Watch GlossaryEscapement
The escapement is a mechanism in mechanical watches that advances the hands of a watch. It controls the release of energy from the mainspring in a manner that can be regulated by the balance wheel and hairspring
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What is a watch escapement and what does it do?
An escapement is a mechanism inside a mechanical watch that controls the advancement of hands—crucial to the time-telling function of the device. Basically, if this component were missing inside a watch, the mainspring would uncoil immediately, without any control and the whole purpose would be defeated. It is a very important component inside a mechanical watch/clock because it governs and controls the release of energy from the mainspring in a manner that can be regulated by the balance wheel and hairspring. To explain in easier terms, the ‘tick-tock’ sound that one hears from a mechanical watch is the escapement doing its job to ensure smooth functioning of the elapsed time.
How does the watch escapement work?
According to the online definition, an escapement is a ‘mechanism consisting of an escape wheel and anchor, used in timepieces to provide periodic impulses to the pendulum or balance; or any similar mechanism that regulates movement, usually consisting of toothed wheels engaged by rocking levers’.
It through these ‘toothed wheels’ that the escapement is able to regulate the energy supply from the mainspring as it ‘periodically releases the gear train to move forward, advancing the watch/clock’s hands. It is ‘driven by force from a coiled spring or a suspended weight, transmitted through the timepiece’s gear train. Each swing of the pendulum or balance wheel releases a tooth of the escapement’s escape wheel, allowing the watch/clock’s gear train to advance or ‘escape’ by a fixed amount’.
Over the years, different types of watch escapements have been developed. However, in the current scenario, the most widely-used is the lever escapement in contemporary timepieces.
