George Daniels (1926-2011), one of the foremost pocket watch creators of his era, was so taken by the historic nature of the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing that it inspired him to fashion his own inimitable tribute to the men and the mission – the 1982 Space Traveller. Designed to meet every need of even the most demanding deep-space explorer, its intricate mechanism simultaneously indicates both mean-solar time and sidereal time.

As this cosmically-inspired chronogram was sold almost as soon as it was completed (and was only to be seen again in public more than 30 years later), Daniels so regretted the impetuosity of the transaction that he immediately set about creating the Space Traveller II, which remained his personal watch the rest of his life.

One of just 23 pocket watches to have been handcrafted by Daniels, the Space Traveller’s unique provenance recently saw sell it for US$4.56 million, making it the most expensive English watch ever sold at auction, as well as the highest price commanded by a single watch this year to date.