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trifling, nor finically ornamented one, but a watch well executed in point of workmanship, and of about the size and kind of that which was procured by Mr. (Thomas) Jefferson for Mr. (James) Madison, which was large and flat. I imagine Mr. Jefferson can give you the best advice on the subject, as I am told this species of watches, which I have described, can be found cheaper and better fabricated in Paris than in London. (...)"
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265:. In 1756 he married Caron's daughter and associated with him, under "Caron et Lépine", between 1756 and 1769. Watches with a signature Caron et Lépine or equivalent are not known; apparently Lépine was independent to a certain extent. As early watches were not numbered, it is uncertain when Lépine began to sign watches with
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386:, served to reduce a watch's thickness. To do this, it exchanged the traditional frame with two bottom plates for a single plate onto which the train is fixed with independent bridges. It also removed the fusee and its chain and then began using the cylinder escapement. He also invented the floating mainspring
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The business was sold to Jean Paul Chapuy in 1815, employing Lepine's nephew
Jacques Lépine (working from 1814 until 1825) who had been appointed clockmaker to the King of Westfalia (Germany) in 1809. Later in 1827 it was sold to Deschamps who was succeeded in 1832 by Fabre (Favre). In 1853 passed to
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The pocket watch he received through his emissary in Paris was from '"Mr. Lépine (who) is at the Head of his
Profession here, and in Consequence asks more for his Work than any Body else. I therefore waited on Mr. L'Epine and agreed with him for two Watches exactly alike, one of which be for you and
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Invented a new repeating mechanism; in 1763 devised a mechanism in which by depressing the pendant the repeating spring is wound and where the hour and quarter racks were placed directly on the winding arbor. The new design was a great improvement, eliminating the fragile winding chain. It also gave
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The calibre was quickly adopted throughout France and today its basic design is what characterizes all mechanical watches. It is important to note that the term "Lépine" can refer to both the calibre itself or a type of pocket watch with a flat, open-faced case in which the second wheel is placed in
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The usual practice in the 18th century was to have the movement between two parallel plates and the balance wheel outside the top plate. The Lépine calibre discarded the top plate altogether and used individual cocks mounted on a single plate. This arrangement made it easier to assemble and repair
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In 1766 he succeeded Caron, and appeared on the list of Paris clockmakers of that year as Jean-Antoine Lépine, Hger du Roy, rue Saint Denis, Place Saint
Eustache. Ten years later, in 1772, he established himself in the Place Dauphine; in 1778-1779, Quai de l’Horloge du Palais; then in the rue des
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The Lépine calibre uses bars and bridges instead of pillars and upper plates. As mentioned, the movement has no fusee which equalizes the driving power transmitted to the train, replaced instead by a going barrel to drive the train directly. This improvement was facilitated by using the cylinder
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to his son-in-law Claude-Pierre Raguet who had become an associate in 1792, and when he died in 1810, his son
Alexandre Raguet-Lépine continued the business. However, Jean-Antoine Lépine continued to be active in the firm until his demise, happened on May 31, 1814 at his home of Rue St. Anne in
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the axis of the winder shaft and the crown positioned at XII, in opposition to the savonete (or hunter-case) watch where the second wheel and winder shaft are placed on perpendicular axes and the crown at III. This design has been known within the watch industry as the Lépine style ever since.
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I had the pleasure to receive by the last mail your letter dated the 12th of this month. I am much obliged by your offer of executing commissions for me in Europe, and shall take the liberty of charging you with one only. I wish to have a good gold watch procured for my own use; not a small,
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In addition to paving the way for the making of even thinner watches, this innovation was readily adaptable as the basic model for mass-producing watch-movements, a process that was to begin in the nineteenth century. Up to the 1840s, watches were all hand-finished, so that parts were not
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The horologist was patronised by leading figures of his day including the
Comtesse d'Artois and de Provence, many French aristocracy as well as the Spanish, British and Swedish royalty. Apart from monarchs, aristocrats, bourgeoises, etc., such was the popularity of Lépine's design that
459:(with concealed hinges) and a fixed bezel. Since these watches were rewound and set from the rear, the movement was protected from dust by an inner case. This new arrangement had the advantage of preventing access from the dial face, thus avoiding damaging it or the hands.
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Since his childhood the horologist showed an inclination towards mechanical, beginning his horological career and making fast progress, in particular, under the direction of Mr. Decroze, manufacturer of
Saconnex watches, in the suburbs of Geneva (Switzerland).
375:. Refusing the incipient industrialization, French watch making only survived by becoming a peripheral adjunct to the Swiss watch making powerhouse, with only a few isolated Parisian cabinotiers still making truly French watches with French movements.
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Fossés Saint
Germain l’Auxerrois near the Louvre in 1781; and finally at 12 Place des Victoires in 1789. In 1782, his daughter Pauline married one of his workmen, Claude-Pierre Raguet (1753–1810), with whom he formed a partnership in 1792.
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for his watches were made there, at least between 1778 and 1782. An unsigned memoir of 1784 reports that Lépine stayed in Ferney for 18 months and that he had watch movements made there with a value of 90,000 livres a year.
249:; 18 November 1720 – 31 May 1814) was a French watchmaker. He contributed inventions which are still used in watchmaking today and was amongst the finest French watchmakers, who were contemporary world leaders in the field.
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that could be thinner, favouring the onward quest for further miniaturization. His radical design broke with a 300-year tradition and ushered in the age of precision timekeeping, the modern pocket watch was born.
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for his ultra slim watches. Indeed, except from the very start of his career the celebrated and extremely well known
Breguet almost always used Lépine calibres and then modified them. Along with
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Boulay. 1885: Roux, Boulay's son in law. 1901: Ferdinand Verger. 1914: Last acquisition. 1919: Residual stock purchased by Louis Leroy. The business always continued under the name Lépine.
