Results for Escapement

Cleguer Debuts with Proprietary ‘Innate’ Escapement

In the run-up to Watches & Wonders, a new crop of emergent independents is making its debut. But even within a crowded field, the Cleguer Inspiration One manages to stand out with an ambitious proprietary escapement and clever construction. It’s a promising start for founder Mathieu Cleguer, an engineer who’s had a hand in developing several calibres for well-known independent brands. Initial thoughts The artisanal, highly finished time-only watch is a well-worn trope among independents, but occasionally one breaks from the pattern. The Inspiration One from Cleguer Horology is one such watch. Mathieu Cleguer is an industry veteran who has worked as a movement construction consultant and now produces watches under his own name. The opening salvo in what is planned to be a larger ‘Inspiration’ series designed to explore alternative escapements, the Inspiration One is built around the so-called innate escapement, a fresh twist on Breguet’s natural escapement. The system is Mathieu Cleguer’s own design, and from initial analysis it exhibits a surprising degree of ingenuity and is original in its execution. Discreet signature on the interior bezel. The open design - an off-centre dial with exposed escapement - is a familiar arrangement among independents, but the delicacy of the components gives it a refined quality. The 38.5 mm case is well-proportioned, though the 12 mm height borders on tall. While there’s room to develop a more cohesive design language goi...

In-Depth: Breguet’s Constant-Force Magnetic Escapement

Earlier this week, Breguet rounded off its grandiose 250th anniversary with the unexpected launch of the Expérimentale 1 chronometer in Paris. Showcasing modern Breguet’s most impressive innovation to date - a magnetic constant-force escapement - the watch left many scratching their heads simply because the novel invention defies easy explanation. Here we explain the actual functioning of this remarkable invention, and why it represents such a significant step forward in terms of chronometry and escapement technology. The origins of the concept Before turning to the decidedly modern and futuristic Expérimentale 1, we must first take a short trip to the past and consider how the idea of using magnets in mechanical escapements first came to life. For that we must turn to the late 1930s, when Cecil Frank Clifford, Fellow of the British Horological Institute (BHI), started experimenting with oscillators maintained by magnetic rails or escape wheels.  He was granted a British patent in 1954 for a variety of magnetised escape wheels paired with elastic vibrating magnetic blades. The device would operate silently and Clifford envisioned it being used for naval underwater torpedoes, so the lack of ticking would be harder to pick up by sonars.  Iterations of Clifford magnetic escapements. His designs were rudimentary. The principle was that the escape wheel would be braked by a vibrating pair of magnetised blades (in several possible configurations), while simultaneously ...

An In-Depth Look At The New Rolex Dynapulse Escapement

Rolex surprised friend and foe with a new movement at this year’s Watches and Wonders. While that’s always a relatively big deal in our little horological sub-universe, caliber 7135 represents a particularly big milestone. Rolex developed a brand-new escapement dubbed Dynapulse. We felt it was about time we took a closer look at it. Of […] Visit An In-Depth Look At The New Rolex Dynapulse Escapement to read the full article.

Explained: The Detent Escapement

Among the many different escapement types, one in particular stands out, the detent escapement. Taking its name from détente, French for “trigger”, this system is often considered to be the purest type of escapement due to its efficiency and virtually lubrication-free operation. Any sort of mechanical clock or watch requires an escapement, a mechanism that transfers torque from the power source to the regulating organ. The escapement bridges the steady rotation of the gears in the going train and the oscillation of the balance. As a result, the escapement fulfils a double function, both maintaining the swing of the balance and regulating the discharge speed of the mainspring and going train. The detent escapement was invented in the second half of the 18th century,  somewhat simultaneously but independently by the English watchmakers Thomas Earnshaw (1749-1829) and John Arnold (1736-1799). A somewhat similar escapement was prototyped by the Frenchman Pierre Le Roy (1717–1785) some three decades earlier, but the modern detent escapement is derived mostly from Earnshaw’s design. Initially, the escapement was conceived for use in marine chronometers, explaining why it is also known as a chronometer escapement. The chronometer escapement also inspired many innovative subsequent escapements, like the Breguet’s natural escapement, the Robin escapement, and the Daniels co-axial. Drawings of detent escapement types taken from ‘The Marine Chronometer: Its History and ...

