Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais enjoyed professional stints as watchmaker, international liaison, arms runner, and author, among others. Born in Paris in 1732 to a watchmaker, Beaumarchais apprenticed with his father and invented a new type of watch escapement. After a patent dispute over his invention landed him in the middle of several legal battles, some letters he wrote to the court turned heads and landed him contacts in the royal family.
One particular connection with Paris-Duverney, a powerful figure in the mercantile aristocracy, led to a financial partnership and a new role for Beaumarchais as arms supplier to various international clients. But after Paris-Duverney died,...
