Remembering George Daniels, the Inventor of the Co-Axial Movement

August 19, 2026 marked the centenary of Dr. George Daniels CBE’s birth. Born in 1926, Daniels remains one of the most influential figures in contemporary watchmaking. He is most renowned for the invention of the revolutionary co-axial escapement, but his legacy extends far beyond a single invention. In a heartwarming essay, British watchmaker Roger W. Smith OBE reflects on the life, work and enduring legacy of his mentor. GMT India takes a closer look at the essay and Daniels’ incredible contribution to horology. 

The Legacy of George Daniels

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George Daniels (19 August 1926 – 21 October 2011) was an English horologist, inventor of the co-axial escapement, author and a classic car collector. He hand-built 23 pocket watches and two wrist watches, as well as clocks. Producing a single watch and its components required 2,500 hours from Daniels, over about a year. Six of his watches have each sold for in excess of USD1.5 million. 

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In his essay, Roger W. Smith shares his first impression of Daniels. “My introduction to George came during his visit to the college where I was studying in 1987, a day that left a lasting impression on me. I can still picture him arriving in his tailored blue pinstripe three-piece suit and immaculately polished black shoes, carrying himself with an authority that immediately commanded attention.” He goes on to describe the journey that led Daniels to become a mentor to Smith. He recalls his first time at Daniels’ Isle of Man workshop in 1998 to begin work on the Millennium Project, where he felt like he was stepping into the three-dimensional reality of Daniels’ book Watchmaking.

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Smith shares, “Since inheriting The Daniels Workshop Collection in 2011, my study of his watches, his drawings and his methods has continued. The more closely I examine his work, the more I appreciate the extraordinary mind behind it. What continues to surprise me is his willingness to rethink problems that everyone else had accepted. There is an audacity to many of his mechanical solutions - a willingness to completely dismantle conventional thinking - that still surprises me today.” 

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As his prodigy, Smith is still working on some of Daniels’ unfinished projects. He writes, “One of my current projects is to complete George’s unfinished pocket watch - George's final work. Although time itself was ultimately the winner, the piece offers a fascinating dive into George’s soul through the clarity of its thought and design.”

Invention of the Co-Axial Escapement

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Daniels invented the co-axial escapement in the 1970s as a bold answer to the quartz crisis, proving that mechanical watchmaking remained relevant and capable of radical innovation. He accepted a commission to create a timepiece that would improve the performance of mechanical watches. By 1974, he had designed a new watch escapement and in 1976, incorporated it into his watch no. 10 as the Daniels independent ‘double wheeled escapement’. Patented in 1980, the co-axial escapement was featured in his landmark watch no. 17.

Daniels' mechanism has been described by some as the most important development in horology in the past 250 years. It was met with little interest until Nicolas Hayek, co-founder, CEO and Chairman of the Board of The Swatch Group, introduced an Omega automatic watch using it in 1999. 

Daniels’ most enduring influence is, perhaps, that his work continues to inspire younger generations of watchmakers. As Smith reflects, “George Daniels did not simply leave behind twenty-six remarkable watches. He left behind generations of watchmakers, collectors and enthusiasts who continue to be inspired by his ideas. In the end, that may prove to be his greatest legacy.”

In other words, Daniels didn't just master watchmaking; he ensured its future.

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