Girard-Perregaux Neo Constant Escapement with Patrick Pruniaux, CEO of Girard-Perregaux

In 2013, Girard-Perregaux debuted the acclaimed Constant Escapement L.M., earning the prestigious ‘Aiguille D’Or’ at GPHG, which is a mechanism that delivered remarkable rate stability irrespective of the available energy. Wei and Girard-Perregaux CEO Patrick Pruniaux explore the Maison’s latest innovation, the Neo Constant Escapement. Enhancing the already remarkable Constant Escapement, it features aesthetic and […]

In-Depth: Girard-Perregaux’s True Constant-Force Escapement

Ten years after it arrived on market, Girard-Perregaux revived its most notable modern-day invention with the Neo Constant Escapement. Operating on the same principles as the original, the Neo Constant Escapement (NCE) features an upgraded movement inside a more compact case. A combination of a historical concept originating with Abraham-Louis Breguet and cutting edge horology, the NCE retains the defining invention of the original – a true constant-force escapement. “True” because the constant-force mechanism, comprising a lozenge-shaped silicon spring, is integrated with the pallet lever, which in turn interacts with a “natural” escapement of twin escape wheels. While the key concept has been retained, the rest of the NCE, however, has been improved over the original, with wearability in particular having been enhanced. Initial thoughts The fundamental concept of the NCE is appealing because it successfully combines a significant historical invention, Breguet’s double-wheel escapement, with an innovation that is entirely 21st century, a compliant mechanism in silicon. Both are brought together in an elegant yet ingenious manner. The basis of the movement is Breguet’s échappement naturel, the “natural” escapement with two wheels that has been adopted in the modern day, in a variety of modified forms, by Voutilainen, F.P. Journe, and Charles Frodsham. But the natural escapement here has been enhanced with a constant force mechanism made up of a single pi...

Girard-Perregaux Neo Constant (Force) Escapement: The Evolution of a Revolution

While it is remarkable how Girard-Perregaux made the movement, it is even more astonishing how they turned it into such an incredibly good-looking watch. Compared to its predecessor, the Neo Constant Escapement has a very wearable size of 45mm in diameter at a thickness of 14.8mm. It sits nicely on even a smaller wrist thanks to relatively short lugs, while the titanium case keeps the weight down.

New: Girard-Perregaux Neo Constant Escapement

Girard-Perregaux updates their (its 10 years old, but still innovative) ground breaking Constant Escapement movement in a new Neo guise.

Insight: What’s Next for the Girard-Perregaux Constant Escapement?

In an era of modern and accessible digital technology, the utilitarian role of mechanical timekeepers has inevitably dwindled. Yet, it is still pursued as a luxury of an artform – either of the highest finishing by hand that can’t be performed by machines, or the research and development in making a mechanical timepiece – in particular wristwatches – as accurate as possible.  One of these horological pursuits, to preserve the accuracy of mechanical wristwatches, is the supply of a constant force to the escapement. To isolate the varying torque as a mainspring gradually unwinds, some haute horlogerie watches today incorporate either a fusée-and-chain or a remontoir, which supplies a steady torque to the escapement for stable timekeeping.  However, there is one particularly novel take on constant force released by Girard-Perregaux, in the form of a proprietary escapement. First unveiled as a prototype in SIHH 2008, the Girard-Perregaux Constant Escapement has a patented, double escape wheel system that is designed from the ground up to inherently have a built-in constant force system, thus eliminating the need of a remontoir or a fusée-and-chain.   Despite being first created 15 years ago, Girard-Perregaux (GP) is still further developing the escapement today, with a new set of patented improvements publicly available – strongly hinting at a revamped model in the near future. These patents make it worth a deep dive into the original Constant Escapement (CE) fr...

Long read: Omega De Ville Co-Axial Escapement Limited Edition, a piece of watchmaking history

The Omega De Ville Co-Axial Escapement Limited Edition is one of the most important watches released in the last few decades.The post Long read: Omega De Ville Co-Axial Escapement Limited Edition, a piece of watchmaking history appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

First Look – The Spectacular Pink Gold Edition of the Girard-Perregaux Neo Constant Escapement

A conundrum shared by watchmakers for centuries concerns the issue of constant force, or how to produce a steady, unwavering stream of power from the mainspring to the regulating organ to prevent rate variations and maintain amplitude consistency. The big question is how? Taking the bull by the horns, Girard-Perregaux tackled the dilemma with the […]

The Revolutionary List: 24 Technically Brilliant Watches – Girard-Perregaux Constant Escapement L.M.

