This chronological list of famous watchmakers is a list of those who influenced the development of horology or gained status by their creations. The list is sorted by the lifetimes of the watchmakers.
Until 1400
Ktesibios (3rd century BC), Greek engineer, clepsydra with hands and dial. Zhang Heng (78–139), Chinese mathematician and inventor, clepsydra with extra reservoir. Yi Xing (683–727), Chinese Buddhist and engineer, astronomical clock. Zhang Sixun (10th century AD), Chinese engineer, clepsydra with water wheel. Su Song (11th century AD), Chinese engineer, clepsydra with water wheel and ratchet. Richard of Wallingford (1292–1336), English mathematician, astronomer and abbot, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, astronomical clock of Abbey St Albans. Jacopo de Dondi (1293–1359), Italian astronomer and clockmaker, Padua, astronomical clock of Palazzo del Capitanio. Giovanni de Dondi (1318–1389), Italian savant and professor, Milan, astrarium. Nikolaus Lilienfeld (1350/1365–1418/1435), German clockmaker and engineer, Rostock, astronomical clock of the St. Nicholas' Church in Stralsund. Mikuláš z Kadaně (1350–1420), Czech clockmaker and mechanic, Prague, Prague astronomical clock. Lazar the Serb (mid 14th century–after 1404), Serbian Orthodox monk-scribe and horologist who invented and built the first mechanical public clock in Russia in 1404.
1400–1500
Peter Henlein (c. 1479–1542), German locksmith, Nürnberg, often considered the inventor of the watch, portable clocks and watches. Nicolaus Kratzer (1487–late 1550), German mathematician and astronomer, Munich, royal astronomer of Henry VIII of England, sun dial. Kaspar Brunner (?–1561), Swiss mechanic, Bern, Zytglogge.
1500–1600
Juanelo Turriano (c. 1500–1585), Spanish clockmaker of the court, Toledo, astronomical clock, restoring the astrarium of Giovanni Dondi. Taqi al-Din (1526–1585), Ottoman clockmaker, Istanbul, astronomical clocks, and instruments, alarm clock, pocket watch. Bartholomew Newsam (?–1593); English watchmaker, London, royal watchmaker of Elizabeth I. Erasmus Habermehl (c. 1538–1606), clockmaker, Prague, astronomical and geodetic instruments. Isaac Habrecht (1544–1620), Swiss clockmaker, Schaffhausen, astronomical clock of the Straßburger Münster. Jost Bürgi (1552–1632), German clockmaker and instrument builder, Kassel, astronomer. Hans Leo Haßler (1564–1612), German composer and clockmaker, Nürnberg. music boxes. David Ramsey (c. 1590–1654), English clockmaker, London, clockmaker of the court, pocket watch.
1600–1700
Heinrich Gebhardt (1602–1661), German clockmaker, Straßburg, astronomical clock. Wolfgang Hager (1602–1674), German clockmaker, Arnstadt. Jean Rousseau (1606–1684), Swiss watchmaker, Geneva, complicated pocket watch. Ahasuerus Fromanteel (1607–1693), Dutch clockmaker, London and Amsterdam, pendulum clocks. Egbert Jans van Leeuwarden (1608–1674), Dutch clockmaker, Utrecht. Edward East (bl. 1610–1693), (C. C.), English clockmaker, London, cofounder of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, clockmaker of the court. David Ramsay (bl. 1613–1651), (first Master of the C. C.), Scottish clockmaker, London, clockmaker of the court of James VI and I and Charles I. Salomon Coster (1622–1659), Dutch clockmaker, The Hague, first pendulum clock like Christiaan Huygens. Albrecht Erb (1628–1714), Austrian clockmaker, Vienna, clockmaker of the court, astronomical clock. Isaac II Thuret (?–1706), French clockmaker, Paris, clockmaker of the court. Nathaniel Barrow (?