Swiss Lever Escapement
Also known as: Club-tooth lever escapement
Period
19th century to present
The detached lever escapement in its Swiss club-tooth form, the dominant escapement in mechanical watches since the late nineteenth century.
Historical context
The lever escapement descends from Thomas Mudge's work in the mid-eighteenth century. The Swiss club-tooth form, with impulse planes on both escape wheel teeth and pallet stones, became standard for industrial watch production.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Detached escapement
- Balance
- Sprung balance, detached during most of its arc
- Impulse
- Shared between escape wheel teeth and pallet stones
- Typical jewelling
- Pallet stones and impulse pin in synthetic or natural ruby
Identification
- Identification
- Club-shaped escape wheel teeth with sloped impulse faces, a lever with two jewelled pallets and a fork engaging a roller jewel
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Varieties
English lever
Uses pointed escape wheel teeth; impulse is taken entirely on the pallet stones.
Pin-pallet (Roskopf)
Simplified lever with steel pins in place of jewelled pallets, used in inexpensive watches.
Research required
- Diagrams and period technical illustrations still to be sourced under a reusable licence.