Smiths

Who are Smiths?

“Smiths” on a watch dial means one of two different things. The first is the historic British company S. Smith & Sons, later Smiths Industries, which made watches near Cheltenham from the 1940s until around 1980; one of them was worn by Edmund Hillary on Everest in 1953 (Science Museum Group). The second is a modern brand: since 2011 Timefactors, a British watch company, has sold new watches under the Smiths name, after its founder Eddie Platts bought the rights to it (Watcharoo; Worn & Wound). This page covers both, keeps them separate, and then explains what to check when buying a Smiths watch second-hand in the UK.

The original company still exists as Smiths Group plc, an industrial group in the FTSE 100, but it no longer makes watches (Wikipedia). The modern Smiths watches are new designs made for Timefactors, not products of the original factory (Watcharoo).

The history of Smiths

S. Smith & Sons. Samuel Smith opened a jewellery shop at 12 Newington Causeway, in south-east London, in 1851 (Wikipedia). The firm moved to the Strand in 1872 and sold precision watches, with the Admiralty perhaps its largest customer. From 1904 it moved into motor accessories, starting with speedometers, and later into aircraft instruments (Wikipedia). Worn & Wound says that by the start of the Second World War its clocks held nearly half the UK market.

Wristwatches. Smiths made wristwatches only after the Second World War, at a watchmaking site in Cheltenham (Worn & Wound). Watcharoo places the wristwatch factory at Bishop’s Cleeve, near Cheltenham, and dates production there from 1947 to 1971; the Science Museum Group credits Hillary’s watch to Smiths English Clocks Ltd, Cheltenham. In 1946 Smiths and the Ingersoll Watch Company also set up the Anglo-Celtic Watch Co. to make watches in Wales; Wikipedia says it employed up to 1,420 people at its height.

Everest, 1953. The Science Museum Group’s record says Hillary wore a Smiths De Luxe during his climb to the summit on 29 May 1953, presented it in person to the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers the same year, and reported back to Smiths that it had performed very well. The watch had been prepared with a special lubricant for low temperatures, and has a 15-jewel movement in a steel Dennison case (Science Museum Group). Rolex also supplied watches to the expedition, and accounts of which watch reached the summit have long been disputed; Andrew Rollings, a Smiths restorer writing in The Outdoor Journal, argues that Rolex’s advertising overstated its role. See our page on Rolex. Watcharoo says Smiths introduced a range of Everest watches in 1954, though the name did not appear on dials until about ten years after the expedition.

Military watches. Worn & Wound says Smiths held Ministry of Defence supply contracts through the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Among them was the W10, issued from 1967 to 1970 (Timefactors), which Worn & Wound describes as the last serially produced British watch with all its components made in the UK.

The end of Smiths watchmaking. By the late 1970s the markets for Smiths’ clocks, watches and car instruments were shrinking (Wikipedia), and Worn & Wound says the company redirected its resources after being refused government aid. Sources give different end dates: Watcharoo says Bishop’s Cleeve wristwatch production ran until 1971, the Anglo-Celtic company closed in 1980 (Wikipedia), and The Outdoor Journal gives 1946 to 1980 for Smiths watchmaking as a whole. The parent became Smiths Industries and, on 30 November 2000, Smiths Group plc (Wikipedia).

The modern brand. Worn & Wound reported in 2017 that “the rights to the name have been purchased by Eddie Platts of Timefactors”. The first modern Smiths, the Everest PRS-25, was released on 29 November 2011 (Watcharoo). Timefactors now lists a range of Smiths models, many named after historic British watches (Timefactors).

What is Smiths known for?

The Everest watch. The Smiths De Luxe that Hillary wore in 1953 is held in the Clockmakers’ Museum collection at the Science Museum in London, lent by the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers (Science Museum Group).

British manufacture. Smiths made its own movements: Worn & Wound describes the W10’s calibre 60466E as a 17-jewel hand-wound movement made in-house by Smiths. Worn & Wound also says Cheltenham watches had to be hand-finished because the factory replaced its tooling less often than Swiss makers did.

Modern Smiths. Today’s Smiths watches are designed for Timefactors, with movements from Japan or Switzerland and cases made in Hong Kong. The Everest PRS-25 Gilt, for example, has a Miyota 9039 movement and a Hong Kong-made case and bracelet; the Military PRS-29A has a Swiss Sellita SW210-1 (Timefactors). They are not made in Britain, and Timefactors gives each watch’s country of origin on its product pages.

