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George Daniels (watchmaker)

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For other people with the same name, see George Daniels (disambiguation).

George Daniels
CBE, FBHI, FSA, AHCI
Born(1926-08-19)19 August 1926
Died21 October 2011(2011-10-21) (aged 85)
NationalityEnglish
OccupationHorologist
Known forCoaxial escapement

George Daniels, CBE, FBHI, FSA, AHCI (19 August 1926 – 21 October 2011) was an English horologist, inventor of the coaxial escapement, author and a classic car collector.[1]

He hand built 23 pocket watches and two wrist watches, as well as clocks.[2]: pages 221-222  As at December 2022, only Patek Phillipe and Rolex watches have achieved higher prices. Six of his watches have each sold for in excess of USD$1.5 million.[citation needed]

Producing a single watch and its components required 2,500 hours from Daniels, over about a year.[3] Commentators have referred to them as 'works of art' and 'technological and horological master pieces'.[4][3] Typically his watches had clear, clean dials with subsidiary dials interwoven with the main chapter ring.[5]

He was selective about the commissions he accepted, stating "I never made watches for people if I didn't care for them."[6]

Early life and career

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Daniels was born in Sunderland in 1926. His mother was unmarried so she had fled London and travelled north. After Daniels was born, he and his mother returned to London, where she married Daniels' father.[4] In 1944, Daniels joined the army; he already had an interest in watches and repaired some for other soldiers. On leaving the army in 1947, he bought tools with his £50 gratuity; worked repairing watches, and took horology night classes.[citation needed]

In 1960, he opened his first watch repair and cleaning shop in London. He was interested in the work of Abraham-Louis Breguet and Daniels became an expert on those watches.[2]

In 1969, Daniels constructed his first pocket watch, for Sam Clutton, and it created interest amongst collectors. Having originally sold it for £2,000, five years later he repurchased it for £8,000. In 2012, it sold at auction for $285,000.[7]

Co-axial escapement

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The co-axial escapement

Daniels accepted a commission from Seth G. Atwood to create a timepiece that would improve the performance of mechanical watches.[8] By 1974, he had designed a new watch escapement and in 1976 incorporated it in his watch 10 as the Daniels independent double wheeled escapement. The 1980 patented development of that was the co-axial escapement[9] used in his watch 17.[10]

Daniels' mechanism has been described by some as the most important development in horology in the past 250 years[10] but met little interest until Nicolas Hayek introduced an Omega automatic watch using it in 1999.[11]

Later life

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The Grand Complication watch of 1987

Daniels continued to make watches well into later life.[12] Others were made independently, in his name, but with movements designed by Roger Smith.[13][14]

Awards and Acknowledgements

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Daniels was a liveryman and master of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers and received its Gold Medal.[15] He was awarded a Gold Medal from the City of London Corporation and the Kullberg Medal from the Stockholm Watchmakers' Guild.[10]

In 2006, Sotheby's held a retrospective exhibition of his work, including every watch Daniels had made, except one held by the British Museum.

Daniels was made MBE then in 2010, CBE.[16][17]

Honorary Doctor of Science City University London[12]

Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London[12]

Honorary Fellow of the City and Guilds Institute[12]

Fellow and President of the British Horological Institute[12]

Honorary Fellow of the American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute[12]

British Horological Institute Gold Medal[12]

City and Guilds of London Institute Gold Medal and Insignia Award[12]

International Museum of Horology Prix Gaïa[12]

A blue plaque commemorates his time living in Penge.[18]

Personal life and educational trust

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He married, in 1964, Juliet Marryat, with whom he had a daughter, Sarah Jane Daniels. The marriage was later dissolved. He was the uncle of philosopher Stephen Neale. Daniels died on 21 October 2011.[10]

In 2012, part of Daniels' collection, including some pieces he made, was sold by Sotheby's in a 134-lot sale. The auction raised over £8 million for the George Daniels Educational Trust, which helps students seeking higher education in the fields of horology, engineering, medicine or construction.[19]

Cars

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Daniels' Bentley Blower No.1

