The company is focused on modernizing the custom jewelry buying experience with e-commerce tools like product visualization and 3D styling.
English Pocket Watch Sells for $4.3M at Sotheby’s London
George Daniels’ legendary “Space Travellers” watch beat its own record at the Fine Timepieces sale Tuesday.

London--One pocket watch re-established its place as the most valuable English watch at auction--both made in England and made by an English watchmaker--when it beat its own record on Tuesday.
George Daniels’s “Space Travellers” went for $4.3 million at the Sotheby’s London Fine Timepieces sale Tuesday, beating its previous record of $2.1 million in 2012 and its pre-sale estimate high of $2.4 million.
Four bidders competed before it sold to an anonymous buyer in the room after almost 10 minutes of bidding action.
The auction house said the 18-karat yellow gold chronograph with Daniels’ independent double-wheel escapement, made circa 1982, is “one of the celebrated British watchmaker’s most important timepieces.”
He was the only watchmaker to have received a CBE and a MBE for his services to horology, and was the inventor of the Daniels revolutionary ‘Co-Axial’ escapement, which was developed during the 1970s and designed to run unaffected by the deterioration of its lubricant.
Created to replace an early, much treasured version, which Daniels regrettably sold to a collector, the Space Travellers watch was significant to him personally and often was worn as a showpiece by the watchmaker.
He named it in honor of the American moon landing in 1969 and described it as “the kind of watch you would need on your package tour to Mars.”
It is one of only two ever made in this style and is unique in its inclusion of a chronograph.
It features both mean-solar time and sidereal times (time reckoned from the motion of the earth relative to the distant stars, rather than with respect to the sun) and a glazed case back showcasing its complex mechanism.
“It is not possible to overstate the importance of George Daniels’s contribution to horology,” said Daryn Schnipper, senior vice president and chairman of the International Watch Division.
“Despite having only ever made a relatively small number of timepieces in his lifetime, Daniels’s work and his legacy continue to be critical to the craft of watchmaking. The landmark price achieved today is both a tribute to Daniels’s genius and the supreme quality of this watch. The ‘Space Travellers’ watch is no doubt one of Daniels’s finest timepieces and one can only be mesmerized by the beauty of its dial and the complexity and wonder of its movement.”
The
The Latest

Following its recent acquisition, the storied brand has updated its leadership team and regional managers.

AGS also named the recipient of its “Women in Leadership” scholarship.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

The 20-karat yellow gold and diamond wrap ring is modeled after the Monstera plants in the garden of the brand’s Miami villa.


Rocksbox President Allison Vigil shared the retailer’s expansion plans, and her thoughts on opening stores in malls.

The creator of the WJA Chicago chapter is remembered as a champion for women in the jewelry industry and a loving grandmother.

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

The decline was consistent across age groups and almost all income groups, with tariffs and inflation still top of mind.

The “Playlist: Electric Dreams” collection brings lyrics from the musician’s song, “Little Wing,” to life through fine jewelry.

The event is set for May 16-19 in Detroit, Michigan.

The Vault’s Katherine Jetter is accusing the retailer of using info she shared for a potential partnership to move into Nantucket.

Agents seized 2,193 pieces, a mix of counterfeit Cartier “Love” and “Juste Un Clou” bracelets, and Van Cleef & Arpels’ “Alhambra” design.

The designer brought her children’s book, “The Big Splash Circus,” to life through a collection of playful fine jewelry characters.

The trade association has chosen the recipients of the funding initiative it formed to foster the growth and sustainability of the industry.

The organization has also announced this year’s slate of judges.

Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 additional pieces that stood out to her at the Couture show.

Lori Tucker started at Williams Jewelers when she was 18 years old.

The “Marvel | Citizen Zenshin” watch is crafted in Super Titanium and has subtle nods to all four “Fantastic Four” superheroes on the dial.

The “XO Tacori” collection was designed to blend luxury and accessible pricing.

Pritesh Patel, the lab’s chief operating officer, will take over as president and CEO of GIA.

National Jeweler and Jewelers of America discuss the standout jewelry trends and biggest news to emerge from the shows this year.

Signatories to the “Luanda Accord” committed to allocating 1 percent of annual diamond revenue to the Natural Diamond Council.

The winning designs captured the “Radiance” theme.

Nominations in the categories of Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation will be accepted through July 30.

The singer’s ring ticks off many bridal trends, with a thick band, half-bezel setting, and solitaire diamond.

The bracelet references vintage high jewelry and snake symbolism as a playful piece where a python’s head becomes a working belt buckle.