author
Claudius Saunier
1816–1896
A leading 19th-century French watchmaker and teacher, he wrote practical guides that helped spread watchmaking knowledge far beyond France. His books became valued references for both working craftsmen and serious students of horology.
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About the author
Born in Mâcon on April 17, 1816, Claudius Saunier trained in watchmaking in France and completed part of his apprenticeship in Switzerland. He went on to build a reputation not only as a watchmaker, but also as a specialist teacher and writer on horology.
Saunier is best remembered for technical books such as Traité d'horlogerie moderne and The Watchmakers' Hand Book. These works were designed to be useful in the workshop as well as in study, and they helped make complex watchmaking methods easier to understand for a wider audience.
He died in Paris on October 25, 1896. Library and reference sources consistently identify him as an important French horological author, and the continued reprinting and translation of his work suggests the long reach of his influence.