Which Smiths collections are there?

The collections table on this page covers the modern Smiths range sold by Timefactors, which lists more than a dozen models with PRS reference codes, including the Everest, Military, W.W.W., Commander 71 and Traveller (Timefactors). Timefactors makes them in limited runs: the Everest Gilt page describes a “fourth run” of that version (Timefactors).

Vintage Smiths watches are not a current collection. Names you will see in listings include the De Luxe and the military W10 (Science Museum Group; Worn & Wound). Some modern models use the same names, such as Everest, so check whether a listing is a vintage watch or a modern Timefactors one.

Who owns Smiths?

The two Smiths have different owners.

The original company is Smiths Group plc, listed on the London Stock Exchange and a member of the FTSE 100 (Wikipedia). Its businesses are now industrial, such as John Crane and Flex-Tek, and it has not made watches since around 1980 (Wikipedia; Worn & Wound).

The modern Smiths watch brand is sold by Timefactors. Worn & Wound reported in 2017 that Timefactors’ Eddie Platts had bought the rights to the name. The Timefactors website is copyrighted to Time Factors International Limited (Timefactors), and Companies House lists a company of that name, number 15694621, incorporated on 30 April 2024 to make and sell watches.

Buying a Smiths watch second-hand in the UK: what to check

1. Vintage or modern. First establish whether the watch is an original Smiths, made before about 1980, or a modern Smiths sold by Timefactors since 2011 (Watcharoo). A modern Smiths should have a PRS reference, and its papers should come from Timefactors.

2. Vintage condition and parts. Original Smiths watches are now decades old. Ask a watchmaker to check the movement, and ask whether any parts have been replaced and with what. Our guide to watch condition grades explains how sellers describe wear, and our guide on how to care for a mechanical watch covers servicing.

3. Military provenance. Watches such as the W10 carry military markings on the case back; Worn & Wound says RAF-issued W10s have case backs marked starting “6B”. Ask the seller to show every marking, whether the dial, hands and case back are original, and for paperwork to back up any claimed service history.

4. Modern warranty. Timefactors gives 24 months against defective workmanship, but the first 12 months apply only to the original buyer (Timefactors). A second owner should ask what cover remains. See watch warranties explained.

5. Papers and authenticity. Ask which items come with the watch and whether they are originals; our guide to what “full set” means explains what each item proves. Buy from a seller who will put authenticity in writing and accept returns, and read our guide on how to spot a fake watch.

6. Stolen-watch check. Check the serial number against a stolen-watch register before you pay. Our stolen-watch check guide lists the UK registers. Many vintage Smiths are sold privately; our guide to private seller versus dealer sets out the trade-offs.

For the full process from setting a budget to collecting the watch, see the guide to buying a luxury watch.

Frequently asked questions

Are Smiths watches still made in Britain?

The original company stopped making watches around 1980 (Worn & Wound). Modern Smiths watches from Timefactors use Japanese or Swiss movements and cases made in Hong Kong (Timefactors).

Is the modern Smiths the same company as the original?

No. The original company is Smiths Group plc, which no longer makes watches (Wikipedia). The modern watches are sold by Timefactors, whose founder bought the rights to the name (Worn & Wound).

Did a Smiths watch go up Everest?

Yes. The Science Museum Group’s record says Edmund Hillary wore a Smiths De Luxe on his climb to the summit on 29 May 1953 and gave it to the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers that year.

Where is Hillary’s Smiths watch now?

In the Clockmakers’ Museum collection at the Science Museum, London, lent by the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers (Science Museum Group).

Where were original Smiths watches made?

Near Cheltenham: Watcharoo names the factory at Bishop’s Cleeve. Smiths also co-owned the Anglo-Celtic Watch Co., which made watches in Wales (Wikipedia).

What is the Smiths W10?

A hand-wound military watch issued to British forces from 1967 to 1970 (Timefactors), with a Smiths-made 17-jewel movement (Worn & Wound).

When did the modern Smiths brand start?

With the Everest PRS-25, released by Timefactors on 29 November 2011 (Watcharoo).

What warranty does a modern Smiths have?

24 months from purchase against defective workmanship, with the first 12 months for the original buyer only (Timefactors).

This page is general information. Watch60 is independent and has no commercial relationship with Timefactors or Smiths Group.

We check the facts on this page against the sources listed, and it is correct to the best of our knowledge as of October 2026. Brands change their warranty, servicing and sales terms, so confirm them with the brand or the seller before you buy.