Book Review: ‘George Daniels, A Master Watchmaker & His Art’ By Michael Clerizo
George Daniels is a polarizing and fascinating figure. He was a watchmaker you hear stories about, one you idolize for his many confident successes, and one you try to emulate as a rags-to-riches type of self-made triumph on a human level.
While I knew Daniels, who passed away on October 26, 2011 at the age of 85, I did not know him well; his remote location on the Isle of Man – where I once visited him – made it difficult to spend much time with him.
George Daniels in his Isle of Man workshop just four years before he passed away
When he did come to industry events like Baselworld or the odd Omega happening, where he would help promote the co-axial escapement he invented and sold to the Swatch Group-owned brand after 20 years of searching for a partner, he was so often swamped by journalists and well-wishers that it was hard to get a few words.
Michael Clerizo is an expat American journalist living in Britain and in the employ of The Wall Street Journal. He took a liking to watches several years ago and began to write about them, starting at the top – with the independent watchmakers.
Cover of Michael Clerizo’s book, ‘George Daniels, A Master Watchmaker & His Art’
Clerizo took it upon himself to spend the amount of time with Daniels needed in order to write a detailed book about his life – no mean feat. And this book was successfully completed despite Clerizo’s own illness during the research portion of the work and Daniels’ death following a hip replacement procedure before the book was fully finished.
While Daniels had already written his own autobiography in a book called All in Good Time, which he self-published in 2000, Clerizo’s work is more extensive with the inclusion of watches, written from the perhaps less biased perspective of an outsider, and definitely much better organized.
George Daniels
I have read Daniels’ autobiography as well as other books he has written such as Watchmaking and The Art of Breguet. He was a brilliant man, fascinating as he searched for a way to make sense of his own world, obsessed by the mechanics big and small that he loved so dearly.
His example inspired others, and because of him we enjoy the work of other great watchmakers like Roger Smith – Daniels’ only apprentice – and even François-Paul Journe, who openly states his admiration for and inspiration by the English watchmaker.
I really could go on forever about Daniels, who can rightly be considered the first independent watchmaker in history as seen from today’s perspective, but I think I’ll stop right here and tell you more about Clerizo’s fantastic book instead.
As someone who has also dabbled in books, this is the kind of tome I would have loved to have written myself; it’s one you can really sink your teeth into as a writer, with lots of detailed and painstaking, yet exciting research. As a reader, it’s pure joy with its well thought-out words, organization, and gorgeous photos.
George Daniels’ Elsom pocket watch
My only gripe, if I may express it, is the same one I have with most coffee table books: it is hard to hold if you like to read in bed. However, if you’re not reading in bed, this book is gleefully present with its thick, glossy pages, beautiful photography, and detailed indexes.
I like how Clerizo divides up Daniels’ life into digestible periods, and I love how the watches get their own double page spreads of photos and descriptions, at times even including Daniels’ own hand-drawn blueprints.
Daniels worked entirely alone without computers and sometimes without electricity. It took him thousands of hours to complete a watch; he was fanatically perfectionist.
Over the course of his lifetime, he made 23 pocket watches, two wristwatches, and two small wristwatch series with Roger Smith.
The latest version of George Daniels’ co-axial escapement, in which Omega has added silicon components
And then there was the co-axial escapement, the element that made him a household name in watchmaking. However, it is little known that in 20 years of trying to sell it to a Swiss watch company he endured a lot of rejection and ridicule. Once sold, it took Omega about another six years to industrialize it. That in itself is a fascinating case history.
This Omega Speedmaster Automatic Chronograph was the first production model with Daniels’ co-axial escapement; he added the escapement himself and used this as a test model
Daniels proved that so much could be done that many thought impossible: making a whole watch by hand; showing it was possible to become an autodidact expert in a given field; and, of course, becoming an independent watchmaker in an age when big brands rule the roost.
George Daniels Space Traveller pocket watch
For this we should always remember Daniels and his achievements. And Clerizo has so beautifully given us the tools with which to remember him at any time. A book every bit as well done as one of Daniels’ own watches, it is a fine and fitting tribute to the man and his achievements.
To order visit: www.amazon.com/George-Daniels-Master-Watchmaker or www.watchprint.com.
Quick Facts
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
ISBN: 9780500516362
Pages: 216
Binding: hardcover
Illustrations: 248 illustrations, 138 in color
Price: $150 / €114 / 120 Swiss francs
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[…] Journe, Michel Parmigiani, Derek Pratt (who co-created many Urban Jürgensen recent-history works), George Daniels, Beat Haldimann, Swatch’s Jacques Müller and Elmar Mock, Corum’s René Bannwart, automaton […]
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2 wristwatches?? Would you not count the Millennium and Anniversary series as Georges work, though Roger Smith had a hand in a lot of the construction.
The Millennium and the Anniversary are the wristwatches I was referring to. Do you know of any others?
Hi ED – the 1991 Tourbillon wristwatch with co-axial esc’ comes to mind.
Regards, JC.
Ah, yes, indeed! I totally glossed over that! There were two: Wristwatch I with four-minute tourbillon from 1991 (page 170) and Wristwatch II from 1992 (page 174). I will change the text accordingly because I feel that the Millennium and Anniversary count.
It is a fantastic book, I agree, and should grace the shelves of any horology enthusiast.
I just wonder why you decided to mention it NOW, when the book was released several years ago
You can ALWAYS talk about classics! And I like to do book reviews in the holiday season as I think people sometimes look for less expensive gifts.
Thanks Elizabeth. Good point.
You should also plug your book (Twelve Faces of Time). Great book and I was given that as a gift last year and greatly enjoyed it.
Cheers
Wow, that’s very kind! I’m glad you liked it – and good idea, though it’s hard to toot one’s own horn.
No no. Definitely Toot! 🙂
It was a great read.
Well, if you need an independent reviewer…
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Survey URL:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FBTRQYJ
To GEORGE DANIEL’S respect were respect is due