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Lot Essay
LÉON HATOT (1883-1953)
Born on 22 April 1883 at Chatillon-sur-Seine, Léon Hatot trained at the Ecole d'Horlogerie in Besançon from 1895 to 1898, before continuing his studies at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in the same town. In 1905, at the comparatively young age of 22, he was already running his own business, specialising in watch case engraving, and rapidly established a workshop with about a dozen colleagues producing watches and jewellery of high quality. To benefit from his success, Hatot needed a branch in Paris, and in 1911 he took over Maison Bredillard, whilst continuing to run large workshops in Besançon. For the next twenty-five years Maison Hatot flourished as an important supplier of jewellery and watches to the principal jewellers of the Rue de la Paix and elsewhere. Amongst their more famous clients may be included the Houses of Asprey, Boucheron, Dunhill, Janesich, Lacloche, Mappin & Webb, Mauboussin, Ostertag, Van Cleef & Arpels and Vever.
In 1919, Hatot formed a Societé Anonyme with the purpose of researching and manufacturing electrically powered watches and clocks, subsequently to be sold as ATO. In 1925, at the Exposition des Arts Décoratifs, a whole series of new electrical timepieces were displayed, resulting in the firm being awarded a Grand Prix and Hatot himself becoming Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur. The 'Rolls' self-winding wristwatch, developed in 1929, was perhaps the most significant of Léon Hatot's mechanical inventions, and after the granting of a full patent in 1931, the design was licenced to Blancpain for production. Pre-dating the rotor system of Rolex, the Rolls was particularly suited to the narrow bracelet watches popular at the time, but the Depression of 1929 ruined any chance of its becoming a commercial success.
In 1934, Hatot finally moved the greater part of his workshops to Paris. However, at the outbreak of war in 1939, the Societé Hatot closed down their jewellery workshops, and the remaining stock was placed in the bank where it was kept untouched until early in 1989, when it was sold at Christie's Geneva, Fine Jewels and Watches from the Atelier of Léon Hatot on 10 May 1989. Many design books such as these three fine examples survived and their remaining in the firm's possession would suggest that Maison Hatot, despite their lack of 'retail facilities', was a leading influence on the jewellery styles of the 1920s and '30s alongside their business as manufacturers.
Born on 22 April 1883 at Chatillon-sur-Seine, Léon Hatot trained at the Ecole d'Horlogerie in Besançon from 1895 to 1898, before continuing his studies at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in the same town. In 1905, at the comparatively young age of 22, he was already running his own business, specialising in watch case engraving, and rapidly established a workshop with about a dozen colleagues producing watches and jewellery of high quality. To benefit from his success, Hatot needed a branch in Paris, and in 1911 he took over Maison Bredillard, whilst continuing to run large workshops in Besançon. For the next twenty-five years Maison Hatot flourished as an important supplier of jewellery and watches to the principal jewellers of the Rue de la Paix and elsewhere. Amongst their more famous clients may be included the Houses of Asprey, Boucheron, Dunhill, Janesich, Lacloche, Mappin & Webb, Mauboussin, Ostertag, Van Cleef & Arpels and Vever.
In 1919, Hatot formed a Societé Anonyme with the purpose of researching and manufacturing electrically powered watches and clocks, subsequently to be sold as ATO. In 1925, at the Exposition des Arts Décoratifs, a whole series of new electrical timepieces were displayed, resulting in the firm being awarded a Grand Prix and Hatot himself becoming Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur. The 'Rolls' self-winding wristwatch, developed in 1929, was perhaps the most significant of Léon Hatot's mechanical inventions, and after the granting of a full patent in 1931, the design was licenced to Blancpain for production. Pre-dating the rotor system of Rolex, the Rolls was particularly suited to the narrow bracelet watches popular at the time, but the Depression of 1929 ruined any chance of its becoming a commercial success.
In 1934, Hatot finally moved the greater part of his workshops to Paris. However, at the outbreak of war in 1939, the Societé Hatot closed down their jewellery workshops, and the remaining stock was placed in the bank where it was kept untouched until early in 1989, when it was sold at Christie's Geneva, Fine Jewels and Watches from the Atelier of Léon Hatot on 10 May 1989. Many design books such as these three fine examples survived and their remaining in the firm's possession would suggest that Maison Hatot, despite their lack of 'retail facilities', was a leading influence on the jewellery styles of the 1920s and '30s alongside their business as manufacturers.