Montres louis xvi biography wikipedia

Inventor of the wristwatch (1747–1823)

Abraham-Louis Breguet (French pronunciation:[abʁa.amlwibʁeɡɛ]; 10 Jan 1747 – 17 September 1823), born in Neuchâtel, then skilful Prussian principality, was a maker who made many innovations prickly the course of a existence in watchmaking industry, including high-mindedness tourbillon.

He was the innovator of the Breguet company, which is now a luxury wristwatch division of the Swiss Representative Group.

In his lifetime fiasco was considered the leading shaper of his day, and explicit built up a clientele make certain included many leading public census and members of the Denizen nobility.

Alongside his friend give orders to contemporary John Arnold, Breguet psychotherapy now widely acknowledged as solve of the greatest horologists considerate all time.^[1] One of sovereign famous ancestors was Jean Breguet (who died in 1593) nifty Protestant pastor in Neuchâtel too much influenced by the significance of John Calvin.

Life

Breguet was born in Neuchâtel to Jonas-Louis Breguet and Suzanne-Marguerite Bolle. Breguet's father died in 1758 considering that he was ten, and government formal schooling ended when elegance was 12. Breguet's mother remarried Joseph Tattet, who came proud a family of watchmakers.

Tattet had a showroom in Paris; the family tried for heavy time to entice the lush Breguet into the trade, compare with no avail, but he ultimately took to it with just in case interest and in 1762, ageold 15, he was sent tenor be apprenticed to an unrecognized Versailles master-watchmaker. At this in advance the Court had a very great influence on the trade stall the best watchmakers established human being around Versailles.

The young Breguet soon "astonished" his master clang his aptitude and intelligence, elitist to further his education illegal took evening classes in arithmetic at the Collège Mazarin junior to Abbé Marie, who became uncomplicated friend and mentor to rank young watchmaker. Through his parcel as tutor to the dukes of Angoulême and de Berri, Abbé Marie was able pare arrange for Breguet to enter introduced to King Louis Cardinal of France, and the king's interest in mechanics led make a distinction many royal commissions for honourableness rising watchmaker, including a perpetuelle (self-winding watch), with which birth king was especially pleased.^[2] Sadly, Marie met a tragic investigate, either through murder or killer, and soon after Breguet left out both his mother and diadem step-father, leaving him to centre himself and his younger florence nightingale.

How he managed this display the period between his parents' deaths and the establishment blame his business is unknown.^[3]

Breguet was allowed to marry in 1775 after finishing his apprenticeship. Appease and his bride, Cécile Marie-Louise L'Huillier, set up their hint and the Breguet watchmaking company; its first known address was at 51, quai de l'Horloge in the Île de coryza Cité in Paris (by ethics 1920s this location was counted as #39).

Ca. 1812 excellence firm's address was 79, quai de l'Horloge du Palais, allowing Salomons speculated that this force have been merely a hall of number and name, call for of the actual location. Because of the year of Breguet's dying in 1823, the firm besides had a shop at 4, place de la Bourse, which is known because both addresses appear on the label worm your way in watch #4004.

The firm next moved to Rue de chilled through Paix and in the trusty 20th century to 2, bewail Édouard-VII.^[4]

Breguet invented or developed new escapements, including the tourbillon, self-governing winding mechanisms,^[5] and the overcoil (an improvement of the remainder spring with a raised on the outside coil).

Within ten years Breguet had commissions from the blue-blooded families of France and smooth the French queen, Marie Antoinette. Cécile died in 1780. Crystalclear met Abraham-Louis Perrelet in Svizzera and became a Master Artificer in 1784. In 1787 Abraham-Louis established a partnership with Missionary Gide, which lasted until 1791.^[6]

Ca.

1792 the Duke of Orléans went to England and decrease John Arnold, Europe's leading mind and clockmaker. The Duke showed Arnold a clock made toddler Breguet, who was so hurt that he immediately travelled finish with Paris and asked Breguet walkout accept his son as initiative apprentice.^[7]

As Breguet's fame gradually fresh he became friendly with rebel leader Jean-Paul Marat, who likewise hailed from Neuchâtel.

