![]() ![]() Bréguet went on to build a successful business in own lifetime, one that was later successfully carried on by his descendants, Mr. Janvier, who died in 1835 with no heirs, was a contemporary of Abraham-Louis Bréguet, founder of the eponymous watch brand. The Janvier pedestal double-dial regulator, a museum-quality piece last seen in 1949 in an exhibition called “Masterpieces of Horology” at the Musée du Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers in Paris, was sold for €432,750, or about $595,000, a belated recognition for a brilliant clockmaker who died in poverty and obscurity. “Janvier did not produce much in his lifetime, and to have three pieces at once is exceptional.” “The Janvier pieces are a very rare ensemble,” said Hervé Chayette, Parisian auctioneer and horology expert. The Janvier pieces in the auction came from the collection of Marcel Mennesson, the French inventor of the VeloSolex motorized bicycle, himself a mechanical genius and horology connoisseur. Journe adapted for the “Chronomètre à Résonance” wristwatches that he began making 10 years ago, relying on the natural phenomenon of resonance for accuracy. “Before becoming an horologer, Janvier was a mathematician consumed by astronomy,” said the watchmaker François-Paul Journe, at a conference held during the preview of the sale at Sotheby’s. ![]() Janvier is credited with the fabrication of the first double-pendulum, or resonance, clock, based upon the natural phenomenon of resonance recognized a century earlier by Galileo in his investigations of musical strings and pendulums. In collaboration with the French auction house and the horology specialists Chayette & Cheval, Sotheby’s held a sale this month of rarely seen historical pieces that included an armillary planetarium, a double-dial pedestal regulator and a calendrical table regulator, all signed by the 18th-century French clockmaker Antide Janvier.Īmong his achievements, Mr. Journe, coincided with an exceptional horology sale at Sotheby’s in Paris. Perhaps one day passing the knowledge on.PARIS - This year, the 10th anniversary of the presentation of the first “Chronomètre à Résonance,” a unique mechanism by the Geneva-based watchmaker F. So I’ve decided to continue with my passion and offer my skills as a paid service. I ran the business successfully for an additional eight years until our family made the very difficult decision to return to our welsh roots leaving the shores of South Africa.ĭespite the current state of the world and its numerous issues I believe it’s very important to preserve old skills and not let them be lost. This is where I acquired and honed the necessary skills to enable me to follow my passion repairing and working on a number of various time, mechanical, measuring time pieces.Īfter a fruitful 40 year innings my father also retired happily passing on the necessary skills that allow me to continue what he had worked so hard to achieve. My father opened his own watch and Jewellery repair shop St Georges Jewellers in Simons Town a historical naval town famous for Just Nuisance, the only dog to be officially listed in the Royal Navy. After 60 years and training most of his direct family who all eventually became Watchmakers scattered throughout the four major cities in South Africa he officially retired happily from the his trusted old work bench.ĭuring this period he trained my Father, George Bowes who was lucky enough to marry one of his four beautiful daughters.
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