Tavernier

The Tavernier’s were a watchmaking dynasty from Paris starting with Jean-Pierre Tavernier (1714 – 1795). He was a reputable 18^th century Parisian clockmaker who signed his dials Tavernier à Paris.

He worked in Paris in the rue de Bussy parish of Saint-Sulpice and was appointed master in 1746. He published tables with the equation of time “Table de différence du temps vrai au temps moyen” in 1754. Tavernier was regarded as a specialist in small portable clocks. Among other things, he made small jewellery clocks in rings and bracelets. He is said to have presented a sea clock to the Académie des Sciences around 1766 at around the same time as Pierre Le Roy and Jean Romilly. He was best man at the wedding of master watchmaker François Huet to Marie-Louise Quetin, a daughter of Joseph Quetin, a master watchmaker in Paris and Chatillon-sur-Loire. His aristocratic clientele included engraver and connoisseur the Duc de Caylus. He was especially renowned for his watches but also made and sold outstanding clocks. He had three sons, all watchmakers: Louis, Etienne, and Pierre-Benjamin.

Louis Tavernier (1754 – 1840), like his father, was one of the most famous watchmakers in Paris. In 1790, he became watchmaker to the Duke of Orleans and was based at 46 Rue Richelieu. Louis Tavernier also worked for Breguet, either in Breguet’s workshop or as external freelancer and Breguet is known to have outsourced some work to Louis Tavernier. He worked extensively and successfully on improving the cylinder movement.

Etienne Tavernier (1756 – 1839), was also a well known watchmaker in Paris. From 1772 to 1804 his shop was in the Rue de Bussy (Buci), and later in the Rue des Fossés St.-Germain-des-Prés 13 from about 1805 to 1820. Initially he often worked together with Louis Musson. From 1830, he worked together with his son-in-law Philippe Gros, who also became his successor. Philippe Gros was married to Thérèse Esther Tavernier. Like his father, Etienne specialised in small jewellery watches in rings and bracelets, but he also produced complicated movements with calendars and repeaters. One of his inventions was a winding key that displayed the date and moon phase. Tavernier also worked for Breguet and Robin.

Pierre-Benjamin Tavernier (1758) is known as a supplier of machines to Abraham-Louis Breguet. He was trained as a watchmaker but also specialised as a case maker. He supplied cases to Abraham-Louis Breguet, Jean Antoine Lépine and Bazile-Charles Leroy, among others. The cases bear his master’s mark ‘PBT’. Pierre Benjamin Tavernier was also listed at 7 Cour de la Sainte-Chapelle. He was described “fait les boîtes de montres, et guillocheur”.