Here we have a beautiful 1930s S. Smith & Sons (MA) Ltd stainless-steel case monopusher chronograph watch. It has the 32.5mm three-piece cushion case with snap on bezel and case back. To the right-hand side is the elegant onion style crown with the oval single pusher for the chronograph above. The dial is the black base tone which has a speckled patination with age. It has the silvered signing with the minute/second track with the detailed 1/5th second graduations. The hour markers are the stylish pencil style with the double marker at 12 o’clock and the ‘S.Smith & Sons (MA) Ltd, London W.1’ signing below. It has a two-register layout with the sub-seconds at 9 o’clock and the 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock. The hands are the Sword style with the white painted finish, matching the neat central seconds and sub-dial hands. The inside of the case is marked as ‘Acier Staybrite’ with the serial number. The movement is the Valjoux calibre 23 which has been recently serviced, keeping accurate time with the chronograph running well.
 
This is a particularly special watch due to the name on the dial ‘S.Smith & Sons (Motor Accessories) Ltd. Its design, as far as chronographs from this period go, is outstanding. The cushion case has a lovely shape (reminiscent of a Rolex Oyster Army case or the later Heuer Monza) and to the right is the beautiful onion crown, combined with the original sculptured oval pusher. The gilt black dial is uncommon and features effortlessly elegant pencil hour markers, reminiscent of that of a Patek Calatrava dial. It also has a quality construction with the stainless-steel case and the use of the famous Valjoux 23 movement.
 
Smiths watches
Smiths watches trace their origin to 1851 with a jewellers & Diamond merchant opened by Samuel Smith in Newington Causeway, London, offering high-grade pocket watches, chronometers and scientific instruments. In 1899 Samuel Smith’s son was his successor, creating the private company S. Smith & Son Ltd and transferred his business to it. The new company supplied motor timepieces for the earliest cars, produces speedometers, odometers and also manufactured aviation instruments. The company gained a Royal Warrant in 1907 and supplied gauges for the British Admiralty and royalty.
 
During the 1920s and 30s, the focus on clocks and aviation/automotive instruments/gauges continued with only imported timepieces being offered. The company, via its Smiths MA subsidiary, marketed specialised Swiss watches, often used for motoring, military or aircraft navigation aids. These watches are something of an enigma, with few examples from this period being seen or coming up for sale. These watches fill the gap between the earlier English made pocket watches, WW1 period Swiss imported watches and the WW2/post WW2 English made pieces.
 
Smiths role with the war effort during World War II, led to the manufacturing of a facility in Cheltenham, to produce vital aircraft clocks, stopwatches and RAF timepieces. Post WW2, the golden ages of English Made Smiths watches began, when backed by the government, they spearheaded the domestic watchmaking industry.
 
The watch
The dial has the black base tone with has speckled lightened patination associated with age. It has the silver signing with the minute/seconds track with the detailed 1/5th second graduations. There are also Arabic numerals detailing the 5 second graduations which have a pleasing font. The hour markers are of the Pencil style, which is similar to that of the layout on the Patek Calatrava. There is the double marker at 12 o’clock with differentiates it. Below this is the ‘S. Smith & Sons (MA) Ltd, London N.W.1’. It has the two-register layout with the inset sub-seconds track at 9 and the inset 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock. They both have the neat layout with the railroad track to the exterior and Arabic signing. The hour and minute hand are of the Sword style, with the white painted finish to create contrast. They have a differing tone due to the historic application of a form of luminous paint. The central second hand has the tear drop counterbalance with a thin profile, with the same white painted tone. The sub dial hands are both a neat design, one with the tear drop counterbalance and one with the arrow pointer.
The case is compact measuring 32.5mm x 32.5mm, with a width of 35mm with crown. It has a total lug-to-lug length of 39.25mm which increases the presence on the wrist. 
It is a stylish cushion case, sharing many visual similarities to that of the Rolex Oyster Army case used in the late 1930s/1940s. It is formed of stainless steel and is a three-piece case with the snap on bezel, central body and snap on case back. The bezel has the flat section which follows the flow of the case and holds the low domed acrylic crystal in place. It has the bevelled outer section with the mitred corners, which falls to meet the flat case sides. The lugs are of a curved, tapered design with the drilled lug holes for the spring bars. To the right-hand side is the stylish and thin onion crown which has the polished face. Above this is the oval pusher for the chronograph function. The case back is a mirror image of the bezel, creating a pleasing symmetry. It has the polished finish and is free of engraving. The inside of the case back has the perlage finish with the ‘Acier Staybrite’ signing and the serial number ‘30262’.
The movement is the Valjoux calibre 23. It is a hand wound chronograph movement, which has a jewel count of 17 and operates at a frequency of 21,600 BPH. It has been recently serviced and the chronograph functions well. It has a daily variation of -30 seconds per day.
 
Please see the images as these compliment and aid the description provided below. A further condition report is below.
 
Dial:
The dial is original and is in decent vintage condition. It has a lighter speckled patination to the gilt finish of the black dial. The signing is good and clear. There are some scratches and losses to the silver tone of the hour markers.
 
Hands:
The hands are all original and are in strong condition with the original aged painted finish. The paint has worn and flaked slightly with age.
 
Glass:
The acrylic crystal is new and is in perfect condition.
 
Crown and pusher:
The crown is original and is in good condition. The pusher is original and is in good condition, functioning well.
 
Case:
The case is stainless steel and is in good original condition. It has light scratching and some light nicks to the edges of the case and bezel. The lugs are well formed and strong, with the drilled lug holes being clean.
 
Caseback:
The snap-on case back is in good condition. It is free of engraving and has light surface scratching.
 
Strap:
It comes on a modern leather strap which is in as new and will fit any wrist size.
 
Movement:
Inside is the Valjoux calibre 23 which is a manual wind chronograph with 17 jewels. The watch has been recently serviced and has a daily variation of -30 seconds per day, with a strong amplitude of 325 degrees. The chronograph functions well.
 
Case dimensions
Case width: 32.5mm
Case width with crown: 35mm
Case length: 32.6mm
Case length lug to lug: 39.25mm
Case depth: 11.3mm
Lug width: 18mm