Tinkering with a Smiths Everest

I mentioned that I'd recently picked this up over here:
https://omegaforums.net/threads/any-love-for-smiths-about.21732/#post-308626

As there seems to be an upsurge of interest in Smiths (yes, one thread from six months ago that I resurrected), thought I'd show some details of this stock Smiths watch. British design and build from the 50s/60s - think Mini Cooper, Mary Quant, Cafe racers, Marshall amps, Twiggy, English Electric Lightning, The Beatles. OK, this may not be in the same league but they have a good history.

It was very dirty so needed a service before use. It appears to be a Smiths 12.15, 12 ligne (approx 27 mm diameter) with 15 jewels. They seemed to use the same movement in the 50s and 60s, this one with a sub second but they modified it to have a central seconds as well. This is Astral grade which sounds impressive until you realise that the better grade is the Deluxe!

It was very dirty but came apart well and is a very simple movement. There are a few interesting things with this movement but it's really the most basic movement you can get. Anyway, might be of interest to some.

Here after cleaning with the first parts to go on, shock jewels and the second wheel/cannon pinion. This is, as @JimInOz and @Geo! mentioned, a KIF Flexor, I think.

Spring rotates and lifts to allow the jewel in.


Then rotated to it's locking position. Quite a nice system but not as easy as an Incabloc. Two screws for the balance cock is probably excessive but looks nice. Adjustable stud carrier so a doddle to set the beat error later.

Less said about the existing mainspring, the better. This is how it looked when I opened it up and it's all off to one side. I tweaked it a little but have ordered a GR4563 as a possible best fit. Interesting to see how it runs with this and it's easy to change later.


Barrel mounted and meshed with the second wheel/cannon pinion. Then above that the ratchet wheel mounted on the arbor. The bridge includes the crown wheel and has some wear from the ratchet wheel but the bearings are more or less fine. The problem is likely to be excessive greasing for the click and lack of clamping on the bridge when the click is fitted. Almost impossible to buy parts for these so, pressed back into service.

Barrel bridge mounted without click, that's later.


It's back together so will add some more later.

Cheers, Chris

All the way to Spain!? I think it's about time @JimInOz started with these😉 No complications at all not like those Seikos.

And another part.

Turned over and conventional keyless works. There was more grease here than on my car wheel hubs and I may have been a bit generous myself. The setting spring is a weak point and generic parts are available. This one is fine. Note the hole in the wheel to oil the third wheel jewel. Omega could have learnt from that for the 565... It won't run like a 565 though.


Train in place. Not the best finish but nice enough for a cheaper movement. Some pivot wear so am not expecting chronometer performance.


Main bridge fitted and pallet fork in place. I suspect this is the first time this movement has seen epilame, Let's hope it appreciates it. No lubrication guide for this so, I treated it like an sixties Omega.


This steel piece is the click/spring and is another weak point available as a generic replacement. Guess where it usually fails... This looks to be homemade so I will buy a new generic one to improve it's look and work out a proper way to grease it. It's an easy change.


Fitted and it does look agricultural but it works and the movement runs fine. However, it's impossible to fully screw down that barrel bridge screw (compare to before I fitted it) so it's definitely not correct. This is not helping in supporting the barrel and second wheel.

After a half day running, it's not bad on the timegrapher (few additional tweaks to get here). Unknown lift angle so, I use the red dot on the balance wheel, 180 degree method and make it 47 degrees.

215-240 amplitude at 0H which should improve over the week and a five position delta of 25 seconds. All the curves exhibit this rolling hills shape and as the screen represents about 35 seconds, I think it's the wear in the escape wheel pivots. I can't do anything about that.

Dial on and recased later.

You've put me in the mood to do mine Chris, but I really must finish a couple if on going projects first.

I know the feeling. I've played with this one on and off over the weekend (it's not a long build being so simple) and tried it at half wind today and its within 35 seconds so, cleaned the black bits off the dial and it looks quite good. Nice blued hands but it may not be obvious from the photo.

Worst issue is there is pretty much zero parts availability and information. I'm not even sure I'm getting the right mainspring.

I'm sure you will get it running perfectly Chris. It's a really nice looking piece and well worth the effort.

Some interesting information on Smiths and nice watches here http://www.smithswatches.com/

Well, it settled down @Geo! I've not seen this before but, after running for a couple of days:


Remember that I estimated the lift angle at 47 degrees but, it's clearly very good amplitude and not a bad line for this movement. Good isochronism too, I am quite surprised given the state of the mainspring. It's a bit stronger than Ranfft lists so I will probably change it. I'll get that click Jim - here is the complete list of parts at Cousins that I can find so, stick to your Seikos.


Thanks @noelekal. I wouldn't recommend working on these with this parts availability but, I like this watch and may keep an eye out for a W10. Might write something about the ETA 6498 I'm building at the moment - they're all different and that's interesting to me as well.

Cheers, Chris

I have had a couple of watches settle in after a while, but not quite so dramatically. It's going to be a good one Chris!