Watchmaker
George Daniels
Also recorded as: Daniels, George
Independent watchmaker who made complete watches by hand and invented the co-axial escapement.
George Daniels restored Breguet watches before making entire watches himself — cases, dials and movements — from the late 1960s. He invented the co-axial escapement in the 1970s and campaigned for its adoption by industry; Omega put it into series production in 1999.
His book Watchmaking (1981) remains a standard text. Daniels trained Roger Smith, who continues his tradition on the Isle of Man.
- Country
- England
- City / centre
- London; Isle of Man
- Life / active
- 1926–2011
- Status
- Historical individual
- Key people
- George Daniels; Roger Smith
Innovations & specialities
- Co-axial escapement (1970s)
- Complete hand-made watches
- Watchmaking (1981)
Mechanisms credited
Works by George Daniels in the catalogue
Open in the catalogue →
Movements & Components · 1901-2000
Nautilus wristwatch in a stainless steel case by Patek Phillippe, with co-axial escapement fitted by George Daniels, Switzerland/Isle of Man 1981/2.
Science Museum Group, London
Pocket Watches · 1985
Electrically powered demonstration model of the Co-axial escapement by George Daniels. Isle of Man c.1985.
Science Museum Group, London
Movements & Components · 1999
Model of coaxial escapement invented by George Daniels CBE (1926-2011), made for him by Omega, Switzerland in 1999.
Science Museum Group, London
Movements & Components · 1999
Movement by Daniels, George; Omega, England, 1999
Science Museum Group, London
Wristwatches · 2010
Wristwatch by Smith, Roger W; Daniels, George, 2010
Science Museum Group, London
Linked through the Atlas maker authority list, which reconciles the spellings used by different institutions. Attributions are as stated by each holding institution or auction house.
