Anyone fully invested in the world of horology knows the impact that George Daniels had on watchmaking. Renowned as the inventor of the lubrication-free co-axial escapement, Daniels is regarded as a pioneer in watchmaking who transformed it into an art form. As English watchmaking began to decline, George Daniels watchmaker resurrected the industry. One of the most talented watchmakers in the world, Daniels mastered 32 of the 34 disciplines required to handcraft a watch and invented a number of complications that made history.
George Daniels Biography
George Daniels was an English horologist who is one of the most highly regarded individuals in the watchmaking industry to this day. He is renowned for his work in the luxury watch market and crafted the most valuable independently made watches in the world with six timepieces achieving price tags over $1.5million. Daniels’ watches are the third most expensive brand to be sold at auction, just behind Patek Phillippe and Rolex.
Early Life
Born in Sunderland in 1926, Daniels grew up in London when his mother returned south to marry his father. He had an interest in watches from an early age and when he joined the British Army in 1944, he would carry out simple watch repairs for his fellow soldiers. When he left the army in 1947, he used his £50 gratuity to invest in watchmaking tools and got himself a job as a watch repairer. He took night classes to study horology while working and became a Fellow of the British Horological Institute.
Following a decade of hard work, Daniels opened his own watch repair shop. With a fascination for the work of Abraham-Louis Breguet, Daniels became the leading expert on Breguet timepieces and was regularly consulted to advise on his work. A friend introduced him to the luxury watch industry and convinced him that he had a future in high-end horology. For just £2,000, Daniels built his very first pocket watch, a timepiece that later sold at auction for a staggering $285,000 in 2012.
Daniels married in 1964 and the couple later had a daughter before the marriage eventually dissolved. In addition to his love of watches, Daniels was also a collector of classic cars and motorcycles with more than sixteen vehicles in his collection.
The Decline of the Mechanical Watch Industry
Daniels started making watches in 1969 to address the issues of quartz timepieces. Daniels viewed horology as a scientific art and sought to continuously develop his craft. He designed and built timepieces as research to test what worked and as a result, Daniels’ timepieces boasted extra complications and were always ahead of their time. Daniels made a significant mark on the watchmaking industry and single-handedly reversed the decline of the mechanical watchmaking industry. He demonstrated that long term, the mechanical watch could outperform the quartz watch.
Inventions – Co-axial Escapement
Daniels’ most prominent invention was the lubrication-free co-axial escapement that took the watchmaking world by storm. Inspired by the level escapement invented in 1755 by Thomwas Mudge, Daniels noticed its downfalls and created a lubricant-free alternative. Daniels had a dream of the co-axial escapement being adopted by the Swiss watchmaking industry. This invention is the one that George Daniels is most famous for and he ultimately sold it to Omega who have utilized it throughout their collection to this day.
The double impulse chronometer is another invention credited to Daniels, a complication that has spanned three generations of watchmakers. Inspired by Breguet’s échappement naturel (natural escapement), Daniels began to develop the double impulse chronometer with help from Derek Pratt. In 2004, Charles Frodsham further developed the double impulse chronometer on a suggestion from Pratt and ultimately released the Frodsham wristwatch.
The George Daniels Watchmaker Method
Every timepiece crafted by Daniels was completely handmade. As a result of each watch being handmade, no two timepieces are identical and Daniels’ watches are considered to be works of art. Daniels was the first watchmaker in history to master 32 of the 34 skills required to build a watch by hand. Each watch was made with raw materials and without the use of automatic tools at his Isle of Man studio. The method became known as The Daniels Method, a method that is highly respected in the watchmaking industry.
Daniels never made watches to order, with the exception of two timepieces. The only two commissioned watches that Daniel ever created were for Seth Atwood. Watch collector Atwood was a patron who owned his own watch museum and purchased several watches from Daniels. Every other watch released by Daniels started life to test escapements and served him in developing his inventions. Most watches required over 2500 hours of work and took over a year to complete making them masterpieces of horology.
Awards
For his impact on horology, George Daniels received many awards throughout his career. The most prestigious was the Tompion Medal, awarded to individuals for Outstanding Contributions to Horology. He was the fifth person to ever receive the Tompion Medal and since 1954, it has only ever had twelve recipients. He was also granted the rare honor of the Gold Medal from the Clockmakers’ Company of London.
However, Daniels’ biggest achievement was honored with first an MBE and later a CBE in the 2010 New Year Honors.
Later Life
In 1981, Daniels published his renowned book Watchmaking which offered great insight and contributions to the watch industry. He later released a further five books before his death in 2011 at the age of 85.
George Daniels Wristwatch
Influenced by Breguet, arguably one of the greatest watchmakers of all time, Daniels’ work was often inspired by Breguet. Easily identified throughout the industry as the work of Daniels, every time peace produced had nods to the work of Breguet from the aesthetics to the functionality.
Space Traveler I
The first edition of Daniels’ Space Traveler took three years to complete and is undoubtedly a piece of history. Equipped with the independent double-wheel escapement that Daniels invented in 1974 with Derek Pratt, the Space Traveler I also featured solar and sidereal trains.
The Grand Complication
The Grand Complication is the most complicated timepiece ever invented that featured Daniels’ famous co-axial escapement. In addition to traditional complications and the co-axial escapement, The Grand Complication also boasts a minute repeating instantaneous calendar, equation of time, moon phases, and a thermometer driven by a bimetallic strip. It was Daniels’ favorite watch which he wore regularly from its completion in 1987 right up until he died in 2011.
George Daniels Millennium
One of the most iconic watches of all time, the George Daniels Millennium is a limited edition timepiece released in 1999. Designed in collaboration with George Daniels, Millennium watches featured brand-new movements designed by Roger Smith. Amongst the world’s rarest timepieces, only 54 watches were ever produced. Yellow-gold dominated the collection with 47 watches while only seven were released in white gold. Just two of these seven were produced with yellow-gold chapter rings. One of the most high-value watches on the planet, the George Daniels Millennium most recently received a price tag of over $2.4million.
The Anniversary Watch
Produced by Roger W. Smith who helped Daniels create the Millenium Watch, The Anniversary Watch was released in 2009 to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the co-axial escapement. Originally conceived by Daniels while Smith was working as his apprentice, Smith produced the timepiece in honor of his mentor’s watchmaking legacy.
George Daniels Watch Books and Publications
If there was one book that every aspiring watchmaker and lover of horology should read, it is Watchmaking by George Daniels. Daniels authored a total of six books on watchmaking, the first of which continues to be a must-read for anyone embarking on a watchmaking journey. Within these incredible pages, The Daniels Method is detailed, taking readers on a journey through the intricate world of watchmaking and Daniels’ unique craft.
Watchmaking
Published in 1981, Watchmaking is a comprehensive guide to watchmaking independently. In Watchmaking, Daniels intricately details the processes required to craft a timepiece by hand. It includes photographs, illustrations, and diagrams for assistance, as well as diving into the heritage of watchmaking and the theory of horology. The book is regarded as both a history book and an instruction manual that passes traditional watchmaking techniques down through the generations. By sharing his vast knowledge within this book, Daniels continues to inspire future horologists. Watchmaking is a real tribute to horology and a celebration of the artistry of watchmaking.
George Daniels FAQs
If you think I’ve missed anything or have anything to add, please comment below.
