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Achille Brocot

1817 – 1878

French clockmaker and amateur mathematician

Mathematician Watchmaker
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About Achille Brocot

Lived 1817 – 1878 (aged 60). Achille Brocot was a French mathematician and watchmaker.

Louis Achille Brocot (pronounced "broco" ) (11 July 1817 – 19 January 1878) was a French clockmaker and amateur mathematician.

He is known for his discovery (contemporaneously with, but independently of, German number theorist Moritz Stern) of the Stern–Brocot tree, a mathematical structure useful in approximating real numbers by rational numbers; this sort of approximation is an important part of the design of gear ratios for clocks.

Several improvements in clock design were attributed to Brocot. He invented the "Brocot Suspension", which enabled time keeping to be regulated by altering the length of the pendulum suspension spring by a key turned in the dial.

He also made many practical horological innovations including refinement of his father Louis-Gabriel's Brocot escapement and the development of clocks with perpetual calendar mechanisms. In order to commercially exploit his original designs, together with Jean-Baptiste Delettrez he established the clockmaking company "Brocot & Delettrez" in Paris on 20 October 1851, a partnership that would continue until his death.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Employers
Brocot & Delettrez

People in Achille Brocot's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Achille Brocot's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Achille Brocot?

French clockmaker and amateur mathematician (1817-1878)

When was Achille Brocot born?

Achille Brocot was born on 11 July 1817.

When did Achille Brocot die?

Achille Brocot died on 19 January 1878.

What was Achille Brocot's occupation?

Achille Brocot was a mathematician and watchmaker.

What nationality was Achille Brocot?

Achille Brocot was French.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Achille Brocot

· Wikidata: Q4673700

· DBpedia: Achille Brocot

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Achille Brocot. https://biography.guide/achille-brocot/

MLA: "Achille Brocot." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/achille-brocot/.

Chicago: "Achille Brocot." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/achille-brocot/.

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