierce defenders of brands on other Forums; they don't represent the views, likes or dislikes of thousands of other members.

The Vanguard is an exceptional piece. The diameter is nigh on perfect, but yes, she is a big girl. I've popped mine on a Tropic and it reduces the overhaul look of heft and shine. I'm not used to such a tall watch, so I need to wear it a bit. Once on the wrist it quickly feels right, and given that one mostly looks at it front straight on rather than from the side, it works, and really well. So no, it's not perfect. For example, no drilled lugs, and getting the spring bars out without a proper twin spring bar tool was a real pain.

But if you like the looks, appreciate great engineering and fancy the style, there isn't much competition, especially when you think that Newman's chrono sold for over $17 million!
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EddieTheBeast
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Re: Smiths Vanguard anyone?

Post by EddieTheBeast »

^^^^ Thanks for the write up on Eddie and the watches that he creates and your own Smiths Vanguard. I'm really glad you like your new Vanguard - I think the watch looks really good! Please could you send a few photos of your watch to this link, I'd especially like to see it on the tropic strap.
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Re: Smiths Vanguard anyone?

Post by Thegreyman »

sproughton wrote: Tue Jun 04, 2019 10:34 am
Thegreyman wrote: Tue Jun 04, 2019 7:31 am Styling is definitely very Newman Daytona-esque.
It's a direct copy isn't it?
I see that now, on first glance it looked very similar but it’s obviously more than similar (other than the price of course)
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Re: Smiths Vanguard anyone?

Post by Windy_Miller »

I have just experienced Eddie’s customer service first hand with the new Vanguard. I, like many others have struggled to remove the bracelet. I took it to my local jeweller and they could not shift it either. I contacted to Eddie to ask if he would have a look at it under warranty. I received a very prickly and defensive response accusing me of damaging it and he said ‘what and I supposed to do with it?’. I have decided not to return it because I don’t want a fight. I have purchased several watches from him over the last 20 years but I guess you only find out about customer service when something goes wrong. I now want to sell my Vanguard because the experience has tainted my image of the watch and the company.
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Re: Smiths Vanguard anyone?

Post by Oldhooky »

I took mine to a jeweller and with the right took it popped off. Don’t let them try if they don’t have it. Tolerances are very tight, but it’ll come off.
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Re: Smiths Vanguard anyone?

Post by Windy_Miller »

Oldhooky wrote: Mon Jun 10, 2019 7:38 pm I took mine to a jeweller and with the right took it popped off. Don’t let them try if they don’t have it. Tolerances are very tight, but it’ll come off.
Might try a different Jeweller
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Re: Smiths Vanguard anyone?

Post by Windy_Miller »

I’m surprised that it came on a chunky bracelet with a divers extension. I think it’s natural home is black leather.
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Re: Smiths Vanguard anyone?

Post by Lavaine »

Windy_Miller wrote: Mon Jun 10, 2019 7:30 pm I have just experienced Eddie’s customer service first hand with the new Vanguard. I, like many others have struggled to remove the bracelet. I took it to my local jeweller and they could not shift it either. I contacted to Eddie to ask if he would have a look at it under warranty. I received a very prickly and defensive response accusing me of damaging it and he said ‘what and I supposed to do with it?’. I have decided not to return it because I don’t want a fight. I have purchased several watches from him over the last 20 years but I guess you only find out about customer service when something goes wrong. I now want to sell my Vanguard because the experience has tainted my image of the watch and the company.
Apparently that's just Eddie's "dry Northern humour" and you shouldn't be offended. Or it might actually be bad customer service being defended by a fan boi.
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Oldhooky
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Re: Smiths Vanguard anyone?

Post by Oldhooky »

Lavaine wrote: Mon Jun 10, 2019 11:07 pm
Windy_Miller wrote: Mon Jun 10, 2019 7:30 pm I have just experienced Eddie’s customer service first hand with the new Vanguard. I, like many others have struggled to remove the bracelet. I took it to my local jeweller and they could not shift it either. I contacted to Eddie to ask if he would have a look at it under warranty. I received a very prickly and defensive response accusing me of damaging it and he said ‘what and I supposed to do with it?’. I have decided not to return it because I don’t want a fight. I have purchased several watches from him over the last 20 years but I guess you only find out about customer service when something goes wrong. I now want to sell my Vanguard because the experience has tainted my image of the watch and the company.
Apparently that's just Eddie's "dry Northern humour" and you shouldn't be offended. Or it might actually be bad customer service being defended by a fan boi.
Careful. I’m not a fan boy. I wrote an objective summary based on my experience, and I didn’t say that he or his watches are perfect.

I sold my Vanguard last match night. I found it too tall and also a little difficult to see the hands at certain angles

Fan boi? Feel free to apologise.
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