George Daniels (watchmaker)
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George Daniels CBE, DSc, FBHI, FSA |
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| Born | 19 August 1926 |
| Died | 21 October 2011 (aged 85) |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | horologist |
| Known for | coaxial escapement |
George Daniels, CBE, DSc, FBHI, FSA, AHCI (19 August 1926 – 21 October 2011) was a British horologist who was considered to be the best in the world during his lifetime. He was one of the few modern watchmakers who built complete watches by hand (including the case and dial). But it was his creation of the coaxial escapement for which he is most remembered. The movement, which removed the need to add a lubricant, has been used by Omega in their highest-grade watches since 1999.
Daniels was born in Sunderland in 1926. His mother was unmarried so she fled London and travelled north. After Daniels was born he and his mother returned to London, where she married Daniels' father. He suffered an abusive childhood and spent most of his time on the streets. In 1944, Daniels entered the British Army; he already had an interest in watches and did some repairs for army friends. On leaving the army in 1947 with a gratuity of £50, he bought some tools and got a job as a watch repairer. From studying horology at night classes, he became a Fellow of the British Horological Institute. After a decade of hard work, Daniels opened his first watch repair and cleaning shop in 1960 in London. Becoming interested in the works of the notable early 19th-century French watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet, he soon became the 1960s' leading expert on Breguet and was often involved in advising on his work.
It was a friend named Sam Clutton who introduced Daniels to the upscale timepiece market and convinced him that he had a future in expensive hand-crafted watches. In 1968, Daniels constructed – for £2,000 – his first pocket watch for Clutton. When his friend showed the piece to fellow collectors, it created great interest. Five years later, Daniels bought the watch back for £8,000. In 2012, it sold at auction in the United States for $285,000.
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