Jean-Antoine Lépine a French watchmaker was born 18th November 1720 in Challex. He made contributions to watchmaking that are being utilised even today, and was one of the best French watchmakers of his day, as well as a contemporary world leader in the profession.
He began his horological career and made rapid development under the leadership of Mr. Decroze, manufacturer of Saconnex watches in the Geneva suburbs.
At 24 years old, he came to Paris to work as an apprentice to André-Charles Caron — the clockmaker to Louis XV at the time.
On March 12, 1762, he became maître horloger (master horologist).
In 1763, he created a novel repeating mechanism. The new design was a huge improvement, as it did away with the weaker winding chain, improved stability and reduced friction, all while reducing space and simplifying the mechanism.
Between 1764 / 65, he invented a method of producing a pocket watch that could be thinner, paving the way for further shrinking. His revolutionary design defied 300 years of tradition and ushered in the age of precision timekeeping, giving birth to the contemporary pocket watch. The "Lépine calibre" or "calibre à pont" was used to minimise the thickness of a watch.
Lépine style calibre
He was appointed Horloger du Roi (Clockmaker to the King) in 1765 or 1766.
In 1766, he succeeded Caron and appeared on the list of Paris clockmakers of that year as Jean-Antoine Lépine, Hger du Roy, rue Saint Denis, Place Saint Eustache.
In 1772, he opened a shop in the Place Dauphine where he established himself.
In 1778-1779, he opened a shop in the Quai de l'Horloge du Palais.
In 1781, he opened a shop in the rue des Fossés Saint Germain l'Auxerrois near the Louvre, and in 1789, he opened a shop at 12 Place des Victoires.
He tweaked the virgule escapement of Jean-André Lepaute which was utilised in France for almost twenty years and was also the first to employ Arabic numerals for both the hours and minutes on dials. Lépine's works were well respected and in demand as a clock and watchmaker to Louis XV, Louis XVI, and Napoleon Bonaparte.