WatchTech

Good afternoon! I have a questions about the mounting of the escape wheel jewel, in general. First, I've noticed that some movements have this jewel mounted in shock absorber. How important/significant is this? Is staff breakage a common problem on this c... 

The escape wheel benefits from having cap jewels because it spins quickly and it's close to the balance so any reduction in friction will improve timekeeping consistency and minimize wear. Cap jewels reduce the friction on the pivots in the horizontal pos... 

Thanks John, that's very interesting! Your answer has inspired two follow-up questions: 1. When no bushing or steel cap plate is used, is it just a normal friction fit jewel like any other? 2. Is one style or another considered to be a best practice, or i... 

1. Yes, normal friction fit jewels. Either olive or flat. 2. Just different approaches. Steel cap with screw is much more expensive if done well (black polished, shaped to match bridge, beveled, etc.). Patek 215 uses a fixed cap with "vents" for cleaning ...