THE MAN who has often been described as the world's greatest living watchmaker celebrated his 80th birthday in August, and the occasion was marked in July by a retrospective exhibition of his work at Sotheby's in London.
George Daniels, MBE, DSc, FSA, FCGI, FBHI, FAWI, is considered by some to be the greatest watchmaker since Abraham Louis Breguet (1747-1823). His pioneering work has revolutionised Omega watches and has inspired other companies to rise to the challenge of the 21st century.
In his encyclopedia of Arts and Sciences published in 1819, Abraham Rees said it took 34 people to make a watch, and they must all be highly skilled and have served lengthy apprenticeships. Rees even described in detail the five different craftsmen required to produce the wheels and pinions.
Dr Daniels mastered the work of so many of these crafts that he was able to create every
part of his watches himself, except for the springs and the glass. He has even made the screws by hand, and components that are normally the work of specialists, such as the case, the dial and the escapement.
Dr Daniels was born in the East End of London, the poor part of the city. His father was a carpenter who suffered serious alcohol problems and was rarely at home. Dr Daniels was forced to seek work at the age of 14 and began working in a mattress factory.