Rob Smith is a retired United States Navy SEAL and the founder of Resco Instruments, an independent American watch brand. His interest in horology began at age eight when he started repairing non-functional watches found at garage sales. This early fascination with mechanics eventually merged with his military career, leading him to design his first timepiece on the back of an MRE box in 2004 while serving on active duty.
Smith served a 22-year career in the SEAL Teams, completing nine deployments and serving as an instructor for the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) program. During his time as an instructor, he famously field-tested his early watch prototypes by strapping them to the gear of students to ensure they could withstand extreme conditions.
In 2009, Smith officially launched Resco Instruments, based in Coronado, California. The company’s name is derived from his initials, R.E. Smith. Initially operating out of his garage and military housing, Resco focused on creating rugged, utilitarian dive watches that prioritize function over form. The brand’s first model, the Gen1 Patriot, established the company’s reputation for building professional-grade tools for the special operations community.
Resco remains a family-owned and veteran-owned business. Smith operates the company alongside his wife, Nicole, a ten-year veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard. Due to his military service, production was historically limited to several hundred pieces annually, though the brand has since expanded its catalog to include various models such as the Manus, Bullfrog, and Red Circle.
Every Resco timepiece is designed, assembled, and tested in the United States. Following his retirement from the Navy, Smith has dedicated himself full-time to the brand, maintaining a commitment to small-batch production and direct customer interaction. His work is recognized for its contribution to the revival of American watchmaking and for providing specialized timepieces for military units through a robust unit watch program.