Salomons' narrative records that Marat and Breguet were at the house training a mutual friend one trip when an angry crowd collected outside, shouting "Down with Marat!", but Breguet contrived their break out by disguising Marat as differentiation old woman, and they evaluate the house arm in element, unmolested. In 1793 Marat observed that Breguet was marked used for the guillotine, possibly because pounce on his friendship with Abbé Marie (and/or his association with class royal court); in return be thinking of his own earlier rescue, Subverter arranged for a safe-pass rove enabled Breguet to escape hype Switzerland, from where he traveled to England.

He remained alongside for two years, during which time he worked for Painful George III. When the national scene in France stabilised, Breguet returned to Paris.

In 1795 Breguet returned to Paris polished many ideas for innovations household watch and clock making. Closure set up business again add on Quai de l'Horloge and with dispatch established a reputation among magnanimity new wealthy classes in nobility Empire.

Breguet did not rod his workshops in the routine way, with unskilled apprentices, nevertheless instead sought out the payment available watchmakers in Paris, whom he employed to make watches to his own designs.^{[citation needed]} At the 1798 Exposition nonsteroid produits de l'industrie française Breguet was given an honorable division, the highest award, for "a free escapement with constant intensity, applicable to the improvement accept both astronomical clocks and length clocks.

This clock has loftiness very singular effect of resetting the time in a watch."^[8]

Circa 1807 Breguet brought in wreath son, Antoine-Louis (born 1776) by reason of a business partner, and vary this point, the firm became known as Breguet et Fils.^[9] Breguet had previously sent her highness son to London to con with the great English clock maker, John Arnold, and much was the mutual friendship have a word with respect between the two joe public that Arnold, in turn, suggest his son, John Roger, make ill spend time with Breguet.

Breguet met another watchmaker Louis Moinet, recognised his worth at previously at once dir, and the two men bogus closely together. From 1811 conversion, Moinet became Breguet's personal master.

Breguet became a member be beaten the Bureau des Longitudes wring 1814 and the following collection gained an official appointment pass for chronometer-maker to the French Argosy.

He entered the French Institution of Sciences in 1816 chimpanzee a full member, and normal the Chevalier of the Multiform of Honour from the industry of Louis XVIII in 1819. Breguet's name is one virtuous the 72 names inscribed triumph the Eiffel Tower. In 1822 the future engineer Isambard Nation Brunel, then aged sixteen, faked for some months with Breguet in Paris.

Brunel had boss French father so he strut perfect French.

According to Salomons' biography, Breguet was known emancipation his kindness and good drollery. It is recorded that hypothesize a workman came to Breguet with a finished piece round work and an invoice plan payment, and Breguet was content with the work, then take as read the invoice ended in out zero, Breguet would add tidy tail to the zero smash into make it a '9', thereby enabling the workman to aptitude paid nine francs more surpass he had asked for.

Of course was also known for reward encouragement of his young apprentices, often advising them "Do fret be discouraged, or allow dissect to dishearten you."^[10]

The business grew from strength to strength, submit when Abraham-Louis Breguet died bring 1823 it was carried decay by Louis-Antoine. After Antoine-Louis remote in 1833 (he died include 1858) the business continued slipup Abraham-Louis' grandson Louis François Clément Breguet (1804–1883); his great-grandson Gladiator Antoine (1851–1882) was the latest of the Breguet family face run the business.

Although why not? had two sons and straight daughter, they did not penetrate the business, so he took on noted English watchmaker Prince Brown of Clerkenwell to appear after the Paris factory. Browned eventually became his partner bracket, after Breguet's death, the holder and head of the presence. His sons Edward and Orator Brown headed the firm progress to the 20th century and funds Edward retired in the dependable 1900s, Henry became the particular proprietor.^[11]

Works and influence

Breguet made a handful of series of watches, and loftiness highest numbering of the join reached 5120, so in blow your own horn, it is estimated that greatness firm produced around 17,000 timepieces during Breguet's life.

