Julien Le Roy

Julien Le Roy was a major 18th-century Parisian clockmaker and watchmaker.

He was born in Tours in 1686, and by the age of 13, had already made his first clock. In 1699, he moved to Paris for further training. He became "maitre horloger" in 1713 and later "juré" of his guild. Further appointments followed, including the Directorship of the "Société des Arts", but the pinnacle of his achievement was being appointed clockmaker ("Horloger Ordinaire du Roi") to King Louis XV in 1739. He carried on his business from premises in the Rue du Harlay until his death in 1759.

His son Pierre (1717–1785), a brilliant clock-maker in his own right, carried on the business until the early 1780s.

Examples of his work can be found in many major museums around the world, including the Louvre, Paris, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

References

* [http://www.twigsdigs.com/horology/heroes/portraits/leroy1.htm Image of Julien Le Roy]
* [http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artMakerDetails?maker=556 Getty Museum article]
* [http://www.nmm.ac.uk/collections/explore/object.cfm?ID=AST0522 National Maritime Museum article]