In-Depth – Deciphering the Revolutionary Rolex Dynapulse Escapement and the Calibre 7135

Rolex has changed… Not marginally, but significantly. We knew the brand was capable of being rather unpredictable and capable of bold creative moves, such as bubble-decorated dials and watches with a guilloché pattern. The days when Rolex simply revamped a collection every 10 years by implementing incremental upgrades and releasing new dial colours every two […]

MB&F;’s LM Split Escapement Meets Eddy Jaquet’s Mastery of Engraving

The Girard-Perregaux Constant Escapement, Live From BaselWorld 2013

Introducing – The Arnold & Son Constant Force 11 Platinum Edition

Friendships matter in life, and what better way to celebrate the bond between two of watchmaking’s greatest individuals than with a tribute watch? Bringing together Abraham-Louis Breguet’s renowned tourbillon escapement and John Arnold’s beloved fusée-and-chain system, lovingly replaced with a constant force mechanism, the Constant Force Tourbillon 11 made a deep impression when launched earlier […]

Hands-on – The New Lederer Three-times Certified Observatory Chronometer

Independent watchmaker and proper horologist Bernhard Lederer has once again captured the spotlight in recent years, with the horological community admiring and discussing his Central Impulse Chronometer series. This collection of wristwatches features a unique movement designed by Lederer, regulated by a high-accuracy escapement inspired by Breguet’s natural escapement and George Daniels’ independent two-wheel, dual-impulse […]

Year in Review: Our Best Stories of 2023

Reflecting on the past year, we are proud of the stories we have shared. We extend our gratitude to all our readers for their support. As the year comes to an end, we revisit some of our standout content from 2023, which range from deep dives behind complex movements to enlightening conversations with influential figures in the watch industry. A better understanding of complexity Reflecting a key focus of the site, amongst the year’s best stories were those that went deep into the technical details of complex movements. These stories went beyond mere close-up photos and often incorporated illustrations to reveal fascinating mechanics. One highlights was the meticulous examination of the Daniels co-axial escapement, a modern landmark designed by the late English watchmaker George Daniels. But despite being a major invention of 20th century watchmaking, contributor David Ichim revealed the co-axial escapement might have evolved from a long-forgotten design invented in the 19th century by little-known American watchmaker Charles Fasoldt. In a similar vein, our technical editor Richard Lee wrote extensively on the intricacies of a landmark 21st century invention, the Girard-Perregaux Constant Escapement. Conceived by Nicolas Déhon, this patented double-wheel escapement boasts a built-in constant force mechanism, and was made possible only with advances in materials technology. The innovation underwent a significant update this year with the introduction of the new and impro...

Introducing: Cleguer Debuts The Inspiration One With A Proprietary “Innate” Escapement

The French watchmaker launches a debut built around a reworked natural escapement.

Breaking News: Breguet Creates The First Contact-Free Escapement By Using Magnets

Breguet continues to surprise us in its 250th year. In the spirit of the brand’s name-giver, it now presents a world first. Breguet has utilized magnets to create the first 10Hz tourbillon with a magnetic escapement, which delivers constant force to the balance, and has incorporated it into the Expérimentale 1. This fast-beating tourbillon in […] Visit Breaking News: Breguet Creates The First Contact-Free Escapement By Using Magnets to read the full article.

First Look – The Breguet Experimentale 1, With 10Hz High-Frequency Tourbillon and Constant Force Magnetic Escapement

Innovation spirit and inventiveness have always been part of Breguet, specifically as its founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet, was responsible from 1775 onwards for so many of the watchmaking innovations of that era: the tourbillon, the perpétuelle watch, the natural escapement, the constant­-force escapement, the shock absorber, the Breguet balance-spring with its terminal curve, the gong-spring… In […]