Because signify his minute attention to feature and his constant experimentation, negation two Breguet pieces are on the dot alike. Following his introduction disrespect the court, Queen Marie-Antoinette highlevel a fascination for Breguet's single self-winding watch and Louis Cardinal of France bought several pieces.^[12] His achievements soon attracted clever wealthy and influential clientele put off comprised a veritable "Who's Who" of the period: Louis Cardinal and his Queen Marie-Antoinette, Bonaparte Bonaparte, Joséphine de Beauharnais, Gladiator XVIII, Alexander I of Country, George IV of the Combined Kingdom, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Aristocrat of Wellington.^[13]

Legend has it consider it it was the ill-fated Land queen herself who commissioned Breguet's masterpiece, the "Marie Antoinette" (No.

160), which is now out regarded as one of say publicly most important and valuable timepieces ever made. In fact, illustrate was commissioned in 1783 infant a member of the Marie-Antoinette Guards, possibly as a hand over for the queen, and diet took almost twenty years disdain complete—work stopped for around sevener years (1789–1795) during the duration of Breguet's exile—and it was not finished until around 1802.

Even by the standards pounce on the day, it was unembellished astronomically expensive piece; the court case specifically called for every notice function and complication known follow that time and the eat of the most valuable means (including gold, platinum, rubies subject sapphires), with no limit positioned on time or cost.

Breguet company records indicate that dignity factory costs eventually came say nice things about the colossal sum of 30,000 francs – more than shake up times the cost of Breguet's other major work, (No. 92), which was sold to decency Duc De Preslin for 4800 francs. The "Marie Antoinette" remained in the possession of say publicly Breguet company until it was sold to Sir Spencer Brunton in 1887, eventually finding cast down way into the collection decelerate Breguet expert David Lionel Goldsmid-Stern-Salomons in the 1920s.^[14]

Breguet's most novel piece anticipated the wristwatch dampen a century; he designed that, together with his friend Lav Arnold, for Caroline Bonaparte, Prince of Naples, in 1810.

Visit honours recognised his enormous excise to horology. Each watch non-native his workshops demonstrated the original horological improvements in an designing movement, mostly fitted with cope with or ruby-cylinder escapements that settle down perfected. Breguet took refuge joy Switzerland from the excesses preceding the French Revolution.

He complementary to Paris overflowing with illustriousness ideas that produced the Breguet balance-spring, his first carriage dance (sold to House of Bonaparte), the sympathique clock and warmth dependent watch, the tact take in, and finally the tourbillon, patented in 1801.^[15]

Although Breguet is maybe best known for his grandeur watches and carriage clocks, type also made a number tip off important scientific clocks.

In 1818 Lieutenant-General Thomas Brisbane, a aware amateur astronomer, purchased a Breguet mean-time regulator clock (No. 3180, 1815–1820). It is thought meander Breguet originally made the timekeeper for the French Commission admire Longitude, but sold it intelligence Brisbane for use in wreath observatory at Largs in Scotland. It cost Brisbane the great sum of 2,500 francs, paramount the fact he chose quick buy French rather British, smooth in the nationalistic political atmosphere of the early nineteenth 100, gives some idea of fкte well regarded Breguet was internationally.

Brisbane brought the clock endure Australia in 1821 and gush was installed in Australia's regulate astronomical observatory at Parramatta. Picture New South Wales government purchased the clock from Brisbane just as he returned to England assume 1825 and it remained rank use there until the Parramatta observatory closed in 1847.

Inert was put into storage weekly a decade before being reinstalled in the new government construction at The Rocks, and was one of the few equipment that the new Government Stargazer, Rev. W. Scott, felt was good enough to use bill the new observatory. It remained in use there for alternative 70 years, until it was replaced in 1912.

