Legendary Figures of Watchmaking: Louis Moinet

Louis Moinet is yet another watchmaker who had a major impact in watchmaking. Moinet is credited with creating the first chronograph every to be produced which is thought to be the most complicated and challenging complication for watchmakers.

Moinet was born in Bourges, France in 1768 to a well-to-do farming family. He was a very good student and was successful in the classical subjects. So much so that he won many academic competitions during his schooling. During this time, he was introduced to watchmaking and met a watchmaker who he learnt from.

At age 20 he left France for Rome, Italy where he lived for five years and studied architecture, scriptures and painting. He then moved to Florence where he learned about stone engraving. His skills in the fine arts were obvious so he moved back to Paris in 1795 and became a Professor of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Louvre.

While teaching, he pursued his passion for horology and went back to his old watchmaking teacher who helped him learn. He soon went to the Vallée de Joux where he continued to pursue his interests in watchmaking. He met Abraham Louis Breguet, another legendary figure in the watchmaking world. He worked closely with Breguet until Breguet passed but came up with many unusual but useful watchmaking traits.

For example, in many of his pocket watches, he placed the entire gear train under one pinion. He also created a new mainspring as well as a balance cock which he removed the studs for increased oscillation speed consistency. Because of the leaps he helped watchmaking take, he became the President of the Chronometry Society in Paris.

His client list included individuals like Napoleon Bonaparte, Tsar Alexander I, King George IV of England, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe. Many of these individuals received unique clocks. His invention of the first chronograph, or Compteur de Tierces occured in 1815. He also published the first encycloaedia for watchmaking in 1848 called Traite d’Horologerie.

Moinet passed on 21 May, 1853 at age 85 but his legacy lives on in the watch company called Louis Moinet.

Thank you Moinet for your contribution to watchmaking.

Enjoy!