"This year marks twenty-five years of Roger W. Smith Limited - a milestone that marks not just the growth of a business, but my 40-year personal journey in the pursuit of horological perfection."
"From those early college days, I was drawn to the creative process of making something from scratch and the understanding that watchmaking wasn’t just a trade but an art form. It was a passion that eventually led me to design and hand-craft a new British timepiece entirely in-house - one built for generational longevity. That early, solitary pursuit brought me to my late mentor George Daniels, and to a realisation that my life's work would be more than just a craft. It became an enduring drive to challenge the limits of the mechanical timekeeper.
I have often been asked where my inspiration lies. I like to think that we are operating at the level the British watch industry would have reached had its Golden Age never been interrupted. With just 185 watches created so far, each piece represents an uncompromising commitment to that standard. By taking the pioneering innovations of George Daniels and advancing them further, I am not just preserving the past; I am pushing the boundaries of mechanical efficiency through the development of the co-axial escapement.
Beyond the bench, co-founding the Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers was an opportunity to create a new and distinct sector. Our industry is in the midst of a vibrant resurgence - one driven forward by entrepreneurial spirit and a shared passion for excellence. Of this I am extremely proud.
To those who own my watches, and to those who have followed my progress from the beginning: thank you for being part of this journey."
Every watch is painstakingly created by hand in Roger’s workshop from sketch to wrist, using the Daniels Method. He is the only watchmaker to do this. His workshop produces just fifteen to twenty watches each year, with some pieces taking over two years to build. Each piece is made to order.
Roger’s approach is to continually and obsessively push the boundaries of mechanical watchmaking. His ongoing development of the co-axial escapement has improved mechanical efficiency and longevity, leading to service intervals way beyond industry standards.
The Series One is a time-only wristwatch inspired by The GREAT Britain (2013). Its design prioritises simplicity, allowing the focus to remain on Roger’s approach to the art of watchmaking.
The Series Two features a power reserve complication and was Roger’s first wristwatch to be designed and created in-house using the Daniels Method. Its 20-year legacy makes it the cornerstone of Roger’s body of work.
The Series Three features a retrograde calendar complication and its symmetrical display offers a refined aesthetic.
The Series Four, with its instantaneous triple calendar and moon phase, features Roger’s revolutionary travelling date aperture. This concept solves the legibility issue created by some traditional date hands. On the moon phase, the night sky is captured in Roger’s signature purple-blue hue, with bleached silver moons and riveted gold stars.
The Series Five is the Mark 2 version of the Series Two Open Dial. Its time and power reserve dials float above the movement, revealing the depth of the mechanism, its intricate detail and the traditional hand finishing that runs throughout Roger’s work.
The Series Six, with its instantaneous date complication, is a celebration of Roger’s revolutionary travelling date aperture. The watch displays hours, minutes, and seconds on a floating dial centre, with the date indicated on a lower level.
