@WatchCrunchOfficial It is easy to full in love and out of love with some watches. Do you what makes you happy. No substitute for happiness. We collectors have had to experiment with some watch models. It is all part of The Journey.

@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.

Agreed and was pleased to get mine LNIB for $3,000

@Max You have a good point there! Those of us who are in The Know, there are good alternatives to Rolex out there. I had 4 OPs from 1985 to 1994 at different times, all of them had to be sent back as the tolerances were exceeding -4 +6 seconds per day COSC and there service center were a mile from my offices in The Westend of London to be re-regulated. Quality control issues for sure. Rolex have their place and for what they have achieved, I will never slag them off but for me personally, I do not see myself ever having one again. The last one was in 2015, a Deep Sea Sea Dweller and sold it to move onto something more worthwhile for me. I get more enjoyment from my two Tudor Black Bays; 1) 925 Silver 2) Ceramic which is a METAS COSC and also two Ginault OR 1 & OR 2 models. The Mercedes hour hand on Rolex models do not have a great affect on me. I do like the Tudor Snowflake one though!

The Rolex Submariner has plenty of history and Sean Connery in Dr. No popularized it. Omega Seamaster when it first came out had a caliber movement that won many awards. It also has history and when the 300M came out initially in a quartz version and then the 2531.80 automatic version came out worn in the last three Brosnan Bond films, that saved Omega. Co-Axial, Series 8000 movements and now METAS the Omega movement is hard to beat including the 8900 series twin barrel METAS COSC. Value for money for a high level of specification and quality control, the METAS 300M makes it for me but I would prefer the 1957 style modern 300 (similar to the one worn in SPECTRE) worn by IDGuy. For image and iconic purposes only, the Rolex Submariner takes it and there are some that will take that cheese regardless and all the rest that can do is feel sorry for and not want to be associated with them!

@JJMM1983 I have from time to time wondered about should I gotten the 39mm instead. with my wrist size, I can pull off the 42mm which for its thickness being the same as the smaller one, is better proportioned. If your wrist size is under 7 inches, I would say yes, the smaller one most likely be better. The two models with the cathedral hands is around 40mm and that being perfect. With the bracelet for the 42mm, being 21 mm lug to lug, it tapers and that helps to scale it down a wee tad.

The steel bracelet arrived for the 42mm Flyback Panda 417 ES and looks good. Well made.