George Daniels

• gilt brass movement of Lépine-calibre construction signed Daniels, DLR. N-C 1986, Slim Co-Axial escapement, single going barrel, stainless steel four-arm balance with gold adjusting weights and free-sprung overcoil balance spring, independent dead-seconds mechanism consisting of an eight tooth star wheel mounted on the fifth wheel arbour advancing a sixty tooth ratchet wheel on an arbour carrying the seconds hand, 48 hour duration bimetallic thermometer below the dial, Daniels three-position keyless winding and differential screw winding indicator • silver engine-turned dial with eccentric polished gold chapter ring, Roman numerals, large interlaced gold subsidiary seconds ring, fan-form sectors for power reserve indication and for thermometer, signed Daniels and London in two cartouches • polished case with Daniels pendant and bow • case, dial and movement signed • hallmarked London 1986, case maker's mark GD • with a yellow gold double-link graduated chain with T-bar 

Property of the original owners family.

George Daniels Retrospective Exhibition, Exhibit No. 20, Sotheby's London, 18-23 July, 2006.

George Daniels, All in Good Time, Philip Wilson Publishers, 2013, plate 49.
Michael Clerizo, George Daniels A Master Watchmaker & His Art, Thames & Hudson, 2013, p.154-155.

The movement of this exquisite watch is running at the time of cataloguing, however it may benefit from a service. The beautifully engine-turned dial is in good condition. The case with some light scuffs but overall in good condition. A complete service can be carried out by Roger W. Smith. If required, a dial restoration will be quoted for individually and any technical issues that arise after a full strip down inspection will be quoted for separately. Estimated cost to service £4,000 - £6,000 + VAT All prices are a guide only and subject to a full strip down and inspection of the piece in the Roger W. Smith Ltd studio, Isle of Man.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. All dimensions in catalogue descriptions are approximate. Condition reports may not specify mechanical replacements or imperfections to the movement, case, dial, pendulum, separate base(s) or dome. Watches in water-resistant cases have been opened to examine movements but no warranties are made that the watches are currently water-resistant. Please note that we do not guarantee the authenticity of any individual component parts, such as wheels, hands, crowns, crystals, screws, bracelets and leather bands, since subsequent repairs and restoration work may have resulted in the replacement of original parts. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue. In particular, please note it is the purchaser's responsibility to comply with any applicable import and export matters, particularly in relation to lots incorporating materials from endangered species.NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

**Please be advised that bands made of materials derived from endangered or otherwise protected species (i.e. alligator and crocodile) are not sold with the watches and are for display purposes only. We reserve the right to remove these bands prior to shipping.

Important Notice regarding importation into the United States of Rolex watches
Sotheby's cannot arrange for the delivery of Rolex watches to the United States because U.S. laws restricts the import of Rolex watches. The buyer or a designated agent may collect the property in the country of sale."

Accompanied by a certificate handwritten and signed by George Daniels and presentation case.

Dr. George Daniels CBE (1926 – 2011) is considered by many to be the greatest watchmaker since Abraham Louis Breguet. Through his endeavours to save the mechanical watch industry, which was being overwhelmed by the introduction of the quartz movement, he inspired a new generation of independent watchmakers.  Having been born into a large family and experiencing a difficult home life, Dr. Daniels was to discover a whole new world when he opened the back of a watch he found when he was just five years old. His single minded enthusiasm for horology took him from a life of extreme poverty to great wealth and international acclaim.

Dr. Daniels produced only 25 unique mechanical watches in his life time, having laboriously mastered the individual skills necessary to make almost every component by hand.  Not only are his watches admired for their amazing craftsmanship but also for their additional complications, the most famous being the Space Travellers’ Watch which includes mean-solar and sidereal time as well as equation of time and chronograph. This iconic watch was sold by Sotheby’s in the sale of the George Daniels Horological Collection on 6^th November 2012 for a world record auction price of £1,329,250. The entire proceeds of that important auction part funded the George Daniels Educational Trust, set up on his death to provide post graduate training for watchmakers, engineers and medics.  

His ambition to revolutionise the watch industry led to his invention of the Co-Axial escapement. The Co-Axial, which overcame the problem of the accuracy of a watch being compromised by the deterioration of its lubricant, is the first noteworthy advance in escapement technology since Thomas Mudge’s lever escapement of 1754. 

Dr. Daniels made his first watch in 1969 for his friend and mentor Cecil Clutton. It was with Cecil Clutton’s encouragement and guidance that he embarked on his career as a specialist watchmaker. Each watch typically involved 2,500 hours of work and he was very particular about his customers. Daniels himself stated; ‘I never made watches for people I didn’t care for’.

The present watch, which was called a ‘pocket chronometer’ by George Daniels, was the first to include the Slim Co-Axial escapement. With its single barrel, fixed Daniels escapement and a mechanism whereby the seconds hand moves in complete seconds, it is of the simplest and most elegant design. It is also one of the few to employ the stunning combination of gold chapter rings with engine-turned silvered dials.

Andrew Cristford, Introduction to The George Daniels Retrospective Exhibition, Sotheby’s, p.17-18.