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Isle of Man master watchmakers honoured on stamps

IOM Post Office Master watchmaker stampsIOM Post Office
The stamp collection celebrates the Isle of Man's "significant impact" on horology

The "greatest horologist of all time" is being honoured in a set of new stamps on the Isle of Man.

George Daniels is pictured with three of his timepieces in the six-piece set, including the £3.6m Space Traveller. Last year, it became the most expensive British watch ever to sell at auction.

Also honoured are his renowned protégé Roger W Smith and the inventor of the self-winding wristwatch, John Harwood.

All three men were born in England but later moved to the Isle of Man.

IOM Post Office George DanielsIOM Post Office
George Daniels next to his Space Traveller watch

Dr Smith, who received an OBE for his work in 2018, said the Isle of Man had a "very special place in the pantheon of horological invention".

The innovations made by Mr Harwood and Dr Daniels were "utterly transformative" for watchmaking, he added.

Mr Harwood secured a patent for the self-winding wristwatch from the Swiss Confederation in 1924.

Dr Daniels developed the co-axial escapement, which ensured more accurate time telling over a longer period, during the 1970s.

The six-stamp collection has been issued by the Isle of Man Post Office.

IOM Post Office John HarwoodIOM Post Office
John Harwood invented the self-winding watch mechanism, which was later picked up by Rolex
IOM Post Office Roger W SmithIOM Post Office
Roger W Smith is regarded as one of the world's best watchmakers
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