calibre itself or a type of pocket watch with a flat, open-faced case in which the second wheel is placed in the axis of the winder shaft and the crown positioned at XII, in opposition to the savonete (or hunter-case) watch where the second wheel and winder shaft are placed on perpendicular axes and the crown at III. This design has been known within the watch industry as the Lépine style ever since. Lépine's work profoundly influenced all subsequent watchmaking, particularly Abraham Louis Breguet who used a modified version of the "calibre ponts" for his ultra slim watches. Indeed, except from the very start of his career the celebrated and extremely well known Breguet almost always used Lépine calibres and then modified them. Along with Ferdinand Berthoud Lépine was master of Breguet. Other improvements and inventions Throughout his career Lépine contributed with other important inventions such as: He modified Jean-André Lepaute's virgule escapement. Thanks to Jean Antoine Lépine, it would be used for some twenty years or so in France. Invented a new repeating mechanism; in 1763 devised a mechanism in which by depressing the pendant the repeating spring is wound and where the hour and quarter racks were placed directly on the winding arbor. The new design was a great improvement, eliminating the fragile winding chain. It also gave the system better stability and decreased friction, while saving room and simplifying the mechanism. The 1763 Mémoire of the Académie des Sciences, in the chapter "Machines ou inventions approuvées par l’Académie en 1763", gave a very favorable report of Lépine's invention. The idea, with some modifications, still survives today. Invented a winding system requiring no key. Invented "lost hinge" watchcases (invisible); his "secret" opening mechanism with hidden hinges, releasing the back cover by twisting the pendant. The first horologist to have continuously study and work on aesthetic design, in the modern meaning of the word, on watches. This was continued by Breguet, etc. He was also the first one to use Arabic numerals on dials as many for the hours as for the minutes. Lépine is also credited for introducing hand-setting at the back of the watch and the hunter case (or savonette) that completely covers a dial with its spring-loaded hinged panel. He developed a new form of case, à charnières perdues (with concealed hinges) and a fixed bezel. Since these watches were rewound and set from the rear,