Smiths Deluxe Antarctic Range A460 vs A454

A debate that has rumbled on and on. Some say one evolved into the other...one was shockproof and one wasn’t....well here’s my take on it.

Over the years quite a few of these watches have passed through my hands. However a few years ago I was lucky enough to buy several watches from an ex-Smiths employee who had been a single owner.

In the batch (dated 1958) were both A454 and A460 watches from the same year. Both made to a similar specifications with a very similar serial number but both different dials.

My take is that a stepped dial is always an A454 and I‘ve seen examples range from 1955 to 1958 and a flat dial is always an A460....mostly 1958 onwards as the A454 phased out.

Adding further evidence, I also have A454 watches from different dates. The identifying feature is the stepped dial and the ‘outer’ second marker ring where all the examples of the A460 I have come across have had the subs seconds inside the ring.

So here we have a Smiths A460 from 1958....

And 2 Smiths Deluxe A454...one from 1955 and one from 1958.