Island watchmaker receives honorary doctorate

Roger W Smith recognised at Birmingham City University

A master Island watchmaker has received an honorary doctorate from Birmingham City University.

Roger W Smith, is one of a handful of watchmakers in the world to master all 32 unique trades needed to make a watch by hand, from raw materials.

"I feel greatly honoures and bowled over by the occasion," he said.

Mr Smith, from Bolton, has been making watches on the Isle of Man for 20 years - and received an OBE in November for outstanding services to the trade.

The 48-year-old delivered a lecture to horology students, during his visit to the university.

'Invention and perfection'

University orator Professor David Robertss said: "Mr Smith's work is an example of the desire to do what you do with the highest degree of invention and perfection."

Mr Smith said he was receiving his doctorate at the very moment when Britain's watch making sector is itself graduating - back onto the world stage.

"These are exciting times for British horology," he said.

Mr Smith moved to the Isle of Man in 1998 to work with Dr George Daniels, who he describes as the "greatest horologist of all time".

He said: "A great boss or mentor, early in your career, can actually help to define it. And a bad one can help derail it."

Mr Smith worked closely with Dr Daniels until his death in 2011 at the age of 85.

The Bolton man and his small team make ten watches a year in his Isle of Man studio.

His creations are described by industry experts as "works of mechanical art" and are worth more than £100,000 each.