Collectible! Circa 1940s Smiths UK Tank Cal 602 7 Jewels Mechanical (OH)

Make: Smiths (UK)
Type: Mechanical
Model: Tank Gold Plated Series
Year of Production: Circa 1940s
Movement: 602
BPH: 18,000
Number of Jewels: 7
Hand and Dial: 3D Gold-Filled Arabic Number + Baton Indices with Dauphine Hands
Width: 31mm
Lug to Lug Height: 35mm
Thickness: 10mm
Lug Width: 18mm
Bracelet: Brand-New Hi-Quality Hand-Made Genuine Leather Strap with Gold Buckle
Pouch / Box: Brand-New EVA Type Zipper Pouch

The story of Smiths Watches begins in England in 1851 when Samuel Smith started a clockmaking workshop in London. In 1904, the company registered as S. Smith + Sons (Motor Accessories) Ltd. They diversified into automotive parts and accessories, including speedometers that became a significant part of their business.

In the early 20th century, Smiths began producing pocket and wrist watches. During World War II, the company played a crucial role in producing military timepieces for British soldiers.

After the war, Smiths introduced a variety of watches, including the Smiths Deluxe, the Everest, and the Astral. because of their involvement in motorsports, they produced dashboard instruments for many British sports cars and were the official timekeepers for events like the Monte Carlo Rally and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Despite its earlier success, Smiths Watches faced challenges in the latter half of the 20th century. The company struggled with increased competition from foreign manufacturers, changing consumer preferences and the introduction of the quartz watch. In the 1970s, Smiths ceased watch production altogether.

In recent years, there have been attempts to revive the Smiths brand. Time Factors UK established by Mr Eddie Platt in 1996 purchased the brand name and have been producing modern Smiths watches with a vintage twist.

Here we have a truly rare Circa 1940s Smiths Tank Cal 602 7J in near mint condition.

It's original sunburst ivory-white dial is in immaculate status after a good clean-up. The indices and hands had undergone a painstaking cleaning process and almost all imperfection were meticulously removed. The crystal is and was given a good buff.

Its gold-plated case was cleaned and given a good buff thereafter; however, miniscule scratches do remain. 

The movement was carefully stripped and meticulously cleaned via ultrasonic immersion, oiled, re-assembled and calibrated on 18 April 2024. It should be able to operate unhindered until the next servicing thereby providing the owner peace of mind. 

The crown is original and located at the 3H position. The hands are adjusted in the traditional manner of pulling out and rotating the crown that works flawlessly.

Equipped with the classic 602 movement, it has 17 Jewels that operate at 18,000 BPH. The time-grapher shows excellent readings i.e. rate of +1 seconds every 24 hours and amplitude of 162! Such readings are truly exceptional even by brand new modern automatic watch standards whereby the accepted tolerance is -20 to +40 seconds a day! This is a testament to the quality, the meticulous care provided over the years, and the painstaking calibration conducted.

The case width and height are approx. 31m (w/o crown) and 35mm respectively. The lug width is 18mm and the genuine leather strap can accommodate wrists up to 19.0cm; hence, suitable for men and the modern women.

The watch comes with a brand new hi-quality genuine black leather strap with gold buckle. 

To the best of our knowledge and expertise when overhauling the timepiece, the watch is 100% original Smiths components from this particular watch. No parts were replaced with aftermarket or modified parts. 

Due to its age, this timepiece has not been water-resistant tested.

The pictures provided shows the watch in excellent condition, and the movement within squeaky clean and well maintained. It has also been demagnetised to improve parts reliability, minimise wear + tear, and improve accuracy. The only drawback is the lack of documentation and original box. A brand new EVA pouch is provided instead. 

Bear in mind this watch has seen many of the previous owners’ ups and downs in life, and should be cherished and well taken care of for the next generation to savour such engineering beauty.

This vintage watch will make a beautiful birthday present for that special someone, and its value will appreciate over time.

This is an extremely rare Smiths Cal 602 Gold-Plated Tank in near mint condition; so, be unique and own a rare watch that is almost impossible to source in such fine condition.