Phillips To Auction Three Watches From Legendary Watchmaker George Daniels
Including his own daily wearer tourbillon.
Phillips is gearing up for its next watch auction in Geneva, where it will offer three pieces from the ‘founding father of independent watchmaking’, George Daniels.
One of the pieces going on sale – a unique Spring Case Tourbillon in yellow gold that it is estimated to sell for more than $1M USD – appears at auction for the first time.
The double-dialed calendar watch with tourbillon – completed in 1992 – is one of only two wristwatches that Daniels made for his own personal use. The watch swivels out from its caseband frame to reveal its second dial, which carries the calendar and one-minute tourbillon. The watch also features a Co-axial escapement – which Daniels invented in 1975 and would later be adopted by Omega and his own protégé, Roger Smith.
The piece was Daniels’ daily wearer until 2005, when a friend convinced him to sell it. During his lifetime – and by his own hand – Daniels made 23 pocket watches and two wristwatches. Other pieces bearing his name, including a further two tourbillon wristwatches and the Millennium and Anniversary series watches were made in collaboration with Smith.
The other two watches being offered are one of 35 yellow gold Anniversary examples (est. $300,000 – $600,000 USD) and one of 48 yellow gold examples of the Millennium watch (est. $250,000 – $500,000 USD).
“For Daniels, a watch had to have historic, intellectual, technical, aesthetic, amusing and useful qualities,” says Alexandre Ghotbi, Head of Watches, Continental Europe & Middle East. “A mantra that he applied to all his creations, with these three examples being no exception. Daniels’ legacy continues to influence the generations of watchmakers that follow him”.
Ahead of going on sale at Geneva Watch Auction XVI on November 5-6, the watches will be available to view from August 29 – September 1.
Elsewhere in watches, Baltic and Peter Auto reveal limited edition chronograph and stopwatches set.