Daniels' classic car collection included:[20][21]

Publications

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Daniels' publications include:-

  • Clutton, Cecil; Daniels, George (1965). Watches. London: B. T. Batsford. ISBN 978-0670750764.
  • Daniels, George (1966). English and American Watches.
  • Daniels, George (1974). The Art of Breguet. London: Sotheby Parke Bernet. ISBN 0-85667-004-9.
  • Clutton, Cecil; Daniels, George (1975). Clocks & Watches in the Collection of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers. London: Sotheby Parke Bernet. ISBN 0-85667-019-7.
  • Daniels, George; Markarian, Ohannes (1980). Watches & Clocks in the David Solomons Collection. London: Sotheby Parke Bernet. ISBN 085667074X.
  • Daniels, George (1981). Watchmaking. London: Sotheby's. ISBN 0-85667-150-9.
  • Daniels, George (2010). The Practical Watch Escapement. Isle of Man: Philip Wilson. ISBN 978-0-85667-687-1.
  • Daniels, George (2000). "All in Good Time: Reflections of a Watchmaker" (3rd ed.). London: Philip Wilson (published 2013). ISBN 978-0-85667-680-2.

References

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  1. ^ Youde, Kate (5 September 2010). "Father time: Why George Daniels is the world's best horologist". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  2. ^ a b Daniels, George (26 October 2000). "All in Good Time Reflections of a Watchmaker" (3rd ed.). London: Philip Wilson Publishers (published 2013). ISBN 978-0-85667-680-2.
  3. ^ a b Debrebant, Serge (September 2011). "The Final Interview with George Daniels". Swiss Watches Magazine. Archived from the original on 2 January 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  4. ^ a b Clerizo, Michael (2013). George Daniels: A Master Watchmaker and His Art. London: Thames & Hudson. ISBN 9780500516362.
  5. ^ Baker, Logan (18 August 2022). "Three Insane Yellow-Gold George Daniels Wristwatches Are Coming Up At Phillips Geneva This November". Hodinkee. Archived from the original on 18 August 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  6. ^ "George Daniels". Obit of the Day. Retrieved 27 March 2014.[permanent dead link‍]
  7. ^ "George Daniels". The Economist. 26 November 2011. Archived from the original on 25 May 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  8. ^ Ramsay, Rachel (8 March 2012). "Sale of a Master's Collection". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  9. ^ Manousos, Nicholas (21 June 2018). "Historical Perspectives: Rarely Seen Documentary Video Featuring George Daniels And Seth Atwood". Hodinkee. Archived from the original on 30 January 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  10. ^ a b c d "George Daniels". Telegraph. London. 24 October 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
  11. ^ Andrew Crisford (January 2015). "Daniels, George (1926–2011)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/104233. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i George Daniels Retrospective Exhibition Catalogue. London: Sothebys. 2006. pp. 22–83.
  13. ^ ""Daniels Anniversary"". Roger Smith. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
  14. ^ Baker, Logan (18 August 2022). "Will the Spring Case Tourbillon Become the most expensive George Daniels watch of all time?". Hodinkee. Archived from the original on 2 January 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  15. ^ Master watchmaker Dr. George Daniels, 1926 – 2011 Archived 26 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine Omegawatches.com. 24 October 2011, Retrieved 26 March 2015
  16. ^ "No. 59282". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2009. p. 7.
  17. ^ Isle of Man watchmaker Dr George Daniels is awarded CBE Archived 29 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine BBC. 3 February 2010. Retrieve 26 March 2015
  18. ^ "Famous watchmaker remembered with blue plaque". News Shopper (Bromley). 27 August 2014. p. 5.
  19. ^ Edwards, Mark (2 November 2012). "Dr George Daniels: 'Watchmaking god's' collection auctioned". BBC. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2012.
  20. ^ "Watchmaker George Daniels's world-class classic car collection". Paul Fraser Collectibles. Archived from the original on 14 January 2012. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
  21. ^ "Collector's Motor Cars and Automobilia at Goodwood". Bonhams Cars. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
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