DANIELS
Intro
In the era of quartz watches, George Daniels managed to demonstrate that mechanical watches could still be fully competitive.
A repair craftsman of great skill, he became a specialist of Breguet and then made his own watches with an increasing complexity. In 1980, 157 years after the master's death, he is the first inventor to patent a basic innovation : his coaxial escapement reduces the friction to the point that mechanical watches no longer need a lubricant.
His dials, hands, cases, movements and assembly were hand made entirely by him from scratch in his workshop of the Isle of Man in the middle of the Irish sea. His understanding of mechanics was such that he made very few preliminary drawings for developing a new complication. The very design of the dials is in the aesthetic style of Breguet enhanced by guilloché.
His effectiveness was outstanding. The watches equipped with his coaxial escapement are reaching an accuracy below 1 second per month, better than any quartz watch in his time.
Omega began in 1999 to fit the Daniels co-axial escapement in wristwatches of their brand. In 2006 Sotheby's devoted an exhibition to his work in London.
Daniels was a lover of any great mechanics. The exceptional Bentley Blower racing car sold for £ 5M by Bonhams in 2012 came from his estate.
A repair craftsman of great skill, he became a specialist of Breguet and then made his own watches with an increasing complexity. In 1980, 157 years after the master's death, he is the first inventor to patent a basic innovation : his coaxial escapement reduces the friction to the point that mechanical watches no longer need a lubricant.
His dials, hands, cases, movements and assembly were hand made entirely by him from scratch in his workshop of the Isle of Man in the middle of the Irish sea. His understanding of mechanics was such that he made very few preliminary drawings for developing a new complication. The very design of the dials is in the aesthetic style of Breguet enhanced by guilloché.
His effectiveness was outstanding. The watches equipped with his coaxial escapement are reaching an accuracy below 1 second per month, better than any quartz watch in his time.
Omega began in 1999 to fit the Daniels co-axial escapement in wristwatches of their brand. In 2006 Sotheby's devoted an exhibition to his work in London.
Daniels was a lover of any great mechanics. The exceptional Bentley Blower racing car sold for £ 5M by Bonhams in 2012 came from his estate.
1971 The Edward Hornby
2021 SOLD for $ 1.66M by Phillips
Between 1969 and 1974 George Daniels built in series a one minute tourbillon pocket watch with Earnshaw’s spring detent chronometer escapement. The first example was not self starting and Daniels had to improve the geometry of the escapement.
Eight watches were assembled, all of them in gold case with Breguet inspired silvered dial and blue hands. Each of them was identified with the initials of the first owner. The fourth watch, assembled in 1971, is marked EMH for the English lawyer Edward M. Hornby. It was sold for £ 465K by Sotheby's on July 6, 2017, lot 78. and for $ 1.66M by Phillips on December 12, 2021, lot 102.
Trying that mechanical watch against a quartz watch in the 1970s, Hornby championed the Daniels. The test was stopped after eight months when the power of the Daniels went flat. The variation of its daily rate averaged below 3 seconds.
Eight watches were assembled, all of them in gold case with Breguet inspired silvered dial and blue hands. Each of them was identified with the initials of the first owner. The fourth watch, assembled in 1971, is marked EMH for the English lawyer Edward M. Hornby. It was sold for £ 465K by Sotheby's on July 6, 2017, lot 78. and for $ 1.66M by Phillips on December 12, 2021, lot 102.
Trying that mechanical watch against a quartz watch in the 1970s, Hornby championed the Daniels. The test was stopped after eight months when the power of the Daniels went flat. The variation of its daily rate averaged below 3 seconds.
1982 Space Traveller I
2019 SOLD for £ 3.6M by Sotheby's
Throughout his career George Daniels has imitated and improved the most daring complications of pocket watches, often taking Breguet as an example. For the sidereal hour, his model was George Margetts, a contemporary of Breguet who worked in London. Daniels however did not emulate another remarkable specialty of Margetts, the tidal dial.
The equation of time is the difference between the apparent time, which can also be read on a sundial, and the sidereal time which takes its reference in the position of the fixed stars. This difference is an annual cycle due to the obliquity of the Earth and the ellipticity of its orbit.
The first pocket watch in which Daniels included the equation of time is his ninth opus, Elsom II, in 1975.
George Daniels was known for his wit. In 1979 he states that the accuracy of measurement obtained by Margetts, 1.8 seconds per year, is not sufficient for the control of time by an astronaut on his way to Mars. An astronomer from Cambridge University calculates for him a ratio between the two escapement wheels that will reduce the variance to 0.4 seconds per year.
