https://www.watchtime.com/featured/watch-u-s-presidents-timepieces/
When George Washington wanted a new watch in 1788, he wrote to his fellow Founding Father Gouverneur Morris, asking him to buy one for him in Paris. Morris, who would become U.S. minister to France three years later, was making a business trip there.
Washington asked for a simple, gold watch of good quality, similar to the big, slender one that Thomas Jefferson had gotten for James Madison. He sent Morris 25 guineas, saying he would pay more if necessary (according to the book Jean-Antoine Lépine, Horloger by Adolphe Chapiro).
Three months later, Morris wrote Washington from Paris that Jefferson had warned him against the maker of Madison’s watch, claiming he was a crook. Jefferson instead recommended that Morris go to another watchmaker, named Romilly. Sadly, Romilly turned out to be a bad apple, too, Morris explained to Washington. Morris then asked a merchant for yet another recommendation and was given the name of a watchmaker named Gregson. He was no better than the first two.
Finally, Morris sound success when he visited Jean-Antoine Lépine, watchmaker to King Louis XVI and one of the greatest watchmakers to ever live.
He bought two identical watches from Lépine, one for Washington and one for himself.
They were large, simple, key-wound watches with virgule escapements. Washington’s was numbered 5,378 and remained in his family’s possession until 1935. The watch’s cuvette is engraved with the inscription “Remontez à droite/Tournez les Equilles/Lepine Hger du Roy/A Paris.”
(Remontez à droite/Tournez les Equilles = Go back up to the right/Turn the Equilles or Pin.)
Below is a picture of a Lepine pocket watch but not Washington’s.
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The watch pictured below, I believe, was George Washington’s Lepine Pocket Watch.
After some additional research this beautiful pocket watch was found.
https://antiquarian-horology.com/jean-antoine-lepine-paris-no-5490-1788/
https://antiquarian-horology.com/jean-antoine-lepine-paris-no-5490-1788/#jp-carousel-976
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Description: Gilt brass, back wound Lépine movement, quarter repeating à toc, with virgule escapement and hanging barrel. The movement lacks the typical two plate construction and represents the final step towards the development of the hanging barrel ‘Lépine movements’. The spring barrel features a later ’circular feather’ spring. Gold, engine turned, consular case with enameling and ‘pearl like’ inserts. Gilt brass cuvette engraved with three ‘fleur de lys’, instructions for setting the time and for winding the watch, signed ‘Lepine H(orlo)ger du Roy’, numbered 5490, and an ‘M’, which meaning is unknown. Rare and very fine, open work, gold ‘Fleur de Lys’ and ‘arrow tip’ hands only used between 1782 and 1788. ‘Enameled copper dial signed ‘Lépine Invenit et Fecit’. The ‘A,R’ readable on the balance bridge foot, as in the latest versions after 1780. The dial shows an interesting mix of Arabic and Roman numerals, typical of some watches made between 1788 and 1790, bearing the production numbers 5400 to 5700.
Published: Listed in: Chapiro A., Jean – Antoine Lépine horloger (1720 – 1814), Les Editions de l’Amateur, Paris, 1988
Additional Info:
The first set of watches showing these numerals have an Arabic ’11’, later models show a Roman ‘XI’.
This strange way to show the numerals is explained by the strong search for symmetry and aesthetics by Lépine, culminating in these ‘oversophisticated’ creations.
{Editor Note}
No such thing as oversophisticated Lepine pocket watch creations.
George Washington’s Lepine watch was sophisticated and beautiful!
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Pocket watch Face
Pocket watch movement caliber V.
Back case of pocket watch.
Front cover of Geroge Washington’s Lepine pocket watch.
Stunning and beautiful.
https://www.in2013dollars.com/inflation-rate-in-1789
Inflation rate in 1789 -1.12 percent
Washington paid $5,000 for this beautiful pocket watch.
It was money well spent and well earned.
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George Washington owned another watch, one he gave to Colonel Thomas Johnson, the first governor of Maryland, elected in February 1777. The watch does not have any visible marks identifying its maker, but it does have the symbol of the canton of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. The watch bears the inscription, “Trenton N.J./Dec. 10th 1777/Presented to my Friend/Col. Thos. Johnson of Md./as a Memento/of my great Esteem/Geo. Washington.”
Type V – Classical Lepine bridged caliber.
https://antiquarian-horology.com/the-lepine-caliber-the-bridged-watch-movement-1762-1792/
This pocket watch was the hot “Rolex” when George Washington bought it for about $5,000.
Washington’s Watch Production Number 5,378.
