The Roger W. Smith Series 4 | family history
Roger W. Smith makes approximately 10 watches per year on the Isle of Man, every component made by his own hands and those of his small team. The Series 4 carries the George Daniels co-axial escapement, taught to Smith directly by Daniels himself. There is no production watch finished to a comparable standard in existence.
Every component made by hand on the Isle of Man. The Series 4 carries George Daniels's co-axial philosophy into Roger W. Smith's singular workshop.
1995-2010 · Smith's apprenticeship with George Daniels
Roger W. Smith apprenticed under George Daniels, the British watchmaker who invented the co-axial escapement in the 1970s (later licensed to Omega). Daniels trained Smith as his sole protege, transmitting the pocket-watch tradition of complete in-house manufacture at the individual watchmaker level. When Daniels died in 2011, Smith became the primary keeper of that tradition. The co-axial escapement reduces lubrication requirements and friction losses compared to a lever escapement; it is the most significant original escapement innovation in over a century.
No references from this era in the catalog yet.
2014-present · The Series 4
The Series 4 (2014 onward) is Smith's contemporary round-case dress watch, carrying the Daniels co-axial escapement in a movement hand-finished to standards drawn from the 18th- and 19th-century English pocket-watch tradition. Dials are crafted in-house; cases are produced to Smith's specification on the Isle of Man. Total production across all Series is approximately 10 watches per year. Wait times for new commissions are measured in years. Secondary market prices have increased steadily as Smith's reputation has grown.
How to read this family
Two questions for Series 4 buyers:
- What makes the co-axial escapement significant for a wristwatch? The co-axial escapement divides the impulse action across two separate locking faces, reducing the sliding friction that causes conventional lever escapements to require periodic lubrication. A correctly implemented co-axial escapement theoretically maintains better amplitude stability over longer service intervals. In Smith's implementation, the mechanism is also a direct technical lineage from Daniels's original research.
- Is it possible to buy a Roger W. Smith watch without an existing relationship? Rarely through new commissions, which are allocated to existing clients and serious collectors known to the workshop. Secondary market acquisition is more realistic; Smith watches appear at auction and through specialist dealers. The brand has no retail distribution. Expect to pay significantly above historical retail.
Related families: Voutilainen Observatoire
References in this family
Which ref to buy
The Series 4 is the tourbillon variant of the RWS lineup. A hand-made tourbillon produced at roughly 10 watches per year total across all series places this in the extreme rarity tier.
- 1Open
Series 4 -- hand-made tourbillon, the most technically demanding RWS reference.
- The case for it:
- A hand-made tourbillon from a watchmaker producing 10 watches per year total is among the rarest production watches in the world. The Series 4 is the pinnacle of the RWS catalog.
- Consider instead if:
- The tourbillon commands a significant premium over the other series. For most buyers, the Series 1 or 2 represents the same craft tradition at a lower entry point. The tourbillon is for collectors who specifically want that complication.
Rankings last reviewed 2026-06-07. Editorial perspective only. Not financial advice.