The first pocket watch incorporating these new data is George Daniels' fifteenth opus, the Space Traveller, which also offers the annual calendar and the phases of the Moon. In 1982, shortly after finishing his Space Traveller, Daniels sold it to a collector, probably to meet a prior commitment.
The Space Traveller I was sold for £ 3.6M from a lower estimate of £ 700K by Sotheby's on July 2, 2019, lot 143.
The equation of time is the difference between the apparent time, which can also be read on a sundial, and the sidereal time which takes its reference in the position of the fixed stars. This difference is an annual cycle due to the obliquity of the Earth and the ellipticity of its orbit.
The first pocket watch in which Daniels included the equation of time is his ninth opus, Elsom II, in 1975.
George Daniels was known for his wit. In 1979 he states that the accuracy of measurement obtained by Margetts, 1.8 seconds per year, is not sufficient for the control of time by an astronaut on his way to Mars. An astronomer from Cambridge University calculates for him a ratio between the two escapement wheels that will reduce the variance to 0.4 seconds per year.
The first pocket watch incorporating these new data is George Daniels' fifteenth opus, the Space Traveller, which also offers the annual calendar and the phases of the Moon. In 1982, shortly after finishing his Space Traveller, Daniels sold it to a collector, probably to meet a prior commitment.
The Space Traveller I was sold for £ 3.6M from a lower estimate of £ 700K by Sotheby's on July 2, 2019, lot 143.
1983 Space Traveller II
2017 SOLD for £ 3.2M by Sotheby's
Frustrated that he had parted away from his Space Traveller I, George Daniels realized in 1983 the Space Traveller II, inspired from the I to which he added a chronograph and a thermometer. He did not let go this specimen.
Based on a different denting of the two wheels, Daniels had been able to realize a watch compensating at the will of the user the difference of 3.555 minutes per day between solar and sidereal times.
Well aware that it was a sensational horological feat, Dr Daniels exhibited it sometimes at events as a dress watch, stating that it was the suitable instrument to control the time in a long telephone conversation during a trip to Mars.
George Daniels died in 2011. On November 6, 2012, Sotheby's sold his collection including historical timepieces and watches from his invention. Please watch the video shared by Sotheby's before the 2012 sale.
The Space Traveller II was sold for £ 1.33M, lot 9. Listed again at Sotheby's on September 19, 2017, it was sold for £ 3.2M, lot 121.
Based on a different denting of the two wheels, Daniels had been able to realize a watch compensating at the will of the user the difference of 3.555 minutes per day between solar and sidereal times.
Well aware that it was a sensational horological feat, Dr Daniels exhibited it sometimes at events as a dress watch, stating that it was the suitable instrument to control the time in a long telephone conversation during a trip to Mars.
George Daniels died in 2011. On November 6, 2012, Sotheby's sold his collection including historical timepieces and watches from his invention. Please watch the video shared by Sotheby's before the 2012 sale.
The Space Traveller II was sold for £ 1.33M, lot 9. Listed again at Sotheby's on September 19, 2017, it was sold for £ 3.2M, lot 121.
1987 Grand Complication
2019 SOLD for CHF 2.4M by Phillips
The fourth and last pocket watch to which George Daniels included the equation of time is the Grand Complication. Built in 1987, it appears as the culmination of his pocket watches, before he entered a miniaturization phase for creating wristwatches.
Daniels worked with his intuition under the influence of Breguet's achievements. The Grand Complication includes mechanisms entirely invented by him for the annual calendar and for the repeating of minutes. Built on a one-minute coaxial escapement tourbillon, it also offers the moon phases, the power reserve indicator, the equation of time and even a bimetallic thermometer, all of that in a 62 mm diameter case. The dial is highly readable.
Daniels died in 2011. In the auction of his collection by Sotheby's on November 6, 2012, the top estimate at £ 500K was for the Grand Complication, thus being announced as the most important of Daniels' prototype watches. It had been sold for £ 915K, lot 10. It was sold for CHF 2.4M by Phillips in Geneva on May 11, 2019, lot 34.
The Grand Complication is shown in operation in a short video inserted in an article prepared by Phillips, illustrated with many photos. The image below is shared by Wikimedia with attribution to Andrewrabbott [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]
Daniels worked with his intuition under the influence of Breguet's achievements. The Grand Complication includes mechanisms entirely invented by him for the annual calendar and for the repeating of minutes. Built on a one-minute coaxial escapement tourbillon, it also offers the moon phases, the power reserve indicator, the equation of time and even a bimetallic thermometer, all of that in a 62 mm diameter case. The dial is highly readable.
Daniels died in 2011. In the auction of his collection by Sotheby's on November 6, 2012, the top estimate at £ 500K was for the Grand Complication, thus being announced as the most important of Daniels' prototype watches. It had been sold for £ 915K, lot 10. It was sold for CHF 2.4M by Phillips in Geneva on May 11, 2019, lot 34.
