Repair and restoration of a table clock with a verge escapement, driven by a fusee (cone) and chain.

Maker unknown, presumably France/England after 1700.

Antique fusee bracket clock with chain, an antique work of art.

Before you stands a wonderful antique clock, approximately 300 years old. This particular example can most likely be classified as an object of museum interest.

Determining the exact age of this clock is not an easy task. (see discussion on Uhrforum)

Case

The clock case is made of wood. The door and side panels are decorated along their entire perimeter with brass plates featuring floral inlays of stone and mother-of-pearl, while the remaining surfaces are coated with shellac. The tapered upper section, resembling a tent, is also decorated with brass and inlay work. The table (mantel) clock is crowned with a figurine of a reclining lion. The height of the case is 26 cm. The curved feet, decorative side elements, and the arched element above the door are cast in brass and gilded.

It appears that the case was made independently by a cabinetmaker rather than specifically for this movement, as there are hooks, wooden attachments, and cut-outs that serve no functional purpose. The movement of a pocket watch was later adapted into the case of a mantel (table) clock. This practice was widespread in France during the 18th century.

  • Wooden case, painted dark; exposed areas coated with shellac
  • Inlay materials: brass, stone, mother-of-pearl, shellac
  • Curved feet and decorative elements cast in brass and gilded
  • Case dimensions: height 26.2 cm, depth 6.1 cm, width 13.4 cm
Silver dial. Mounting. Front view. Antique table clock with verge escapement and fusee drive.

Dial

  • Champlevé dial made of silver
  • Roman numerals indicate the hours
  • Arabic numerals indicate the minutes
  • Hands made of gold
Antique verge escapement table clock with fusee and chain. Silver dial. Mounting. Rear view.

Movement

Antique verge escapement table clock, driven by a fusee and chain; a vintage piece of art.
Antique verge escapement table clock, driven by a fusee and chain. Side view.
Antique verge escapement table clock, driven by a fusee and chain. Top view showing the skeletonized balance bridge.
Close-up of the skeletonized balance bridge. Antique verge escapement table clock, driven by a fusee and chain.
Antique verge escapement table clock with fusee and chain. Detail of the skeletonized balance bridge motif.
Antique verge escapement table clock with fusee and chain. Another view of the intricate skeletonized balance bridge.
One of the motifs of the skeletonized balance bridge. Antique table clock with verge escapement and fusee-and-chain drive.
Close-up of the fusee and chain. Antique table clock featuring a verge escapement mechanism.
Filigree screws. Antique verge escapement table clock, driven by a fusee and chain.

The movement features a verge escapement with a balance wheel and hairspring, driven by a fusee and chain.

The verge escape wheel. Antique table clock with verge escapement and fusee-and-chain drive.

This type of escapement was invented in 1673 by Christiaan Huygens and was first implemented by his Parisian clockmaker Isaac Thuret. The inner end of the hairspring is fixed to the balance staff, while the outer end is secured to the plate. Thanks to this system, the accuracy of timepieces increased significantly, which led to the addition of a minute hand to the dial alongside the hour hand.

Side view showing the verge pallets engaging the teeth of the escape wheel. Antique table clock with fusee and chain.

The verge escapement was used in pocket watches until the first third of the 19th century, and in stationary clocks until around 1860 (Comtoise clocks).

No numbers are engraved on the plates; there is only a stamped “B” and a couple of illegible signatures left by watchmakers. There is also a signature on the reverse side of the dial reading “Romershausen”.

Antique verge escapement table clock with fusee and chain. Signature on the movement.
Close-up of the signature on the movement. Antique verge escapement table clock with fusee and chain.
Signature on the dial base. Antique verge escapement table clock, driven by a fusee and chain.
Antique verge escapement table clock with fusee and chain. Detail view of the signature on the dial base.
  • movement from a pocket watch
  • full-plate movement made of gilded brass with Egyptian pillars
  • gilded verge balance bridge
  • bridge secured on a large foot with a blued screw
  • iron balance with three spokes
  • silver regulation plate with numbers from 60 to 100, mounted on an engraved and skeletonized cock
  • spring-driven via fusee and chain
  • verge escapement
  • mainspring pre-tension adjustment by square arbor between the plates beneath the barrel
  • winding via square arbor from the movement side
  • stamp “B”
  • movement dimensions: height 27.2 mm, Ø 42.5 / 40 mm

Inspection of the Clock and Determination of the Repair Strategy

I received the clock already disassembled.