–1699), (C. C.), English clockmaker, London, Master of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers. David Bouquet (1632–?), French watchmaker, pocket watches. Edward Barlow (1636–1716), English watchmaker, ratchet chime with repeater. William Clement (1638–1704), English watchmaker, London, Clement escapement. Thomas Tompion (1639–1713), (C. C.), English clockmaker, London, Master of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers. Joseph Knibb (1640–1711), English clockmaker, London, clocks. Johann Martin (1642–1721), German watchmaker, Augsburg, pocket watches, sun dials and table clocks. Jean de Hautefeuille (1647–1724), French physician and inventor, Orléans, balance wheel. Simon Lachez (1648–1723), Dutch watchmaker, Utrecht, guilt master. Daniel Quare (1648–1724), (C. C.), English watchmaker, London, Master of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, rack strike movement with repetition. Joseph Norris (1650–after 1700), English clockmaker, London, longcase clock, table clocks. Johann Willebrand (1658–1726), German clockmaker, Augsburg, clock, sun dial. Franz Ludwig Stadlin (1658–1740), Swiss Jesuit, royal clockmaker of the court of China. George Etherington (?1660–1728), (C. C.), English clockmaker, York, London, Master of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers. Matthias Ernst (1663–1714), German clockmaker, Ulm. Clockmaker of the city Ulm, longcase clock. Nicolas Fatio de Duillier (1664–1753), Swiss mathematician, Duillier, drilled rubies. Bernardo Facini (1665–1731), Italian astronomer, mathematician and instrument manufacturer in Venice, Farnasian Clock Jacques Thuret (1669–1738), French watchmaker, Paris, clockmaker of the court Louis XIV. Christopher Pinchbeck (1670–1732), English watchmaker, London. Simon Dilger (1671–1750), German clockmaker, Schollach, Waag clock, teacher. George Graham (1673–1751), English watchmaker, London. Franz Ketterer (1676–1749), German clockmaker, Schönwald im Schwarzwald, cuckoo clock. Benjamin Gray (1676–1764), English clockmaker. London, clockmaker of the court of George II of Great Britain. Franz Xaver Bovius (1677–1725), German priest and maker of sun dial, Eichstätt. Jean Dutertre (1684–1734), French watchmaker, Paris, duplex escapement. Johannes Klein (1684–1762), Czech mathematician, astronomer and mechanic, Prague, astronomical clock and instruments at the Clementinum. Julien Le Roy (1686–1759), French clockmaker of the court Louis XV, Paris, pocket watch, introduction of oil sinks. Martin Schipani (1693–1759), German watchmaker, Würzburg. Jehan-Jacques Blancpain (1693–?), Swiss watchmaker, Villeret. Founder of watch company Blancpain. John Harrison (1693–1776), English carpenter and autodidact watchmaker, London, chronometer Johann Jacob Möllinger (1695–1763), German watchmaker, Neustadt an der Weinstraße, the Palatinate privileged watchmaker. Johann Delucca (1697–1753), Austrian clockmaker, Vienna, longcase clocks, carriage clocks. Henry Bridges (1697–1754), English architect and clockmaker, Waltham Abbey, Monumentaluhr Microcosm Étienne LeNoir (1699–1778), watchmaker in Paris, master since 1717
1700–1800
1700–1750
John Jefferys (1701–1754), (C. C.), English watchmaker, London, pocket watches Johan Zeller (1701–1778), Swiss clockmaker, Basel, night clocks. Anders Polhammar (1705–1767), Swedish watchmaker, Stjärnsund. John Ellicott d. J. (1706–1772), English watchmaker and inventor, London, clockmaker of the court, compensating pendulum. Jacques de Vaucanson (1709–1782), French watchmaker, Paris, automaton clocks. Pierre-Joseph de Rivaz (1711–1772), Swiss clockmaker, Paris, one year clock. Justin Vulliamy (1712–1797), English clockmaker, London, precision pendulum clock. Leopold Hoys (1713–1797), German clockmaker, Bamberg, John Whitehurst (1713–1788), English clockmaker, Derby. Jean Romilly (1714–1796), Swiss watchmaker, Paris, pocket watch. Jean François Poncet (1714–1804), Swiss watchmaker of French origin, clockmaker of the court in Dresden and director of the Grünes Gewölbe. Jean-Baptiste Dutertre (1715–1742), French watchmaker, duplex escapement. Joseph Möllinger (1715–1772), German clockmaker, Frankenthal, mechanic, piano builder and mint master, clockmaker of the Palatine Zweibrücken court in Zweibrücken. Thomas Mudge (1715–1794), English watchmaker, London. inventor of the free lever escapement. Pierre Le Roy (1717–1785), French watchmaker, Paris, marine chronometer. Joseph Gallmeyr (1717–1790), German clockmaker, Munich, clockmaker of the court and mechanic of the court. Johann Albert Roetig (1718–1787), German watchmaker, Hachenburg. Larcum Kendall (1719–1790), British watchmaker, London, marine chronometer. Jean André Lepaute (1720–1789), French royal watchmaker, Paris. Jean Antoine Lépine (1720–1814), French watchmaker, Paris, Lépine caliber, pocket watch. Friedrich Möllinger (1720 or 1726–1767), German watchmaker, Mannheim, clockmaker of the court. Pierre Jaquet-Droz (1721–1790), Swiss clockmaker, La Chaux-de-Fonds. James Cox (1723?