The Grand Complication is shown in operation in a short video inserted in an article prepared by Phillips, illustrated with many photos. The image below is shared by Wikimedia with attribution to Andrewrabbott [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]
1992 Spring Case Tourbillon
2022 SOLD for CHF 4.1M by Phillips
Going further into miniaturization, George Daniels inserted for the first time his co-axial in a wristwatch in 1991. This watch named the Four Minute Tourbillon was sold on November 6, 2012 by Sotheby's for £ 385K, lot 13. The slim escapement was mounted in a steel four-minute tourbillon carriage. This piece also incorporated Daniels's compact chronograph mechanism.
Daniels's second and last prototype wristwatch, named the Spring Case Tourbillon, was completed in 1992 and used by him as his personal wristwatch for a decade. He parted from it in the early 2000s. It resurfaced two decades later and was sold by Phillips for CHF 4.1M from a lower estimate of CHF 1M on November 5, 2022, lot 27. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
The case is split into an outer smooth shell and an inner round element that contains the entirety of the dial and movement. A simple curved spring lines the bottom of the inner element and a hinge is attached to the external side. When a small button on the outside of the case is engaged, the inner element immediately jumps up and opens to reveal the reverse dial without requiring the watch to be taken off the wrist. The calendar and the visible one minute tourbillon are displayed on the reverse dial.
Daniels's second and last prototype wristwatch, named the Spring Case Tourbillon, was completed in 1992 and used by him as his personal wristwatch for a decade. He parted from it in the early 2000s. It resurfaced two decades later and was sold by Phillips for CHF 4.1M from a lower estimate of CHF 1M on November 5, 2022, lot 27. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
The case is split into an outer smooth shell and an inner round element that contains the entirety of the dial and movement. A simple curved spring lines the bottom of the inner element and a hinge is attached to the external side. When a small button on the outside of the case is engaged, the inner element immediately jumps up and opens to reveal the reverse dial without requiring the watch to be taken off the wrist. The calendar and the visible one minute tourbillon are displayed on the reverse dial.
1998 Pocket Watch by R.W. Smith
2023 SOLD for $ 4.9M by Phillips
While Roger W. Smith was a student at the Manchester School of Horology, George Daniels visited as a guest speaker. From that day, he resolved to make watches by hand.
Using Daniels' book ‘Watchmaking’, Smith began making his first pocket watch in his spare time. In 1990, aged 22, after 18 months of preparation, he took the finished watch to Daniels, who rejected it, inviting him to start again. No. 1 was a tourbillon pocket watch with spring detent escapement and twin barrels. It has been disassembled.
Undeterred, Smith spent five years, 1991 to 1996, making by hand and continuously improving the workmanship of his Pocket Watch No. 2, meanwhile reaching the thirty two skills required to design and make a watch known as the ‘The Daniels Method’. He obtained Daniels' approval with that watch.
No. 2 is a gold watch fitted with perpetual calendar, tourbillon, moon phase, leap year indicator and spring detent escapement, an exceptional feat for a mere student. The case has the British assay marks for Birmingham and 1998. The design of the dial is inspired from Breguet. In a virtually unused condition, it was sold for $ 4.9M from a lower estimate of $ 1M by Phillips on May 10, 2023, lot 12.
Although George Daniels had never trained apprentices, he was so impressed by Smith that he invited him to move to the Isle of Man and work with him on the Millennium series.
Using Daniels' book ‘Watchmaking’, Smith began making his first pocket watch in his spare time. In 1990, aged 22, after 18 months of preparation, he took the finished watch to Daniels, who rejected it, inviting him to start again. No. 1 was a tourbillon pocket watch with spring detent escapement and twin barrels. It has been disassembled.
Undeterred, Smith spent five years, 1991 to 1996, making by hand and continuously improving the workmanship of his Pocket Watch No. 2, meanwhile reaching the thirty two skills required to design and make a watch known as the ‘The Daniels Method’. He obtained Daniels' approval with that watch.
No. 2 is a gold watch fitted with perpetual calendar, tourbillon, moon phase, leap year indicator and spring detent escapement, an exceptional feat for a mere student. The case has the British assay marks for Birmingham and 1998. The design of the dial is inspired from Breguet. In a virtually unused condition, it was sold for $ 4.9M from a lower estimate of $ 1M by Phillips on May 10, 2023, lot 12.
Although George Daniels had never trained apprentices, he was so impressed by Smith that he invited him to move to the Isle of Man and work with him on the Millennium series.
