Roger Smith’s entry point into the world of watchmaking was truly remarkable and surely a sign of things to come. As a young man, Smith (born in 1970) enrolled in a horology course at the British Horological Institute in 1986, and in 1987, attended a lecture by the one and only George Daniels. Smith asked to be Daniels apprentice, and Daniels declined. Rather than be discouraged by this rebuttal, Smith went away, spent 18 months handmaking a watch according to Daniels’ method and presented it again. Only to be rebutted again. After five and a half more years, Daniels finally accepted Smith’s second creation, leading to a creative partnership that lasted until Daniels’ passing in 2011.

The legacy of George Daniels continues in Smith’s own atelier, which he established on the Isle of Man in 2001. Today, everything, from bridges and balances to screws and jewels, is produced by Smith’s small team. One of the most important parts of the Daniels legacy is that Smith is the only watchmaker, besides Omega, who is able to use the Daniels’ Co-Axial Escapement. Roger Smith is also one of the most singular independent watchmakers working today, and a staunch advocate of British watchmaking. In recognition of his contributions, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2018.