The price, however, is hard to swallow. Listed at £320,000 or around $425,000, this is almost three times the price of Rexhepi’s Chronomètre Contemporain II, which, for many, has set the benchmark on the current market. This increase in price over the years follows a similar trend to that of Dufour, whose prices have skyrocketed alongside those of the secondary market.
Smith has been able to settle around a price parity between his new work and the secondary market, which, albeit higher than I’d expect to see, feels fair. In some ways, however, comparing Smith to Swiss contemporaries is an apples-and-oranges-type comparison. Smith’s work and scale are completely different, and it’s done in an environment without any watchmaking infrastructure. Yet, he’s been able to do some incredible work.