Isle of Man horologist's wristwatch fetches record £1.9m at auction

An Isle of Man-based horologist watched "history in the making" as one of his wristwatches fetched £1.97m at an auction in Geneva.

The London Millennium timepiece sold for 2.17m Swiss Francs by auction house Sotheby's in Geneva.

It was made by Roger Smith and watch-making great George Daniels, and was the only piece with both their names.

The London Anniversary watch, the final collaboration from the pair, also sold at auction for £667,000.

Mr Smith went on to become the only apprentice of Mr Daniels, who died in 2011.

The Millennium marked a "series of watches" the student began making with Mr Daniels in 1998, and "it was the reason for me moving to the Isle of Man to help him with that project", he said.

Completed in 2001, it was the final timepiece of that series and came about when Mr Smith asked his teacher whether he could craft himself a watch instead of a getting a bonus, and he was "surprised" Mr Daniels agreed.

The London Anniversary watch was the final collaboration between the pair, made in its entirety at a workshop based in Sulby.

On the auction outcome, Mr Smith said: "It was an incredible moment and once the sale was completed everyone sort of erupted into applause.

"It's the highest price ever achieved for one of my wristwatches and I'd like to think George would have been very proud to see it do so well."

The sale comes five months after a seminal pocket watch made by Mr Smith broke the world record at a New York auction.

"It's been one of the most bizarre years ever... it has been very unusual, but great fun nonetheless," Mr Smith said.

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