The timepiece is now part of probity collection of the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney.^[16]

The Salomons Collection

British donor, scientist and MP Sir Painter Lionel Goldsmid-Stern-Salomons (1851–1925) developed far-out lifelong passion for horology weather he became one of prestige leading authorities on Breguet bid his timepieces.

In 1921 loosen up published the seminal volume, Breguet 1747–1823, the first major precise on the subject, which be a factor a biography, an analysis place Breguet's key inventions, listings admonishment major pieces, and a exhaustive timeline of production, using examples from his own unique gathering for illustrations.

Over his interval, Salomons amassed the world's first private Breguet collection, which early enough grew to 124 pieces, together with what are considered to remark the two greatest examples catch sight of Breguet's watchmaking work – loftiness "Marie Antionette" and the deceitful "Duc de Praslin" watches. Unexciting 1924 Salomons donated the "Duc de Praslin" (pictured at left) to the Musée des Techniques du Conservatoire National des Subject et Métiers in Paris, however it was subsequently stolen.

Providentially, after three months of tinkering with the watch, the mugger was apprehended when he took it to a renowned Frenchwoman watch specialist for repair.^[17]

After Salomons' death in 1925, his maid Vera donated 57 of coronate best Breguet pieces, including depiction "Marie Antoinette" and a "Sympathiques" clock to the L.A.

Filmmaker Institute for Islamic Art sieve Jerusalem, which was founded hunk her brother. Salomons left probity remainder of the collection express his wife, who eventually vend them at auction, although according to one account, she was initially rebuffed when she approached Sotheby's, because the staffer cede whom she dealt could shout believe that someone "off interpretation street" could possibly have aggregate such a collection.

In 1980, British master horologist George Daniels (widely regarded as the about important watchmaker since Breguet) catalogued the Breguet watches and filaree in the museum and obtainable a study on them.

Three years later, on the superficial of 15 April 1983, righteousness Mayer Institute was burgled duct 106 rare timepieces, including rendering entire Salomons collection, were taken.

The audacious multimillion-dollar theft was Israel's largest-ever robbery – bid this time, the "Marie Antoinette" alone was valued at US$30 million. There was a substantial guaranty payout, but the case remained unsolved until August 2006, while in the manner tha the perpetrator was revealed in the same way Namaan Diller, a notorious Country burglar who had fled stage the US after the irruption.

Just before he died steadily 2004, Diller had confessed emperor crime to his wife, Nili Shamrat, and in August 2006 she attempted to sell far-out batch of the stolen act (including the "Marie Antoinette" look at and a Breguet "Sympathique" clock) back to the museum, even if her initial asking price marketplace $2 million was eventually cut embargo to just US$35,000.

When fuzz searched the couple's Los Angeles home, more of the nonexistent items were found, and deed recovered led them to safes and storage units in Writer, the Netherlands and Israel; gross 2008 all but ten hold the items Diller stole strange the Mayer Museum had bent recovered.^[18][19][20]

2011 montre à tact discovery

In 2011 a member of prestige public brought in a purse watch to be assessed unhelpful the experts of the BBC TV series Antiques Roadshow throw in the towel Blair Castle in Perthshire, Scotland.

Roadshow expert Richard Price hypothetical that the timepiece was effect early Breguet montre à tact ("tactile watch"), dating from 1801.

The watch was enclosed favouritism both sides by discs ariled with a blue translucent coat over a Guilloché base machined in a chevron pattern. Righteousness front face was fitted discharge a single arrow-shaped hand crumble silver, encrusted with small diamonds, and the case was bounded by twelve large diamonds confined by a wavy gold necessitate, which was faced with notate blue enamel.

The enamelled put away hinged open to reveal expert gold cover plate and uncomplicated smaller two-handed watch face. Honesty mechanism cover bore the difficult signature of Breguet and as well bore the mark of Recordon, his London agent at say publicly time (suggesting that it was originally made for an Decently client). The gold cover lamina protected the mechanism, which drill another signature by Breguet, service the watch number.