–1800), English clockmaker, London, machines, export clocks. Daniel Beat Ludwig Funk (1726–1787), Swiss clockmaker, Bern, pendulums. David Ruetschmann (Frater David a Sancto Cajetano) (1726–1796), clockmaker and mechanic, Vienna, astronomical clock. Jean Baptiste Lepaute, (1727–1802), French royal clockmaker, Paris. Willem Snellen (1727–1791), Dutch clockmaker, Dordrecht, astronomical clock, marine chronometer. Ferdinand Berthoud (1727–1807), Swiss watchmaker and author, Paris, marine chronometer. Pater Aurelianus a San Daniele (1728–1782), German Augustine friar, Thüringen, astronomical longcase clock. Sebastian Baumann (1729–1805), German watchmaker, Friedberg, carriage clock. Louis Berthoud (1729–1807) Swiss chronometer maker, Paris. Abraham-Louis Perrelet (1729–1826), Swiss watchmaker, Le Locle, pocket watch. Jean-Marc Vacheron (1731–1805), Swiss watchmaker, Geneva, founder of Vacheron Constantin. Josiah Emery (1732–1794), Swiss-born London-based watchmaker, the first to incorporate the lever escapement invented by Thomas Mudge Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (1732–1799), French entrepreneur and writer, Paris, double comma escapement. Alexander Cumming (1733–1814), (C. C.), English watchmaker, mathematician and mechanic, London. Iwan Petrowitsch Kulibin (1735–1818), Russian clockmaker and inventor, Nizhny Novgorod, automated clock for Catherine the Great. Franz Jacob Braun (1735–1813), German clockmaker, Eberbach, locksmith and clockmaker. John Arnold (1736–1799), (C. C.), English watchmaker, London, marine chronometer. Jacob Kock (1737–1805), Swedish clockmaker of the court of Gustav III, Stockholm, cartel clock. Philipp Gottfried Schaudt (1739–1809), German schoolmaster and mechanic, Onstmettingen, astronomical clock. Philipp Matthäus Hahn (1739–1790), German pastor, engineer, and inventor. Johannes Möllinger (1739–1815), German clockmaker, Fischbach, Kaiserslautern, clockmaker of the court. Mette Magrete Tvistman (1741–1827), Danish clockmaker (1742–1799), French watchmaker, Paris, clockmaker of the court, pocket watch, pendulums. Hilaire Bassereau (?–1806), French watchmaker, Paris. clockmaker of the court. John Grant (?–1810), English watchmaker, London, chronometer. Jean-Moïse Pouzait (1743–1793), Swiss watchmaker and inventor, Geneva, lever escapement. Jacques-Frédéric Houriet (1743–1830), Swiss watchmaker, Le Locle, pocket watch, tourbillon. Jürgen Jürgensen (1745–1811), Danish watchmaker and manufacturer, Le Locle, pocket watch, longcase clock. Peter Kinzing (1745–1816), German clockmaker and mechanic. Daniel Möllinger (1746–1794), German clockmaker, Heidelberg, city clock maker. Thomas Reid (clockmaker) (1746–1831), English watchmaker, Edinburgh, deck watch. Jean-Frédéric Leschot (1747–1824), Swiss clockmaker, Geneva, androids Benjamin Vulliamy (1747–1811), English clockmaker of the court George III, London, precision pendulum clock, pocket watch, pocket chronometer. Abraham Louis Breguet (1747–1823), Swiss watchmaker and mechanic, tourbillon, Breguet overcoil. John Brockbank (1747–1806), English chronometer maker, London, pocket and marine chronometer. George Margetts (1748–1808), English chronometer maker, London, pocket and marine chronometer. James McCabe (1748–1811), English watchmaker, London, pocket watch. Thaddäus Rinderle (1748–1824), German clockmaker and mathematician, Freiburg, watchmaking tools.