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apple shaped hands; hollow, tip hands, were first used by Lépine. In 1783 Breguet introduced a variation with eccentric "moon", and these are the most popular today, known as
Breguet hands.
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Lépine is also credited for introducing hand-setting at the back of the watch and the hunter case (or savonette) that completely covers a dial with its spring-loaded hinged panel.
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The first horologist to have continuously study and work on aesthetic design, in the modern meaning of the word, on watches. This was continued by
Breguet, etc.
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Several of Lepine clocks and watches are on display in European museums and palaces, his timepieces are among the finest in the history of watchmaking.
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Invented "lost hinge" watchcases (invisible); his "secret" opening mechanism with hidden hinges, releasing the back cover by twisting the pendant.
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He moved to Paris in 1744 when he was 24 years of age, serving as apprentice to André-Charles Caron (1698–1775), at that time clockmaker to
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He modified Jean-André Lepaute's virgule escapement. Thanks to Jean Antoine Lépine, it would be used for some twenty years or so in France.
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Lépine's work profoundly influenced all subsequent watchmaking, particularly Abraham Louis Breguet who used a modified version of the
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interchangeable. The Swiss, Leschot in particular, believed there was a market for cheaper, machine made watches with
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the system better stability and decreased friction, while saving room and simplifying the mechanism. The 1763
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He was also the first one to use Arabic numerals on dials as many for the hours as for the minutes.
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Time in Office: Presidential Timepieces slideshow, among them G. Washington's Lépine pocket watch
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Paris. He was buried in a temporary concession in the Père-Lachaise cemetery on June 1, 1814.
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In 1793–94 Lépine, when his tired eyes did not let him work further, handed over the
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Letter from George Washington to Gouverneur Morris. Mount Vernon, 28 November 1788.
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Throughout his career Lépine contributed with other important inventions such as:
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Lepine Caliber IIA with Quarter Repeater. Also made by Lepine for Breguet watches.
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Lepine Caliber IIA with Quarter Repeater Complication shared with Abraham Breguet
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He played a significant role in allowing us to strap watches onto our wrists.
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Mount Vernon and its associations, Historical, Biographical and Pictorial
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the pocket watches, but also allowed the balance to be set to one side.
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He was also associated for a certain period with the philosopher
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801:(1859): p. 207. A drawing of G. Washington's Lépine pocket watch
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the other for me". Gouverneur Morris in Paris 23 February 1789.
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245:(alternatively spelled L’Pine, LePine, Lepine, L’Epine, born
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In 1765 or 1766 (precise date not known), he was appointed
435:"Machines ou inventions approuvées par l’Académie en 1763"
306:. It is not known the exact role he played in the Ferney
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Around 1764/65, he devised a means of manufacturing a
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1764/65: Invention of the revolutionary Lépine calibre
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Another Lépine quarter repeating p. watch circa 1816
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Beginnings and appointment as clockmaker to the King
49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
845:Evolution of Lépine calibres from 1800 until 1870
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850:A L. quarter repeating pocket watch circa 1780
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302:, at his watch manufactory set up in 1770 at
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682:"Accueil - Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie"
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831:(2002): p. 54. George Washington and Lépine
440:Invented a winding system requiring no key.
625:(2002): p. 53. Lépine and the modern watch
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814:The Writings of George Washington Vol. IX
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109:Learn how and when to remove this message
860:Quarter repeating and calendar, ca. 1798
773:"Antique Clocks, Watches and Barometers"
759:Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World
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16:French master clockmaker and watchmaker
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382:Essentially, the "Lépine calibre" or
431:Mémoire of the Académie des Sciences
47:adding citations to reliable sources
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600:Kannan Chandran, in Solitaire.com
455:He developed a new form of case,
417:Other improvements and inventions
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236:Philibert Depigny and Marie Girod
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816:(1835): p. 449. Private letters
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318:As a clock and watchmaker to
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640:. In Watchcollectors.com
220:Madeleine-François Caron
737:www.hautehorlogerie.org
686:www.hautehorlogerie.org
494:Historical associations
638:The History of Watches
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652:"Homepage - TimeZone"
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282:Abraham-Louis Breguet
58:"Jean-Antoine Lépine"
827:David Christianson,
621:David Christianson,
605:22 July 2010 at the
538:"Malletantiques.com"
457:à charnières perdues
247:Jean-Antoine Depigny
212:Lépine calibre, etc.
144:Jean-Antoine Depigny
43:improve this article
797:Benson J. Lossing,
712:mini-site.louvre.fr
708:"Breguet au Louvre"
542:mallettantiques.com
243:Jean-Antoine Lépine
125:Jean-Antoine Lépine
907:French clockmakers
875:Famous watchmakers
407:Ferdinand Berthoud
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501:George Washington
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41:Please help
36:verification
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897:1814 deaths
892:1720 births
782:23 November
742:23 November
717:23 November
691:23 November
666:23 November
580:23 November
547:23 November
169:31 May 1814
886:Categories
525:References
507:Dear Sir,
197:Horologist
150:1720-11-18
99:March 2015
69:newspapers
324:Louis XVI
233:Parent(s)
706:Lionel.
603:Archived
320:Louis XV
312:ebauches
300:Voltaire
263:Louis XV
225:Children
201:inventor
179:, France
160:, France
411:Breguet
158:Challex
83:scholar
471:Legacy
304:Ferney
217:Spouse
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188:Paris
177:Paris
90:JSTOR
76:books
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462:The
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166:Died
140:Born
62:news
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