Smiths Traveller PRS-58

Personally I'd get a Seiko SSK on secondary markets because I like the bigger case, smaller price, and the company has a good track record. But if you like the size and trust the movement than go for it. I don't know too much about these guys though.

happy hunting.

P.S. Citizens Nighthawk is another beautiful GMT. It isn't your typical GMT, but I love all of mine.

Beautiful watch. Perfect dimensions for my wrist and I really like the great bezel-to-case ratio that breaks the slab-sided look (cough Black Bay cough). Not looking to buy a new watch at the moment but I can 100% see myself wearing the black version. 👍

Smiths is a brand with a pretty cool history. Especially the part where they beat Rolex to the Everest. 😜

Seriously considered it. Three things stopped me:

1. No date option available. A GMT without a date is like a duck without webbed feet. Can it work, sure. Why though?

2. Trying to buy from the Timefactors store is literal hell. Makes Zelos' releases look easily obtainable.

3. No firsthand experience with this, but rumor has it that Eddie (the guy who owns Timefactors) is something of a jerk, and makes post-purchase customer service an utter hassle (contrast that to Zelos' Elshan, who makes it a dream).

I was going to buy it to complete my set of Smiths’ Everest Expedition and Monopusher but:

1. I’ve moved on from Smiths; I want to have different movements from other bands.

2. Eddie was a dick to me after I broke an irrelevant rule on his overly closed/protected forum.

That said:

1. The watches are exceptional value for money.

2. The finishing is simply superb and not just ‘for the money’.

3. The watches are nicely sized and look great.

4. The community helps design the watches, which is cool.

If you like it, buy it - you won’t regret it.

Not to mention, this is a resurrected brand. Has no real connection to the original owners. And as you said, the reputation is less than stellar.

The no date is a great point

Other than that issue, it’s actually my favorite 9075 design that I’ve seen so far.

@bmuner and everyone else

#smiths #microbrands #reviews

I have a collection of Timefactors watches and the process of getting a new one is rather stringent. I live on The Pacific Coast so, when the window of opportunity to get one is on a Sunday morning at 6:00 a.m. PST. It is a military execution (Eddie Platts owner former military) to snag one so here is the process and comments.

You have to sign up to their newsletter and set up an account

You will be notified by email of events where the shop will be open to obtain some models not all

The events happen not more than two Sundays a month at 14:00 UK Time being GMT in the winter

Generally you have about one minute to select the available model and option. If successful, it will appear in your cart

Once the item is in you cart, you have about maximum one minute to pay for it otherwise, the item will come out of the cart and be available for someone else to snag

Once successful, you will receive an email confirming receipt of order and usually on the following Monday you will obtain the tracking details

UPS courier will the carrier and it will arrive within a week.

I have different models and there have been times one or two have been repeated based on demand. There have been some where only a limited number have been made and that is it. There is a good secondary market for these watches and some models sell over original listing price. Others tend to hold there value reasonably well. Timnefactors was set up in The Mid 1990s by Eddie Platts in Sheffield England. He obtained the right to Smiths brand, which has a good history of production of British clocks and watches. He also has production rights for other brands like Sewills, being less known. The quality of production is very good. Recent models have high grade Miyota movements which are not bad at all. There is an element of quality control and one watch I received was Dead on Arrival and Eddie replaced it. So, I have not issue with their customer service. Some models are better than others and that may be subjective. There has been some research and development that has gone into these models with a high level of thought process. Smiths brand has a cult following and appreciated by many. Fairly good value for money based on build quality and reliability. The process of obtaining one from new is similar to other micro or independent brands like Ming and can be frustrating as well as off-putting as there is a military precision exercise with focus and discipline to get one.

I hope this helps. I just snagged a SMITHS TRAVELLER - PRS-58 a True GMT Miyota 9075 automatic movement.

Case • 316L stainless steel, brushed top with polished sides • 48 click bi-directional stainless steel bezel with ceramic insert • Diameter 38mm, 41mm including crown • Lug to lug height 45mm • 15mm to the top of the sapphire crystal • Lug spacing 20mm • Anti-magnetic 20,000 A/m with anti-magnetic movement cover • Water Resistance 20ATM/200 metres/660 feet • 156 grammes including bracelet • Screw back, screw down crown, drilled lugs

Dial • Satin black or Vintage White • Triangle, numbers and indices including bezel SuperLuminova X1-C3

Hands • Silver or heat-blued Syringe hands • Luminous: SuperLuminova X1-C3

Crystal • Sapphire with anti-reflective coating on the underside , 30mm diameter x 2.5mm thick

Movement • Miyota 9075 "True GMT", 24 jewel automatic, 28,800 BPH Bracelet • Jubilee steel bracelet tapering from 20mm to 16mm with screwed links and solid end links. Micro adjustable push-button clasp with signed flip lock.

I got the black dialed one. Very excited to get my hands on it. I understand the missing date issue in theory, but in reality I just don't think I care. Dial looks great without it.

@mondrayum and @ahnstein let us know how you guys like the watch when you receive it!

I got the vintage white. The black looks so good, but most of mine are black and I wanted something different.

Anyone get a shipping notice yet? Mine is still saying "unfulfilled."

My creamy-white version arrived yesterday. The dial looks cream in low light conditions and white when things are bright. The colours remind me of a subdued/vintage Zodiac or Farer, and the blue bezel makes the Watch look smaller than its 38mm. Fitted to my 175mm/65mm flat wrist, 6 links were removed meaning it should fit a 212mm/8 1/4” wrist with one hole of the clasp left to adjust (6 holes in the clasp). The jubilee bracelet allows some movement which makes it comfortable.

Lume is very good, but doesn’t seem to last as well as other Timefactor watches I own, and decays faster than my Seikos. I’ll have to test it properly and will post back. This was taken indoors.

Edited: tested the lume overnight compared with a Smiths Commander and a Seiko skx5 diver (can’t remember it’s full name) and the lume on all three is excellent, though the Seiko appears better because it has considerably larger lume plots. Here’s a 0.5 sec exposure photo taken 9 1/2 hours after exciting the lume on each with a white LED torch for 30 seconds. They didn’t look this bright in reality - probably some clever multiple exposures being done by the iPhone - but it shows a comparison. Seiko, Commander, Traveller:

I think it will be a great holiday watch with 200m water resistance, and where the GMT function will be used. Possibly fitted with a less blingey bracelet to make it less noticeable to scroats.

And to answer the OP @bmuner ’s question is it worth the money - hell yeah, good design, plenty of lume, great size, very well finished, traveller hi-beat, branded GMT movement, bi-directional bezel, comfortable bracelet with machined clasp with lots of adjustment. Throw in good anti-magnetic design and 200m water resistance, all for just over £400 including carriage, and it’s another Timefactors winner.

But as @bmuner says, to buy one you must not be frustrated or put off by the difficult buying process and ignore the poor reputation for customer care that many people have complained about on various forums and Trusted Reviews. It’s a nice watch though 🙄