Insight: Breguet’s New Sympathique Clock and Natural Escapement

Breguet will very likely close its 250th anniversary this year with a bang: launching a 21st century Sympathique as a tribute to perhaps Abraham-Louis Breguet’s greatest invention, a clock that could autonomously wind, correct, and regulate a removable watch. While the brand has released no details, and there haven’t been any leaks, a series of patents gives us a peek at the new Sympathique. Notably, the patent drawings illustrate two possible companion watches: a 60 m water resistant Marine tourbillon and a Tradition. The latter is more interesting as it uses a novel form of Breguet’s échappement naturel, or natural escapement. We explain both the new Sympathique 2025 and the natural escapement using information gleaned from Breguet’s patents. Breguet Sympathique No. 1 by Francois-Paul Journe Initial Thoughts Three of the most historied names in the watch industry are celebrating anniversaries this year. Vacheron Constantin marked the occasion with Solaria, the most complicated wristwatch to date, while Audemars Piguet introduced an all-new Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar (and promises more to come in the fall). In comparison, Breguet has debuted the Classique Souscription and Tourbillon Sidéral so far, both of which are objectively good watches but feel underwhelming in technical terms. A new Sympathique, on the other hand, would be the ideal centrepiece for the brand’s anniversary collection, being visually impressive, an icon of the brand, and entirely unique ...

The Greatest Horological Inventions of All Time: Why George Daniels’ Co-Axial Escapement Revolutionised Mechanical Watchmaking

Editor’s Note: Today, the final installment of The Greatest Horological Inventions of All Time. Here, Andrew Canter examines the story behind the co-axial escapement, invented by George Daniels, industrialized by Omega, and now considered one of the great watchmaking innovations of all time.  You can find more of Andrew’s work at the Mr. Watchmaster website here. George Daniels (1926 – 2011) was raised in London in poverty. Aged five, he pried open his family’s alarm clock and realised that it was a metaphor for his life – always moving inexorably onwards, but without outside assistance. He was determined to learn horology, despite his parents’ opposition. He was conscripted into military service in 1944 which unleashed his innate mechanical skills, and following the end of the war, he studied horology, while repairing watches in North London.  He gained access to the work of the greatest watchmakers, particularly Abraham-Louis Breguet, through a meeting with a collector, and when it seemed that quartz technology would overwhelm traditional watchmaking, Daniels ensured this would not come to fruition. He made a series of increasingly ingenious mechanical watches, heavily influenced by Breguet, teaching himself to make every part, now referred to as the ‘Daniels Method’. Essentially, he devised a virtually oil-free escapement – the now iconic co-axial escapement – which was later mass-produced by Omega. It was anything but an easy journey, but George D...

Introducing: The MB&F; × Eddy Jaquet LM Split Escapement 2024 Series - Artisanal And Adventurous Watches Inspired By Youth Literature

Take a look at your bookcase, and tell me if you have a copy of one of the following books - The Three Musketeers, The Jungle Book, Robinson Crusoe, The Call of the Wild, The Last of the Mohicans, Moby-Dick, Robin Hood, Treasure Island, or anything by Jules Verne, like Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. […] Visit Introducing: The MB&F; × Eddy Jaquet LM Split Escapement 2024 Series - Artisanal And Adventurous Watches Inspired By Youth Literature to read the full article.

Hand Engraved and Unique, the MB&F; LM Split Escapement “Eddy Jaquet”

MB&F; is well known for its ability to consistently produce timepieces that are as much sculpture as technical marvels. In its latest collaboration, MB&F; leans heavily on the artisanal side of watchmaking, with a dose of literary influence. Executed by the namesake master engraver, the MB&F; Legacy Machine Split Escapement “Eddy Jaquet” is a limited series of eight unique pieces, each depicting a scene from famous novels, ranging from The Three Musketeers to Moby Dick. Initial thoughts The LM SE “Eddy Jaquet” is arguably a true, multifaceted work of art that just happens to be wearable. Mr Jaquet’s work is amongst the best, and the LM SE happens to be a perfect canvas for it thanks to the particular set up of the dial that leaves practically the entire dial disc free for engraving. Making such an ornate watch usually requires compromise in terms of time telling, with watchmakers often favouring an expansive decorated dial over prominent hands. The LM SE somehow manages to keep all of its sub-dials, along with the LM’s trademark exposed balance. These elements do not take away from the centrepiece, which is the engraved dial plate. The elaborate execution of the LM SE comes at a hefty price, CHF158,000, which is almost double the cost of a standard LM SE. A quiet master engraver While not a widely recognised name, Eddy Jaquet was actually one of the original “friends” of MB&F; since the brand’s early days. Back in 2011, he hand-engraved the names of Kari Vout...