Jacques Brun Sainte Catherine modified a 1782 design by Joseph-Marie-Blaise Coulomb to produce Perle.

The key change was a slight lengthening to permit the addition of a 14th pair of gunports on the upper deck.

[1] On 21 December 1792 Perle was under the command of sous-lieutenant de vaisseau Van Kempen and carrying passengers from Toulon to Corsica when she grounded near Galéria.

Perle was among the vessels that the French Royalists surrendered to the Royal Navy at Toulon on 29 August 1793.

Captain Affleck went to bed having left vague orders and when notified that warning signals had been heard, simply instructed the officer of the watch to maintain the course.

The Service Historique de la Marine in Paris (rf D1.69 f°135) holds her original plans.