Here is an early example of a Series 3*, and the first ever to be made available for sale. Made in 2018 and delivered in 2019, the watch comes from the original owner. Its 40mm case is forged from platinum and it features silver dial with engine-turned patterns and engraved Roman numerals. The retrograde date elegantly incorporates what is an eminently useful complication, while remaining true to the traditional aesthetic the independent maker has always championed. The manually wound calibre features intricate hand-crafted floral engravings on the three-quarter bridge, as well as on the balance cock.

The Series 3 is believed to have been born out of a desire to incorporate the eminently useful date complication, while staying within the visual parameters that Smith has established for his watchmaking. In the past the watchmaker has talked about how the original Series 1, that he designed in the early days as an independent maker, as well as two subsequent unique pieces based off that watchs design, informed his appreciation of the retrograde date complication. Not only is it an elegant way to display the date, such an execution elevates the complication.

This particular example is one of only a very small number of Series 3 watches to have been produced thus far. It was made in 2018 and delivered in 2019. The 40mm platinum case has a solid heft to it and features a three-part construction, with all parts evenly mirror polished. On the mid-case, between 9 and 10 oclock is a corrector to adjust the retrograde date. The domed bezel rises to a sapphire crystal. The caseback, that is held in place by six visible screws, also features a sapphire crystal through which the manual wind calibre is visible. The straight lugs curve down, and feature flattened ends for comfort on the wrist. The 20mm lugs wear a black leather strap with a signed platinum buckle to match the case.

The dial features engine-turned basket weave pattern with a brushed silver chapter with black engraved Roman numeral hour markers running around it. The top half of the dial prominently features the retrograde date display, with a silver track featuring the days of the week in black. The register has a heat-blued steel hand with a contrasting, high-polished arrow-style tip.

Mirroring the layout in the bottom half of the dial is a subsidiary seconds register with a heat-blued hand with a prominent counter-balance. Also within the register is the silver cartouche bearing the brand mark. The steel hour and minute hands are similarly heat-hued to a bluish-purple shade and feature heart-shaped ends that have been hand-scalloped.

Visible through the caseback is the manually wound calibre equipped with Smiths single-wheel variation of Dr George Daniels Co-axial escapement. It features a free sprung quadrajust balance and beats at a rate of 18,000 vibrations per hour. In the vein of traditional English watchmaking, it is visually dominated by a frosted golden three-quarter plate. This particular example is decorated with intricate floral engraving. Atop the decoration are cartouches bearing the brand mark as well as the serial number and "MMXVIII", indicating that the watch was produced in 2018. The visible jewels are held in place by gold chatons, affixed by heat-blued screws. As is customary for the brand, the three-quarter plate has a cartouche with the triskelion motif of the Isle of Man where the watch was crafted. The raised balance provides visual depth to the movement, while the floral engraving on the balance cock adds another touch of hand craft.

The watch comes complete with its box and documentation. A Collected Man is the only approved seller of pre-owned Roger W. Smith watches.

Closer look

Condition

This Roger W. Smith Series 3 is in very good condition throughout. The case and lugs show light superficial marks, consistent with minimal wear over time. More specifically, marks are found at the very end of the top left and right lugs, surrounding the pusher, and on the polished bezel between ten and eleven o'clock. The dial, hands, and movement are in very good condition and show no signs of imperfection. The hallmarks on the caseback and buckle are crisp and well defined.

Warranty

The watch comes with a two-year warranty from A Collected Man, alongside a lifetime guarantee of authenticity.