Our final live auction of the spring 2025 season, the New York Watch Auction: XII, takes place on 7-8 June, at our Manhattan headquarters. The auction includes 140 of the world's finest watches – and though we are loath to boast, we truly think it’s one of the best catalogues we've ever put together. We'll highlight several of the most interesting lots and stories featured in the sale over the next few weeks, including the unique Charles Frodsham Double-Impulse Chronometer in 22k yellow gold highlighted in this article.
– By Logan Baker
The Charles Frodsham Double Impulse Chronometer is a masterwork of contemporary British watchmaking, a landmark achievement that brings to life a vision long held by the late George Daniels.
Daniels, considered by many to be the greatest watchmaker of the 20th century, conceived the double impulse chronometer escapement as a friction-minimizing, oil-free system that delivers direct impulses to the balance in both directions. Yet despite his efforts, he never managed to house this innovative mechanism in a wristwatch.
Charles Frodsham & Co. accepted the challenge, dedicating over a decade to overcoming the technical complexities of miniaturizing the escapement. The result is the Double Impulse Chronometer — the first wristwatch to incorporate Daniels' celebrated escapement design.
However, the story of this particular watch transcends its horological brilliance.
It is a unique piece, customized with a seconds hand modeled after George Daniels’ own signature design, at the request of the consignor — a man whose bond with Daniels was forged not through conventional collecting but through a profound admiration for the man’s philosophy and craftsmanship. Decades ago, the consignor first encountered Daniels through a BBC documentary. After becoming fascinated by Daniels' work and eventually connecting with him in person, a friendship was born.
After Daniels' death and upon news of Frodsham’s achievement reaching the consignor, he placed an order, requesting that the seconds hand bear Daniels’ distinct design as a nod to the watchmaker’s legacy. Despite Frodsham’s strict policy against customizations, they made a rare exception, resulting in this singular timepiece — one that captures not just the essence of Daniels’ work but the spirit of a deeply personal connection.
Now, the consignor has entrusted Phillips with the sale of this extraordinary watch in the upcoming New York Watch Auction: XII. It's a watch that is not only a tribute to British horology but also a vessel of memory and meaning.
In 2006, to celebrate George’s 80th birthday, David Esslemont, an award-winning British artist, designer, printer and bookbinder, was commissioned by the consignor to create a special hand-made limited edition of George Daniels autobiography All In Good Time. The special edition comprised only 27 unique copies; the same number of watches (pocket and wristwatches) George Daniels made by hand. Each of the individually numbered 27 copies has a unique watch part hand- made by George Daniels, provided by him for inclusion in the book, which is embedded in the cover, under watch glass. He signed each of the 27 numbered copies retaining one himself. You can read more about the book here. Copy number 08 will be included with the sale of this unique Frodsham Double Impulse Chronometer wristwatch with Daniels seconds hand. Both are a memorial to George Daniels genius. (A copy of the book also sold at the Phillips Geneva Watch Auction: XVI for CHF 28,980, in November 2022.)
We recently spoke with the consignor to learn more about their personal relationship with Daniels and the background of this very special, one-of-a-kind Charles Frodsham creation.
It's lot 25 in the Phillips New York Watch Auction: XII, carrying an estimate between USD $120,000 - 240,000. It's also the first example of a Charles Frodsham Double-Impulse Chronometer in 22k yellow gold to appear at auction.
Phillips: Can you start by telling us about your connection to George Daniels and how it led to your involvement with the special watch created by Charles Frodsham?
Absolutely. I wouldn’t call myself a watch collector. I’m not particularly interested in watches themselves. My interest began when I saw a BBC program years ago about this man making every part of his watches by hand. That man was George Daniels. He spent incredible effort making watches that were technically superior, even though by then, you could buy a $10 quartz watch that was more accurate. It struck me as such a romantic gesture, devoting yourself to something so seemingly impractical. I was fascinated by his dedication and wanted to meet him.
How did you get in touch with him?
