Ferdinand Berthoud
Encyclopedia
Ferdinand Berthoud was a Swiss
chronometer-maker.
in 1745 and gained a great reputation for the excellence and accuracy of his marine chronometer
s. He succeeded the pioneering work of Henry Sully
. He was appointed Clockmaker to the Navy in 1762 and Clockmaker to the King in 1773. At the king's insistence he travelled to England to view the chronometers of John Harrison
.
Together with his great rival, Pierre Le Roy
, Berthoud contributed to the development of the chronometer, . He was made a member of the Institute of France and elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London in 1764 . Among other works he wrote Essai sur l'horlogerie in 1763.
He died in 1807 at his home in Groslay near Montmorency
, Seine et Oise. He had married twice, firstly Mademoiselle Chati of Cean, and then Mademoiselle Dumoustier of Saint Quentin, but had no children. His business passed to his nephew, Louis Berthoud (1759–1813).
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
chronometer-maker.
Career
He was born at Plancemont, Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Having served his apprenticeship with his brother, Jean-Henri, a pendulum maker, he set up a clockmaking business in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1745 and gained a great reputation for the excellence and accuracy of his marine chronometer
Marine chronometer
A marine chronometer is a clock that is precise and accurate enough to be used as a portable time standard; it can therefore be used to determine longitude by means of celestial navigation...
s. He succeeded the pioneering work of Henry Sully
Henry Sully
Henry Sully was an English clockmaker. He lived for many years in France.-Marine clock:He invented a marine clock to determine longitude accurately, a sophisticated pendulum clock. He presented a first Montre de la Mer in 1716 to the French Académie des Sciences. He was the first to develop...
. He was appointed Clockmaker to the Navy in 1762 and Clockmaker to the King in 1773. At the king's insistence he travelled to England to view the chronometers of John Harrison
John Harrison
John Harrison was a self-educated English clockmaker. He invented the marine chronometer, a long-sought device in solving the problem of establishing the East-West position or longitude of a ship at sea, thus revolutionising and extending the possibility of safe long distance sea travel in the Age...
.
Together with his great rival, Pierre Le Roy
Pierre Le Roy
Pierre Le Roy was a French clockmaker. He was the inventor of the detent escapement, the temperature-compensated balance and the isochronous balance spring. His developments are considered as the foundation of the modern chronometer...
, Berthoud contributed to the development of the chronometer, . He was made a member of the Institute of France and elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London in 1764 . Among other works he wrote Essai sur l'horlogerie in 1763.
He died in 1807 at his home in Groslay near Montmorency
Montmorency
- Places :In Australia:* Montmorency, Victoria, suburb of Melbourne** Montmorency railway stationIn Canada:* Montmorency Falls, Quebec* Montmorency , Quebec* Montmorency , Quebec...
, Seine et Oise. He had married twice, firstly Mademoiselle Chati of Cean, and then Mademoiselle Dumoustier of Saint Quentin, but had no children. His business passed to his nephew, Louis Berthoud (1759–1813).
Works
- Histoire de la mesure du temps par les horloges 1 http://books.google.com/books?id=vB8JAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA1
- Histoire de la mesure du temps par les horloges 2 http://books.google.com/books?id=ch4JAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA1