Is the Roger Smith Pocket Watch No. 2 the most important British timepiece of the past century?

Pocket Watch No. 2 is very likely the most important timepiece Roger Smith has ever created, for two reasons.

First and foremost, this is THE timepiece that secured Smith’s apprenticeship with George Daniels, guaranteeing that the skills of hand-making a watch were passed down from possibly the finest British watchmaker of the twentieth century to arguably the greatest British watchmaker of the twenty-first century.

Second, Smith sold the watch 19 years ago to raise funds for his own company and to help with the creation of his exceptional and highly sought-after Series 2 wristwatches.

After a global tour that has included London – where Smith was reunited with the watch for the first time since 2004 – Singapore, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong, the watch will be sold publicly for the first time at Phillips New York Watch Auction: EIGHT, on June 10, 2023.

Consigned to Phillips by its current owner, the watch is a masterpiece handcrafted by Smith under the guidance of George Daniels.

At the age of just 22, Smith had attempted to gain an apprenticeship with the master by showing him his first handcrafted pocket watch. Daniels commented on the “handmade” rather than “created” appearance, referring to the rough finishing and structure.

“That initial pocket watch was crudely finished and badly made, with maker’s marks visible,” says Smith. “It was because I didn’t fully comprehend all of the procedures. So that’s what the second watch was all about: knowing all of the procedures that go from raw material to finished component to final watch, flawlessly.”

The presentation of the second watch was a watershed moment in Smith’s career, as Daniels proclaimed him “a watchmaker” and accepted him as his sole apprentice upon seeing it.

According to Paul Boutros, Phillips’ Head of Watches, Americas, Pocket Watch No. 2 is one of the most important timepieces developed by a contemporary independent watchmaker or brand: “You can see that it is refined to the point where you can’t actually get any better,” he says.

“Roger had to rework some components, and the watch was eventually remade four or five times over a five-year period. It is notable for its quality, its size (66.5mm), and the fact that it is a tourbillon with a spring detent chronometer escapement and a perpetual calendar – none of which are simple to achieve.

“On so many levels, the design is wonderful. This is as good as it gets and as near to a George Daniels as you can get without having George Daniels’ name on it. Roger hit it out of the park. He didn’t let failure stop him and it led to the new watch.”

On how such a British watch has ended up in a New York auction, Boutros says that is mainly down to good relationships.

“A friend of mine is also a very good friend of the collector,” he explains. “When he decided to sell he asked her for advice. She mentioned me, and based on her recommendation, then my pitch, he decided to come to Phillips to sell it and of course we’re thrilled.

“The best thing about auctions today is that they are so international and a great watch is going to find clients from around the world. Whether we offered it for sale in Hong Kong, Geneva or New York, we were certain it would achieve the same level of interest.”

Only on rare occasions does Phillips New York place an estimate of “in excess of $1 million” on a piece, and Pocket Watch No. 2 now joins a list that includes Paul Newman’s ‘Paul Newman’ Daytona, which sold for more than $17 million in 2017, and the George Daniels Edward Hornby Tourbillon, which sold for $1.7 million in 2021.

This is the price reference utilised when a one-of-a-kind timepiece is hard to evaluate and Phillips decides to let the market decide. So, while the experts know it’s worth seven figures, they’re not sure where the bidding will end.

“We just don’t know,” says Boutros. “But we will give guidance to clients that this is one of the best watches of the 20th and 21st centuries. Without it, British watchmaking – and independent watchmaking around the world – would look quite different. If Roger hadn’t blazed the trail, many might not have had the courage to start.”

When Smith saw the watch again for the first time, he observed, “It’s smaller than I thought, and a little heavier. [At the time of making it], I was working three days a week doing trade repairs. But even when I wasn’t working on the watch, I was thinking about it and plotting my next move.”

Smith went on to say of its significance in his own career, “It is important because it proved to George that I could make a watch. I hid it in the back of a kitchen drawer once I started working with him. I never looked at it again until I needed money to expand my business. So, it’s actually been beneficial to me on two occasions.”

Does Smith ever regret selling the watch, given its significance? “It’s got to move on to its next owner,” he says pragmatically. “For all watches, it’s an ongoing story, isn’t it?”

Phillips New York Watch Auction, June 10-11, 2023