Honoré Pons

Honoré Pons, circa 1823. Extremely rare and fine, vertical, center seconds, traveling chronometer. Notes Such chronometers were exhibited for the firs time at the Paris Exhibition of 1823. The only other clock known of this type, is in the Musée National des Techniques ( C.N.A.M., Paris), is is described and illustrated in Hans Von Bertele : Marine and pocket Chronometers, page 168, fig. 167 a,b,c. Honoré Pons, eminent maker, born in Grenoble, settled in Paris circa 1800. Following the rapport made by Sayoye Rollin, Prefect of the region, setting out the precarious state of the horological industry, he was brought to Saint Nicolas d'Aliermont in 1806 by the Minister of the Interior in order to reorganize it. After a careful investigation into the 18th century methods used in Saint Nicolas, he formed the clockmakers into a sort of Guild called Fabrique d'Horlogerie de Saint Nicolas d' Aliermont, directed by himself and designed to coordinate their efforts and business interests. He introduced the use of machinery, some of it of his own devising, and generally he brought an industrial revolution to Saint Nicolas which became the main French center of production for the clock movements, known as mouvements de Paris, an Iater for carriage clocks and chronometers. The largest part of the production being sold as blancs-roulants, and finished in other centers, such as Paris. Honoré Pons was also the inventor of various constant force escapements, and of the échappement mix