Type V – Classical Lépine bridged calibre, 1772 – 1792
Different escapements are used, but one can note that in earlier movements the virgule escapements prevails, whereas in movements after 1785 with a production number over 5000, the cylinder escapement is more present. The movement is as flat as it gets. Following features are seen in these movements:
- No back plate, all wheels including balance held by bridges
- Hanging main spring barrel, held by a strong circular steel clip
- Caliber fixed on a ring with a hinge for the spring activated cuvette. Latter inscribed with instructions, signature and production number.
- Hand setting and winding is performed from the back
There are some features permitting to discern earlier from later versions of the Lépine caliber. One feature is the shape of the spring retaining the main spring axis (from left to right): the oldest and rarest version (a) is horseshoe shaped ad rather large, used before 1775. The second version (b) is of feather shape, used between 1775 and 1780. The last and most common type (c) is small and of circular shape, used from 1780. The last version can come with different shapes of indentations. Later versions are made of two wheels of different shapes with triangular or multiple triangular edges.
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Jean Antoine I Lépine (Clockmaker)
https://www.lapendulerie.com/en/artists/jean-antoine-i-lepine/
Signing his works “Lepine Hger du Roi/A Paris”, Jean-Antoine I Lépine was one of the most important Parisian clockmakers of the second part of the 18th century. Lépine initially worked as an “ouvrier libre”, then became a master on March 13, 1762, and taking over the stock of his colleague Caron, who held the title of Horloger du Roi et du Garde-Meuble de la Couronne. Having settled in the rue Saint-Denis in 1756, the place Dauphine in 1772, the rue des Fossés Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois in 1777, and then the rue des Vieux-Augustins during the Revolutionary period, Lépine led one of the most productive and renowned workshops of the reign of Louis XVI.
During the Revolution, an inventory was drawn up of the clocks that belonged to the Garde-Meuble de la Couronne and the royal family; it contained no fewer than thirty-two clocks by Lépine. In addition to the clocks made for the king and his entourage, Lépine made many luxury horological pieces for the important collectors of the time, including Prince Charles of Lorraine and the Marquis de Montesquieu.
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Some examples of Jean-Antoine Lépine pocket watches
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/187188
Lépine was appointed clockmaker (Horloger du Roy) to Louis XV (1710–1774) probably about the end of 1765 or the beginning of 1766, and he included the appointment in his signature until about 1790 or 1792, when revolutionary activity in France made a mention of the monarch impolitic, if not dangerous. In the period leading up to the Revolution, his watches became famous for their slim elegance
and increasingly inventive technology.
The Museum’s watch is a simpler product of the 1760s, displaying Lépine’s effort to decrease the space between the plates of the movement while still allowing room for the verge escapement.
George Washington’s watch had Hger du Roi carved on it.
Geroge Washinton Wrote his letter in 1788 requesting a pocket watch.
His watch had Hger du Roi on it.
If he had got it a couple of years later it would not had that signature.
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Captain Convey RollX Comment
The RollX brand has obtained a rare picture of George Washington
sitting at his desk wearing a ROLLX No Time Model Watch!
This picture cannot be verified but looks authentic enough for some.
I am sure if a ROLLX Watch was available to be purchased by
George Washington he would have owned one.
This beautiful watch looks like a George Washington No Time RollX.
The GW No Time RollX was purchased from a man who sold
various items.
In 1790 George Washington owned a pocket watch.
In 1791 he owned a No Time RollX.
How could this be possible?
Read the story about George Washington and his No Time RollX.
The Timeless Secret of RollX
https://audaciouscat.com/rabbit/the-timeless-secret-of-rollx/
George Washington’s RollX No Time Wrist Watch.
Below is a picture of his No Time RollX watch.
You can tell its an authentic picture because the original No Time
watch specification included very precise instructions about how
the face letting should be engraved.
To help prevent forgeries the larger RollX logo was centered with the
watch movement and offset a little. The smaller RollX logo was also
offset. This was Dr Watch RollX perfection at his best.
At first glance its an eye catcher because RollX logo is offset.
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Extensive Information about Lepine watches, see link below.
https://antiquarian-horology.com/?s=lepine
{Editor Note}
Lepine watches are real and of course Dr Watch RollX are fiction.
I still would like to own the RollX No Time, if it was possible.
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Instead of not being able to own a Lepine antique watch or a
fictional Dr Watch RollX watch I recommend the following
pocket watch.
OGLE Waterproof Magnifier Skeleton Chain Silver Luminous Fob Self Winding Automatic Mechanical Pocket Watch.
https://www.amazon.com/OGLE-Waterproof-Magnifier-Automatic-Mechanical/dp/B01K2ZUHTQ/
Read the next post of why I purchased this pocket watch.