George Daniels Millennium sold at Bonhams

Bonhams sold a George Daniels Millennium wristwatch in yellow gold for €182,759.

The Millennium was a limited edition of 50 pieces, eight in white gold and 42 in yellow gold. The first five have a skeletonised rotor, as in the third picture below. The prototype is the only watch of the series on which George Daniels himself worked; the others were finished by his protégé Roger W. Smith, today a master of contemporary horology.

Catalogue page with a steel and two gold Millennium wristwatches on dark straps — The Millennium series. From “A Master Watchmaker and His Art” by Michael Clerizo

Millennium watch seen from the back with a gold movement, on a black strap — The movement of a Millennium

Gold Millennium watch with exposed movement on a black strap — A gold Millennium seen from the back, with skeletonised rotor

In “All in Good Time”, Daniels describes the work on the Millennium watches by Roger Smith. When the series was finished, Smith set up his own workshop with an order for two tourbillons from Daniels, who wanted to ease the transition for his protégé.

Black and white catalogue photograph of a rectangular wristwatch with tourbillon — One of the two tourbillons Daniels commissioned from Smith

Both books, “A Master Watchmaker and His Art” and “All in Good Time”, are well worth reading for anyone interested in watchmaking.