A true technical revolution that stunned connoisseurs when some prototypes of the innovative mechanism were first
presented, the Constant Escapement
is now integrated into the movements driving the new models of Girard-Perregaux’s Haute
Horlogerie collection. It has taken five years of research and development in virtually
unexplored territory to consolidate and ensure the reliability of this significant step in watchmaking history. The name, in addition to being a nod to one of the
Maison’s historical figures, Constant Girard-Perregaux, also refers to a holy grail in mechanical watchmaking that has perplexed
watchmakers since the dawn of time: the constant force. Keeping true to its innovative vision, the brand decided to try using a quite novel approach to achieve it. The concept
presented on
that occasion in the form of a functional mechanism was breathtaking, promising and poetic: the design was lightweight and
graceful.
However, the goal was far from being the result of art for art’s sake, this was a new and convincing answer to the age-old preoccupation in watchmaking: the precision and regularity of a mechanical watch. To get an idea of what is at stake and truly understand the
importance of this innovation, it is worth recalling a few basic notions. The heart of a mechanical watch is ruled by the regulating organ, which manages the flow rate of
the energy received from the barrel to drive the gear train and the rotation speed of the hands. The classic image is that of a faucet managing
the flow of water. The main factor is not so much the speed of the
beats of this heart, the chosen frequency, but their regularity. The dance can be three in a bar or four in a bar, or even a thousand; but the essential thing is that it keeps
the beat over time.
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