Denis Martinot Denis Martinot was a famous watchmaker based in Paris. From 1613 to 1618, he worked for the French King Henry IV as his royal watchmaker in the role of a squire, or valet de chambre du roi. Martinot was from a family of well-known watch- and clockmakers that were active in Paris from 1572 to 1729. In 1589, he inherited the title of City Clockmaker of Paris from his father, Gilbert Martinot. His brother was Zacharie Martinot, also a highly regarded Paris watchmaker. Denis was succeeded by Jacques and then Jean Martinot. The Martinots appear to have handed down royal titles to descendants over the generations. In the early 1600s, Martinot may have known and possibly trained the Scottish watch- and clockmaker David Ramsay when the Scot was in Paris.[1] A letter written by Fife nobleman John Carnegie in 1610 recounts that he and Ramsay searched Paris to find and buy alarm clocks made by Martinot. At the very least, Ramsay was familiar with Martinot’s work. It is possible that Ramsay continued to have a professional relationship with Martinot after the Scot had been called back from Paris in 1613 by King James VI & I and was employed as the English King's Groom to the Privy Chamber, Page to the Bedchamber and Royal Clockmaker. Calling upon his expertise in business and manufacturing, horologist Dr John C. Taylor has explored the possibility of there being a financial contract between King James and King Henry IV of France for the construction of some of Ramsay’s watches. He speculates that perhaps King Henry engaged Martinot in the task, while Ramsay acted as an agent on behalf of King James. An arrangement of this kind would certainly go towards explaining how Ramsay managed to finance the manufacture of three exceedingly expensive royally commissioned watches, including the famous King James portrait watch, made around 1618. Could Martinot have had a hand in the creation of this masterpiece? Martinot died in 1631. End Note [1] Finch et al. 2019, 183. Reference Finch, A. A., V. J. Finch and A. W. Finch. 2019. ‘David Ramsay, c. 1580–1659’ in Antiquarian Horology 40:2. Further Reading Verlet, P. 2003. Les Bronzes Dorés Français du XVIIIe siècle. Paris: Picard. Image Credits Denis Martinot à Paris, 160 x 85 mm, circa 1620. Dr. Crott Auctioneers, Mannheim, Germany.