2001 Millennium by Daniels and Smith
2023 SOLD for CHF 2.17M by Sotheby's
George Daniels built during his career 23 pocket watches and 2 wristwatches. Two additional prototype wristwatches and two commercial series of wristwatches, the Millennium from 1998 and Anniversary from 2010, were crafted under his guidance for his brand by his partner Roger W. Smith.
The Millennium was created as a series of 50 to celebrate George Daniels's career achievement on the coaxial escapement.
Made in 2001, the very last Millennium is the only one to have R.W. Smith name inscribed on the dial in addition to Daniels London. It had been assigned by Daniels for the use of Smith. It is the only dial ever to display both names.
This watch in 18k white gold was sold for CHF 2.17M from a lower estimate of CHF 1M by Sotheby's on November 5, 2023, lot 97. Please see the video interview of Smith shared by the auction house, shared with the Daniels Anniversary in the same sale.
In the same year Smith started his own business as Roger W Smith Ltd, then making watches under his name.
The Millennium was created as a series of 50 to celebrate George Daniels's career achievement on the coaxial escapement.
Made in 2001, the very last Millennium is the only one to have R.W. Smith name inscribed on the dial in addition to Daniels London. It had been assigned by Daniels for the use of Smith. It is the only dial ever to display both names.
This watch in 18k white gold was sold for CHF 2.17M from a lower estimate of CHF 1M by Sotheby's on November 5, 2023, lot 97. Please see the video interview of Smith shared by the auction house, shared with the Daniels Anniversary in the same sale.
In the same year Smith started his own business as Roger W Smith Ltd, then making watches under his name.
2010 Anniversary prototype by Daniels and Smith
2022 SOLD for $ 2.4M by Phillips
Roger W. Smith had established his own company in 2001 the follow of the achievements of George Daniels. Daniels desired a series commemorating the 35th year since his invention of the co-axial escapement and went to Smith for co-operation.
This Co-Axial Anniversary, now abbreviated to Anniversary, is operated by a single wheel including a lower wheel machined on its surface for the second escapement, enabling from a single machine run a perfect concentricity of the two sets of teeth.
Built in 2010 by Smith with the movement number 00 and inscribed Daniels, a platinum Anniversary prototype was sold for $ 2.4M from a lower estimate of $ 500K by Phillips on June 11, 2022, lot 12. It was sold for CHF 1.86M by Christie's on November 6, 2023, lot 2010. It is accompanied by a letter dated 2010 by George Daniels to the first owner. The platinum London hallmarks of the case read for 2017.
The scheduled series of 47 additional units made of 35 in yellow gold and 4 each in white gold, pink gold and platinum is not yet completed in 2023. The Anniversary is entirely hand manufactured by Smith in the Isle of Man where Daniels had moved his workshop in 1982.
This Co-Axial Anniversary, now abbreviated to Anniversary, is operated by a single wheel including a lower wheel machined on its surface for the second escapement, enabling from a single machine run a perfect concentricity of the two sets of teeth.
Built in 2010 by Smith with the movement number 00 and inscribed Daniels, a platinum Anniversary prototype was sold for $ 2.4M from a lower estimate of $ 500K by Phillips on June 11, 2022, lot 12. It was sold for CHF 1.86M by Christie's on November 6, 2023, lot 2010. It is accompanied by a letter dated 2010 by George Daniels to the first owner. The platinum London hallmarks of the case read for 2017.
The scheduled series of 47 additional units made of 35 in yellow gold and 4 each in white gold, pink gold and platinum is not yet completed in 2023. The Anniversary is entirely hand manufactured by Smith in the Isle of Man where Daniels had moved his workshop in 1982.
2012 yellow gold Anniversary by Daniels and Smith
2023 SOLD for CHF 740K by Sotheby's
The Anniversary with the No. 1 movement was kindly attributed by George Daniels for the use of Roger Smith.
This watch was completed in 18k yellow gold in 2012, the year after the death of Daniels. It was sold for CHF 740K from a lower estimate of CHF 500K by Sotheby's on November 5, 2023, lot 98. Please see the video interview of Smith shared by the auction house, shared with the Daniels Millennium in the same sale.
This watch was completed in 18k yellow gold in 2012, the year after the death of Daniels. It was sold for CHF 740K from a lower estimate of CHF 500K by Sotheby's on November 5, 2023, lot 98. Please see the video interview of Smith shared by the auction house, shared with the Daniels Millennium in the same sale.
2013 Anniversary Platinum by Daniels and Smith
2023 SOLD for CHF 1.14M by Phillips
Made in 2013, the Anniversary Platinum No. 1 with the JC01 was sold for CHF 1.14M from a lower estimate of CHF 700K by Phillips on November 3, 2023, lot 23.
