Series 2, Mark 1, Yellow Gold

Roger W Smith makes watches at a pace that renders many independents, even Dufour, near-industrial. Across its entire 2007–2019 run, the Series 2 amounted to 61 Mark 1 examples in all metals, roughly five a year from a workshop that has never completed more than ten watches annually. Of those 61, just 13 left the Isle of Man in yellow gold. This Series 2 was made in—as it is engraved—MMXIV. This ‘Mark 1’ Series 2 is the very heart of contemporary British independent watchmaking. 

The story is well told, but worth retelling. Roger left school at 16 for the Manchester School of Horology and, at 22, built a pocket watch by hand from the instructions in George Daniels' Watchmaking. He carried it to the Isle of Man for the master's blessing. Daniels rejected it. Five and a half years of remaking later, Roger returned with his second and received the words that changed English watchmaking: 'Congratulations! You're now a watchmaker.' After collaborating on the Daniels Millennium series, he founded his own firm in 2001, in a converted bedroom of his Manx cottage.

The Series 2 was Roger's declaration of independence: his first watch made entirely in the Isle of Man according to the Daniels Method, raw material in one end of the workshop, finished watch out the other, only springs, jewels, crystals, and straps bought in. The hand-fabricated three-body case is 40mm across and 13mm tall. Its solid silver dial is constructed like a movement: hand-cut basket-weave guilloché center, flame-whitened ground, grained chapter ring, each piece soldered or screwed from behind. The frosted, gilded three-quarter-plate calibre launched with Daniels' two-wheel co-axial; from 2010, Roger's own single wheel. This example carries the lightweight Mark 1 escapement, its 6mm escape wheel lightened 23% in 2012 to run a weaker mainspring. The 2019 Mark 2 shrank that wheel to 4.5mm, demanding a full redesign. This was the start of Smith’s total independence. 

This is one of 13 Mark 1 Series 2s in yellow gold and, per Roger himself, at most one of the other 12 exists to this spec (40mm, yellow gold, with Mark 1 movement with the 6mm single-wheel escapement). Far from being rejected by Daniels for looking 'too handmade', that is today the hardly-evident spine of the brand. The Series 2 remains Roger W Smith’s signature model, created from sheer ambition and raw materials, seen through to a perfected wristwatch by one determined, highly-skilled individual. 

This Series 2 presents in excellent overall condition. Its case is very strong with light signs of even patina, commensurate with occasional wear. Its movement is running perfectly in specification on our timing equipment. It comes with its original full set and matching pin buckle clasp.

This example is modelled on an average-sized 7-inch wrist.