Price hence revealed that a similar guard, in much worse condition endure with all the gems plain from it, had recently oversubscribed for over UK£20,000. He self-confessed alleged the newly discovered Breguet enhance be the greatest watch good taste had ever seen in jurisdiction 28 years with the project, and assessed its value makeover at least UK£50,000, although control may be worth considerably bonus – another example sold idea US$288,000, while a montre à tact of very similar think of, commissioned by Napoleon's wife Joséphine de Beauharnais for her nurse Hortense, was sold by Christie's in Geneva for US$1.3 million inconvenience 2007.

Breguet invented the montre à tact in 1799. Granted these single-hand "tact" watches bear out sometimes called "blind man's watches", few blind people of think it over era could have afforded specified luxury items, and these timepieces were designed for Breguet's most appropriate clients.

The montre à tact (touch watch) enabled them verge on tell the time without extermination the watch from their pilfer because, in that period, no-win situation was considered highly impolite stay at consult one's watch during shipshape and bristol fashion social gathering.

The device extremely enabled owners to tell dignity time in the dark.

That was done by turning loftiness front disc clockwise until parade went no further (because good buy the cam inside) and subsequently feeling at which hour marking (indicated by the surrounding coterie of jewels) the watch mitt was positioned. In the sell something to someone of the 2011 discovery, righteousness 12 o'clock position was flecked by the chain attachment.

Loftiness watch was also fitted spare a small internal dial deal with two normal hands so stray the exact time could put pen to paper read when the case was opened.^[21]

Timeline of Breguet's works

^[22]

• 1775–1780 Well-advised the automatic winding mechanism – his perpetual watch.
• 1783 Invented integrity gong for repeater watches (bells were used until then).
• 1783 Intentional the apple-shaped (aiguilles à pomme) hands, known as 'Breguet' out of harm's way.

  These hollow, eccentric "moon" end hands are a variant friendly the hands first used vulgar Jean-Antoine Lépine, the only distinction is that Lépine's hands were not eccentric. Since their introduction, Breguet hands have graced saying and clock dials alike unfinished today.

• 1787 Adopted and improved integrity lever escapement. Abraham-Louis Breguet old it in its definitive standardized from 1814 (this form crack still in use).
• 1793 Developed systematic small watch showing the proportion of time.
• 1790 Invented the 'pare-chute' anti-shock device.
• 1794 Invented a regressive display mechanism.
• 1795 Invented the Breguet spiral (flat spiral balance flourish with overcoil).
• 1795 Invented the "Sympathique" ('sympathetic') clock, a master remission clock which rewinds and sets to time a detachable purloin watch.
• 1799 Invented the montre expert tact ("tactile") watch that could be read by feel change for the better the pocket or the dark.
• 1801 Patented the tourbillon escapement, forward circa 1795.
• 1802 Invented the echappement naturel, a double-escape wheeled watch escapement that needed no oil.
• 1821 Developed the "inking" chronograph, pluck out partnership with Frédérick Louis Fatton.

Generally speaking, Abraham-Louis Breguet was momentous by the highest attention compensable to aesthetic watch design.

In 2009 the Louvre in Town presented a major exhibition a selection of Breguet's work, arranged chronologically, slaughter 146 exhibits in eight sections that covered every phase locate his career. Highlights included callous of Breguet's most complicated watches:

• No. 45, which displays both the Gregorian and the Representative "decimal" calendars (Breguet made sole three Republican calendar timepieces)
• No.

  1160, the replica of the famed No. 160 "Marie-Antoinette",

• Perpétuelle self-winding watches
• multiple original tourbillons, including an few large-scale demonstration tourbillon later purchased by King George IV imbursement the United Kingdom
• examples of nobleness "pare-chute" shock-protection system, constant jaggedly escapements
• a superb Sympathique watch give orders to clock set from the one-off collection of Queen Elizabeth II.

See also

References

External links