Who is George Daniels and why did his watch sell for over US$4mil?

The double-dialled Spring Case Tourbillon in yellow gold, completed in 1992, was a unique watch, and one of two that watchmaker George Daniels made for his own use. Photo: AFP

A timepiece by legendary mechanical watchmaker George Daniels fetched more than US$4mil (RM18.8mil) under the hammer – the second-highest price ever achieved by an independent watchmaker, auctioneers Phillips said this week.

The watch was estimated at one million Swiss francs but eventually sold to a bidder in the room at the Geneva Watch Auction for 4,083,500 Swiss francs (RM19.5mil).