Important Watches: Part I
Important Watches: Part I
Property of an Important Collector
George Daniels, London
Millennium A Unique and Historically Important White Gold Automatic Wristwatch with Date, Double Signed by George Daniels and Roger W Smith - Estimate: in excess of CHF 1,000,000
Auction Closed
November 5, 12:07 PM GMT
Estimate
Upon Request
Lot Details
Description
George Daniels, London
Millennium
A Unique and Historically Important White Gold Automatic Wristwatch with Date, Double Signed by George Daniels and Roger W Smith
Dial: silvered engine turning, brushed chapter rings
Calibre: automatic, gilt brass co-axial escapement, engraved 'English' floral decoration by Charles Scarr
Case: 18k white gold, snap-on sapphire crystal display case back
Case number: Roger W. Smith. 01
Closure: 18k white gold George Daniels pin buckle
Size: 37 mm diameter
Signed: case signed Roger W. Smith, dial signed R. W. Smith and Daniels London, movement signed Daniels, case with hallmarks for London 2001
Accessories: handwritten letter confirming sale, letter confirming specifications and provenance both signed Roger Smith and dated 7th August 2007
Completed in 2001, this is the last example from the Millennium series of watches to be made and was specially assigned to Smith by Daniels. Excited by the prospect of owning a watch by his master and mentor, and in recognition of his own work on the Millennium watches, Smith asked for permission to co-sign the dial – a request readily agreed to by Daniels. This is the only watch ever signed by both Daniels and Smith, and the first wristwatch ever signed by Smith himself. The watch is additionally engraved to the back of the case Roger W. Smith together with the year of completion, ‘01’. Some months after the watch’s completion, Smith took the difficult decision to privately sell the watch to a collector to help fund and realise Smith’s dream of creating his own watchmaking business - Roger W. Smith Ltd - a firm that is now one of the leading independent watchmakers in the world. Offered by the same private collector, the ‘Daniels/Smith’ white gold millennium is now presented at auction for the first time.