Our gratitude goes to the collectors who provide us with information of their collections and the content of their own research, museum curators, auction house experts, antiquarian horologists and watch dealers who are willing to share their knowledge of their beloved pieces.
Many different other sources have been used to gather as much information as possible about the watches, the movements, their makers and additional historical background. Our resource presents some of the most thoroughly researched horological pieces in private hands. To state the references in each describing text would disrupt the reading, so we decided to list our most important sources here (list is not exhaustive).
Historian in Horology:
Most pieces included in the English 18th century section as well as in the 19th century have been purchased from David Penney, an unequalled historian in horology who hosts his own website. Many of the descriptions of the acquired pieces include parts from the descriptions on David Penney’s homepage, these are indexed as (1) in the text for reference. The full description as well as additional information can be found when searching David Penney’s site for the respective makers and production numbers. Other important information not available elsewhere has been provided by David Penney through personal communication. Latter information is indexed as (2) for reference.
- David Penney; www.antiquewatchstore.com
- David Penney; personal communication
Reference literature:
Brusa G., Allix C., The Fusée Renversée, Antiquarian Horology, London, 6.1968
Camerer Cuss T., The English Watch, 1585 – 1970, The Antique Collectors’ Club, Woodbridge, 2009
Chapiro A., Jean – Antoine Lépine, 1720 – 1814, an “unknown” maker, Antiquarian Horology, 9.1975
Chapiro A., Jean – Antoine Lépine: Horloger 1720 – 1814, Les Editions de l’Amateur, Paris, 1988
Chapiro A., Taschenuhren aus vier Jahrhunderten, Callwey, Munich, 1995
Chayette H., Sabrier J.-C., Turner A., Breguet chez Chayette, Roger Turner Books, 2010
Clutton, Cecil, Daniels G., Watches, B.T. Batsford Ltd, London 1965
Daniels G., The Art of Breguet, Sotheby Parke Bernet, London, 1974
Dodsley J. The Annual Register For the Year 1765, Fifth Edition, London, 1793, P. 113 – 133
Evans J., Thomas Tompion at the Dial and Three Crowns, Antiquarian Horological Society, Ticehurst, 2006
Gould R.T., John Harrison and his Timekeepers, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, 1958
Gould R.T., Betts J., The Marine Chronometer, Its History and Development, The Antique Collectors’ Club, Woodbridge, 2013
Hartley H., Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London, Vol. 18, Number 2, London, Dec. 1963. P. 146 – 160
Mercer V.R., John Arnold and Son, Chronometer Makers, 1762-1843, Antiquarian Horological Society. London, 1972
Randall A.G., The Time Museum Catalogue of Chronometers, Rockford 1992.
Sabrier J.-C., Louis Berthoud and the Finding of Longitude at Sea, New Developments, Antiquarian Horology, London, 1997
Sabrier J-C., Oudin, a Horological Dynasty closely linked to Breguet, part 1, Vox, The Antiquorum Magazine, Spring 2007, 116-25 ; part 2, Vox, The Antiquorum Magazine, 120-27, Summer 2007.
Sabrier J.-C., Une Montre Expérimentale de Ferdinand Berthoud au Musée d’Evreux, L’horlogerie Ancienne, No. 19
Sabrier J.-C., La Longitude en mer à l’heure de Louis Berthoud et Henri Motel, Editions Antiquorum, Geneve, 1993
Sabrier J.-C., Frédéric Houriet. Le père de la chronométrie suisse, Cernier, Antoine Simonin, 2006
Thompson D., Ashmolean Museum handbook ‘Watches’, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, 2007
Thompson D., British Museum Watches, British Museum Press, London, 2007
Vulliamy D G., The Vulliamy Clockmakers, Antiquarian Horological Society, London, 2003
Auction catalogues (online and hardcopies):
Bonhams, Sotheby’s, Christie’s, Antiquorum, Patrizzi, Crott, Chayette & Cheval, Drouot
Catalogues of major international watch exhibitions:
Breguet E., Minder N., Abraham-Louis Breguet. L’horlogerie à la conquête du monde, Musée national suisse, le Musée du Louvre et Somogy Editions d’Art, Paris, 2011
Cardinal C., directed by, Ferdinand Berthoud (1727-1807), Musée international d’horlogerie, La Chaux-de-Fonds, 1984
Data bases and collection catalogues of major museums (online and hardcopies):
Louvre, Paris; Breguet Museum, Paris; British Museum, London; International Watch Museum, La Chaux- de Fonds; Patek Philippe Museum, Geneva; Musée de l’horlogerie et de l’emaillerie, Geneva; Watch Museum Château des Monts, Le Locle; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Frick Collection, New York; Swiss National Museum, Prangins and Zurich; Breguet Museum, Zurich; Watch Museum Beyer, Zurich