Escapement The independent watchmaker, De Bethune, has developed a concept where a magnet makes a resonator vibrate at high frequency, replacing the traditional balance spring. In the late 19th century, electromechanical escapements were developed for pendulum clocks. In these, a switch or phototube energised an electromagnet for a brief section of the pendulum's swing. On some clocks the pulse of electricity that drove the pendulum also drove a plunger to move the gear train. In 1843 Matthäus Hipp first mentioned a purely mechanical clock being driven by a switch called "echappement à palette". A varied version of that escapement has been
Coaxial escapement Coaxial escapement The coaxial escapement is a type of modern watch escapement mechanism invented by English watchmaker George Daniels. Invented around 1974 and patented in 1980 by English watchmaker George Daniels, the coaxial escapement is a modification of the lever escapement with some features of the detent escapement. Considered by some to be one of the most significant horological advancements since the invention of the lever escapement, the coaxial escapement functions with a system of three pallets that separate the locking function from the impulse, avoiding the sliding friction of the lever escapement. This makes lubrication of the pallets theoretically