It wasn’t easy. I tried various societies and groups, but I couldn’t track him down. Eventually, I read an article in an airplane magazine about a man named Roger Smith, a pupil of Daniels who helped him produce the Millennium series of wristwatches. I reached out to the magazine, who then connected me with Roger, and he kindly arranged a lunch at a pub with George on the Isle of Man. George and I hit it off immediately. I really liked him; he really liked me. We became friends. And from that day on, we were friends. I was not interested in watches, but I was interested in him – what drove him, how he approached his craft. I wanted to know more about him. He would come visit me, and I would visit him on the Isle of Man. I stayed with him quite a few times.
Did you ever own one of Daniels’ watches?
Yes. I asked George early on during one of my visits if he’d ever sell me one of his watches. At first, rather than answering me, he would say to Roger, "If a client ever asks to buy a watch, tell them no, because that will increase the price." We would all laugh. But eventually, he offered to sell me his personal watch, the one he wore on his wrist – the reversible Spring Case Tourbillon. He named a price, and I bought it. It was the only Daniels watch I ever owned. I wore it very rarely, only when I would go to the opera or on occasions like that. But I would show it to people, and I loved to do that. I eventually sold it to a collector. [Ed. Note: This exact watch eventually appeared at the Phillips Geneva Watch Auction: XVI, in November 2022, where it sold for CHF 4,083,500.]
How did the connection to your special watch by Charles Frodsham come about?
After George died, I heard from a friend that Charles Frodsham was working on a watch that fulfilled one of George’s unrealized dreams — putting his famous double-impulse chronometer escapement into a wristwatch. It was a daunting project because the movement was incredibly complex and required significant technological advances to miniaturize. The Charles Frodsham team spent over ten years working on it, with no guarantee they’d succeed. But they did. They created the Double Impulse Chronometer, the first wristwatch to house George’s escapement.
What impressed you the most about how Charles Frodsham’s team approached this project?
I'm impressed by people who do things that don't make sense. You know, it didn't make sense. It did not make sense to spend more than 10 years developing a movement without knowing if they would ever succeed. So it was just like George Daniels, who wanted to make things that were very difficult to make. They decided to make something, and their unwavering commitment and persistence reminded me so much of George. I admire the clarity of their thinking, their commitment to quality, and even the restrictions they put on themselves. They are a very special and wonderful company.
You requested a special modification to the watch, correct?
Yes. I wanted the watch to acknowledge George Daniels in some way. I told them I loved the watch, but it doesn't reference Daniels anywhere on the physical watch. All of Frodsham's literature mentions the Daniels connection, but I wanted to have something on the watch itself to acknowledge my friend George's contribution to it. Initially, they resisted because they don’t do special orders. But I suggested using George Daniels’ signature seconds hand design, and they finally agreed. It's a very different seconds hand than the standard Frodsham one. It’s a subtle nod to George, but one that means a lot to me.
I waited three years for the watch to be delivered, and when it was finally ready, Queen Elizabeth II had just died. So they asked me if I wanted to wait another month, so that the watch could carry the King Charles III Coronation hallmark. I thought George would like that – he was very much a royalist – so my watch became the first Frodsham delivered with this new hallmark.
You mentioned earlier that you aren’t particularly interested in watches. Why do you think George Daniels captured your attention?
It wasn’t about the watches for me — it was the man. George was fascinating. He wasn’t just a watchmaker; he was an artist, a mechanic, a storyteller. He was also incredibly funny and clever. He was equally obsessed with cars as he was with watches. He would drive me around in some of his restored cars, which was always terrifying because he was a wild driver. He made more money restoring cars than he ever did making watches. He was a mechanical genius. He came from a poor family, but he had astonishing intelligence and talent. His passion was so visible, so delicious, and so, so special.
Why are you selling it now?
When I received it, I didn't plan to sell it. I planned to keep it for quite a long time and wear it. But by the time the watch arrived, my personal circumstances had changed. It was time to let go of things. But I hope the next owner understands that this watch is more than just a Charles Frodsham wristwatch — it’s a direct connection to George Daniels. It’s a tribute to his dream, realized posthumously, and that’s something very special.
What do you hope the next owner appreciates about the watch?
I hope they see it as a piece of George’s legacy. It’s a watch that connects directly to George using a movement he only ever saw as a prototype in his lifetime. But here it is – a watch that was made almost exactly as he once described it to me in a letter. My hope for the next owner is that they remember George.
You can view the complete Phillips New York Watch Auction: XII catalogue here.