British Made Smiths "Empire" 33mm Watch Manual Winding

This vintage Smiths "Empire" men’s watch is running well, keeping time, and has a really crisp champagne cream dial.
With a round chromed case, the dial has printed Arabic numerals and pennant markers.  33mmx40mm.
Movement is Smiths 5 jewel, a new brown leather strap is fitted.
Smiths watches, once the pride of British horology, evolved from a Victorian jewellery shop into a global industrial giant that equipped everything from family cars to Mount Everest explorers. 
Origins (1851): Founded by Samuel Smith as a watch and clock shop in London. 
Expansion: By the early 1900s, the company transitioned into a major supplier of automotive and aviation instruments, producing the first British speedometer in 1900.
Wartime Production: During WWII, Smiths became critical to the British war effort, manufacturing aircraft instruments, shell fuses, and precision timers. 
The Golden Era of Wristwatches (1947–1970s) 
Post-war, Smiths shifted focus to civilian wristwatches, becoming one of the few companies worldwide to manufacture timepieces entirely from scratch. 
Mount Everest (1953): Sir Edmund Hillary carried a Smiths De Luxe to the summit of Everest. While Rolex often takes the credit in marketing, many historians and the Science Museum confirm a Smiths was on Hillary's wrist at the peak.
Key Ranges:
De Luxe: The high-grade "Made in England" models from the Cheltenham factory.
Astral: A mid-tier line often using semi-automated processes.
Empire: Budget models manufactured in Wales, often marked "Made in Great Britain" rather than England.
Military Issues: The Smiths W10 is the most iconic military model, issued to the British Army and RAF in the late 1960s as one of the last mechanical watches made in the UK. 
Wound For Life +9
The Quartz Crisis & Modern Resurgence
Closure (1979): Like many mechanical watchmakers, Smiths could not compete with the "Quartz Crisis" and cheaper overseas production. Watch and clock manufacturing ceased in 1979.
The Brand Today: The original company, Smiths Group plc, still exists as a multi-billion pound engineering firm but no longer makes watches.
Time Factors Revival: The "Smiths" trademark for watches is now owned by Time Factors. They produce modern "homage" models like the Everest PRS-25, which use modern Japanese movements to recreate classic designs.