Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, President, Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud, Switzerland
Vincent Lapaire, General Manager, Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud, Switzerland
October 5, 2020
October 5, 2020 - Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, President, Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud, Switzerland Vincent Lapaire, General Manager, Chronométrie Ferdinand Berthoud, Switzerland
For the October 2020 virtual presentation of the Horological Society of New York’s (HSNY) lecture series, the legacy of Ferdinand Berthoud shows how his watchmaking expertise influenced the world of horology. Berthoud created an impressive volume of works in the field of marine chronometers, decorative watches and clocks, specialist tools, scientific measuring instruments and the publishing of more than 4,000 pages of specialist articles and 120 engraved plates.
The lecture began with Karl-Friedrich Scheufele’s introduction on how he became aware of Berthoud and the steps Scheufele took to obtain the rights to the Ferdinand Berthoud name ― then Vincent Lapaire followed with a timeline of the watchmaker’s remarkable life:
1727 ― Born in Neuchatel, the youngest of five children
1741 ― Started an apprenticeship with his brother, Jean-Henri, at 14 years old
1745 ― At the age of 18, Berthoud moves to Paris to complete his training. It has to be noted that he arrived during the Age of Enlightenment (1715 - 1789). This moment is key when it comes to sharing knowledge.
1752 ― Submitted a memoir on a longcase equation regulator that exhibited leap year, solar time and mean time to the Royal Academy of Sciences
1753 ― Berthoud was granted the title of “Master Watchmaker” by the King’s Council
1755 ― Wrote several reference articles in the Encyclopedie, Ou Dictionnaire Raisonne Des Sciences, Des Arts Et Des Metiers
1759 ― The Art of Operating and Adjusting Clocks and Watches [..] was Berthoud’s first specialist book (with many books to follow in the coming years)
1760 ― Establishing an accurate marine chronometer was paramount in solving the longitude problem. Therefore, Berthoud submitted a project to the Royal Academy of Science that illustrates the construction of a Marine Clock M.M. No. 1.
1762 ― John Harrison’s H4 “sea watch” was Britain’s submission for the quest of longitude
1763 ― Published the two-volume Essai sur L’Horlogerie
1764 ― Elected as a Foreign Member of the Royal Society
1764 - 1776 ― Berthoud presented a variety of Marine Clocks to the Royal Academy
1767 ― His most important accomplishment stemmed from Marine Clock No. 6 and No. 8. They were weight-driven, balanced with the temperature compensated gradient device, and a balance wheel with movable masses that allows to modify the moment of inertia and both clocks were tested on a 12-month voyage from Rochefort to Santo Domingo in 1768.
1770 ― Awarded the prestigious position of “Watchmaker - Mechanic to the King and the Navy”
1773 ― Published the Treatise on Maine Chronometers. One particular aspect about Berthoud was that he shared his watchmaking knowledge. At the time, many watchmakers rarely shared what they knew.
1777 ― Developed smaller timekeepers such as the Marine Clock M.M.No. 6
1802 ― The History of Time Measurement by Clocks became Berthoud’s most important work. His book became the reference for Swiss watchmaking school until the 1950s
1807 ― At 80 years old, Berthoud passed away in Groslay, France
The lecture was finalized by the Ferdinand Berthoud brand showing their new timepiece Chronomètre FB 2RE to commemorate Berthoud’s 250th anniversary when he became the Clockmaker - Mechanic to the King and Navy. The new piece was inspired by Berthoud’s Marine Clock No. 6 with the enamel dial, new mechanical movement Caliber FB-RE.FC — it brings together the fusee-and-chain constant force transmission with the one-second remontoir d'egalité amongst other factors.
HSNY thanks Karl-Friedrich Scheufele and Vincent Lapaire for their fascinating lecture!
Submitted by Melody Benloss, Recording Secretary & Associate Librarian