THE GREAT ESCAPEMENT

Girard-Perregaux's much-anticipated Neo Constant Escapement - a new iteration of the lauded original - shows its face this month.

Watch aficionados Girard-Perregaux's awaited, with bated breath, the limited release of latest iteration of the acclaimed Constant Escapement L.M. in October this year.

In 2013, pundits the world over sang the praises of the GPHG Aiguille D'Or-winning timepiece on its release. And now, the new Neo Constant Escapement has wowed the crowd just the same, flaunting the same - but more refined - winning genes.

BLADE RUNNER

Some goals remain constant - such as the quest for better, if not near-perfect, uniformed stability of force at Girard-Perregaux. And its Neo Constant Escapement accomplishes this with its unique gear train that has a "fifth wheel" which transfers energy to two escape wheels - each fitted with three teeth - to match the rhythm of its Calibre GP09200 movement.

That energy then gets sent via the rocking lever to a revolutionary silicium blade which in turn serves an impulse to the balance wheel at 20 sequences per oscillation. The blade's unique C-shape and the positioning of the escape wheels flanking the balance wheel enable a smooth and unimpeded rotational motion, resulting in exceptional rate stability and chronometric performance.

The idea for the silicium blade came from an unlikely source - a watchmaker playing with and flexing his train ticket between his fingers. The watchmaker realised the ticket's unstable or "buckling" form when he bent it into the shape of a C, with lateral pressure on the C causing an accumulation of a uniform amount of energy up to a point of instability before snapping back. This concept is integral in further delivering constant force and amplitude with its "elastic and bi-stable" properties.