It was founded in Paris at the end of the 18th century by Jean-Charles (known as Charles) Oudin, who came from a family of clockmakers in Northwest France.

Charles Oudin, the best known member of this horological dynasty, established his business toward the end of the 18th century, devoting himself to luxury and precision clocks and watches.

Charles Oudin the elder and his brother Nicolas each had a son who became a watchmaker, and both were employed in the Paris workshop of Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747–1823), considered the creator of modern horology.

Abraham-Louis Breguet respected him greatly, and went so far as to offer him the position of head of the workshop, which Oudin politely refused.

In 1780, Louis-Philippe d'Orléans, the future Philippe Egalité, created a complex comprising buildings with decorative colonnades, shops, cafés, and even a circus.

Having become a popular centre for entertainment and romantic rendez-vous, the Palais Royal also featured many elegant and exclusive shops.

In this central and fashionable Parisian neighbourhood, Charles Oudin's first shop was located in the Galerie de Pierre, no 65.

In 1809, Charles Oudin's address is given as number 52, rue de Richelieu, Palais du Tribunat[4].

Today, passers-by can still admire the mosaic in the pavement, announcing his name and title "Horloger de la Marine française" (Clockmaker to the French Navy).

Throughout its history, Charles Oudin remained faithful to Paris's historic centre; the firm's workshops and boutiques were located, successively, in the Palais Royal, the avenue de l'Opéra, and today, in the Place Vendôme.

Charpentier continued to produce watches and clocks under the name "Oudin-Charpentier", located first in the Palais Royal, no.

At the 1862 Universal Exhibition, Oudin was cited as being the horologist of the French Emperor and Empress, the Pope, the King and Queen of Spain, and the Imperial Navy [17].

Some of these watches, with gold or platinum cases, were decorated with precious stones such as emeralds, sapphires, pearls, and diamonds.

The "Historique" collection, with gold and platinum complication watches, is evocative of the history of the firm, when Charles Oudin was Horologist to the French Navy.