The Evolution of the Chain-and-Fusee Mechanism in the Quest for Constant Force - by Romain Gauthier

Explore the fascinating evolution of the chain-and-fusee mechanism in horology through this comprehensive lecture by Romain Gauthier, Founder & CEO of Manufacture Romain Gauthier SA. Delve into the quest for constant force in timekeeping, starting from early concepts like mainsprings and verge escapements, progressing through innovations such as stackfreed, stopwork, and remontoire. Trace the dawn, rise, fall, and revival of the chain and fusee mechanism, with particular focus on its application in marine chronometers. Gain insights into Gauthier's engineer's approach to creating a modern chain-and-fusee system, examining the intricate 136-component chain, snail cam design, and the principles behind the mechanism. Learn about the practical implementation in the Logical One timepiece, including its push winding system and secondary barrel. This in-depth presentation, hosted by the Horological Society of New York, offers a comprehensive look at the technical evolution and engineering ingenuity in the pursuit of precision timekeeping.

Intro
New Members & Lapel Pins
Keeper of Time - A Documentary Film
Mainsprings
Verge escapement
Stackfreed
Stopwork
Remontoire
Dawn of the chain and ſusce
Rise and fall
Marine chronometers
Revival
The Premise
Traditional chain and fusee
Traditional fusee chain
My engineer's approach to making a chain
136 components
Chain after assembly
Close-up of the chain
The snail cam
The principle
The result
How Logical One works
The push winding
The secondary barrel
The strut bar
Sources for lecture visuals