Besancon: Watches & Wonders exhibition at the Museum of Time, 9 December 2010 to May 29, 2011

Besançon (Doubs) is the undisputed capital of French watchmaking ... And she proves it once again. Indeed, the Time Museum, located in the Palais Granvelle, will present at the December 9, 2010 May 29, 2011, a beautiful exhibition called "Watches & Wonders": journey traces the main developments of the mechanical watch since the 16th century until the early 20th century. An event not to be missed, which is supported by the French Haute Horlogerie brand precision L. Leroy, who was also present this weekend at the Salon Belles Montres in Paris. Details.

Leroy 01, copyright Pierre Guenat Leroy 01, copyright Pierre Guenat Besancon, the historic capital of French watchmaking, has an important heritage of watchmaking. This "treasure" in the Musée du Temps is unknown to the general public since the closure of the hall Watchmaking Museum of Fine Arts.
Since its inception in 2002, the Museum of Time has not presented his entire collection of antique watches, kept in reserve. This fund is nonetheless one of the largest collections of watches from France.
The exhibition "Watches & Wonders" should help meet public expectations and largely Besançon all watch enthusiasts and particularly old and valuable watches. It also reflects the anchor watch is about the heart of the museum.
The exhibition, which takes place under the roof of the great height of the Time Museum, presents a selection of approximately 200 coins, watches for most, but also boxes, enameled plates, tools, clocks and iconographic documents.
Organized in a timeline, the museum tour covers the main developments of the mechanical watch since the 16th century to early 20th century in both mechanical and aesthetic aspects. The exhibition traces the historical and symbolic value of the watch, between the quest for precision and mark social status. Particular attention is paid to the role played by Besançon in the history of French watchmaking, through the evocation of the production context of the time watch.
Of the first watches in the mid 18th century The first section covers the first watches of the 16th and 17th centuries until the mid-18th century. These are achievements to the accuracy often rough, but are mostly genuine jewelry, made in the most precious materials, carved with a decoration. Technical developments of the watch visible throughout the period far into the 18th century, to the extent that the innovations are introduced only gradually in the practices of watchmakers.
The collections of the Museum of Time possible to open the exhibition by a set of beautiful objects, the high aesthetic value, and the design and size allow the public an opportunity to observe the movement in good condition to understand mechanism. Movements in platinum, with ornate pillars and roosters can see the rockets and the springs that characterize the hits of that era.
The revolution in watchmaking A second section covers the turn of the 18th century and 19th century, characterized by the rationalization of the watch. The splendor of the scenery is combined with research in both technical and formal. Forms purified, the movements become more precise as research progresses in watchmaking, spurred by the search for marine chronometers. This section is an opportunity to discover the public Lépine watch collection, purchased by the museum in 1998. Breguet watches, Berthoud and Leroy are presented in this section to discuss the technical and aesthetic ferment of the watch of the time.
A reflection on the very organization of time is developed during the revolutionary period with attempts to establish a decimal time as evidenced by several watches from the collections of the museum. Technical innovations with the introduction of the caliber Lepine, the movement bridges, are presented in parallel with strong aesthetic that characterizes the production of this period with richly enameled watches, or rather very pure form.
Watch the 19th century, around Besancon In a third section of the exhibition are discussed specifics of the watch industry of the 19th century and early 20th century, marked by mass production. Particular attention is given to the production Besancon, which is characterized by the establishment of a particular local context of watch production, unique in France.
Around the presentation of documents produced in the capital of Franche-Comté, watches from the factory in Besançon until those early 20th century, the exhibition seeks to demonstrate the importance of our city, as the French capital the watch at that time. The presentation workshop resources of watchmakers, the evocation of specialized institutions such as schools or municipal Watch Observatory, through the deposits they have made to the museum, or even historical documents allows to give an idea of a global context of production that has a profound history of the city.
Beyond the shows, this part is the opportunity to present lesser-known funds from the museum's collections, but who find their place in the evocation of production Besancon, this collection boxes watches and plaques, reminiscent of much of the activity Besancon was not making moves, but rather the établissage, that is to say, the assembly of movements in boxes of watches. Fund workshops of engravers complete the presentation.
Complication watches, masterpieces of watchmakers A final section of the exhibition evokes the heyday of watchmaking expertise through the heyday of complication watches, the early 20th century. Around the Leroy 01, a masterpiece of the museum, presented other watches with complications, characteristics of technical skill achieved by the clockmakers at that time.
The exhibition ends on this high point. The Leroy 01, with its 24 complications represented the most complex timepiece ever produced at the time, and will remain so until the completion of the Patek Philippe Calibre 89. Made in Besancon, the 01 represents perfection and excellence so as reaching the local watchmakers.