While he might not have been the first to do so, Ferdinand Berthoud is revered as the man who created the finest marine chronometers ever made and one of the world’s greatest horological geniuses.
Born into a family of distinguished watch and clockmakers in Val-de-Travers, Switzerland, Berthoud moved to Paris when he was 18 and was awarded the title of Master Watchmaker in 1753 by order of the French Royal Council, in an exception to guild rules and by special favour of King Louis XV. In the ensuing years, Berthoud researched extensively on the accurate measurement of longitude, eventually leading to the production of his marine clocks, or marine chronometers. By the time he passed away in 1807, Berthoud had published an incredible body of