Most of the movement is original; only in a few places has a watchmaker left traces of previous repairs. The gilding is well preserved, with only slight surface rust in some areas. The components are made to a fairly high standard. Restoring this artifact makes sense, as the clock undoubtedly has historical value.

The following repairs were required:

  • balance staff damaged: lower pivot broken off; the pallets show wear from prolonged use
  • broken hook on the fusee chain
  • broken pivot on the auxiliary trieb

Repairing such a clock requires a professionally considered concept and time.

Manufacturing the Balance Staff

30 hours

Manufacturing the balance staff. A piece of tin reflecting in the polished pallet face of the balance staff. Antique verge escapement table clock. Manufacturing the balance staff. Three newly crafted balance staffs with rounded pallet faces next to the broken original. Antique verge escapement clock. Antique verge escapement table clock. Manufacturing the balance staff. Letters of a coin reflecting in the highly polished pallet face.

Unfortunately, it was difficult to determine the exact dimensions of the balance staff. The original had already been repaired and altered. The balance bridge had been pressed downward, so the distance between the pivot ends could no longer be measured precisely. The balance staff had been broken and an attempt was made to solder it, leaving the balance collet contaminated with tin. First, I determined the dimensions that, in my assessment, had remained untouched and unaltered, without any signs of previous repair. The missing dimensions were then estimated visually. I deliberately made the pallets on the balance staff wider. The distance between the pivots initially had to be calculated. Precise execution of this work is fundamental for the success of all subsequent steps. Therefore, it is better to invest more time at the beginning.

Manufacturing the balance staff. Three newly crafted balance staffs with straight pallet faces next to the original broken one. Antique verge escapement clock.

To gain experience, I first produced a trial staff and at the same time set up the milling machine. This took about 10 hours of intensive work. After slightly straightening the balance bridge, I determined that the staff was approximately 0.25 mm too long. Shortening the arbor on such a staff is almost impossible, as it is difficult to clamp without causing damage. I adjusted the dimensions in the drawing. The original thickness cannot be measured exactly; visually it appears to be about 0.5 mm. I made the balance side slightly thicker at 0.8 mm — excess material can always be removed later. I also made the lower section Ø 0.8 mm and increased the height of the lower pivot to 0.9 mm.

Antique verge escapement table clock. Manufacturing the balance staff. Three newly crafted balance staffs next to the broken original. Side view.

Having gained some experience, I began manufacturing the new staff. Work is work, and something unforeseen can always arise, so one must be prepared to adjust the strategy if necessary.

Manufacturing sequence:

  • material: tool steel, diameter 2.6 mm
  • turned the arbor with pivot on the lathe
    • Manufacturing the balance staff with pivot on a lathe. Antique verge escapement table clock.
    • pivot Ø 0.27 mm, final size 0.25 mm
    • staff Ø 0.8 mm
    • overall length 3.0 mm
    • all surfaces polished using a burnisher (polishing file)
    Crafting the long pallet of the balance staff on a milling machine. Antique table clock with fusee and chain.
    • first, milled the long pallet on the milling machine
    Antique verge escapement table clock with fusee and chain. Manufacturing the long pallet of the balance staff on a milling machine. Manufacturing the long pallet of the balance staff on a milling machine. Antique verge escapement table clock with fusee and chain. Close-up of crafting the long pallet for the balance staff using a milling machine. Antique fusee-driven table clock.
    • rough-milled the staff to a diameter of 0.6 mm and a length of 6 mm
    Milling the balance staff (diameter 0.6 mm, length 6 mm). Antique verge escapement table clock, driven by a fusee and chain. Alternative view of milling the 0.6 mm diameter balance staff. Antique table clock featuring a verge escapement mechanism.
    • milled the short pallet
    Antique verge escapement table clock with fusee and chain. Milling the short pallet of the balance staff on a milling machine. Milling the short pallet of the balance staff. Antique table clock with verge escapement and fusee-and-chain drive. Detail view: Milling the short pallet for the balance staff. Antique fusee-driven table clock.
    • rough-milled the staff
    Milling the balance staff. Antique verge escapement table clock, driven by a fusee and chain.
    • manufactured the staff with pivot on the lathe
    Manufacturing the balance staff with pivot on a lathe. Antique verge escapement table clock with fusee and chain. Turning the balance staff and pivot on a lathe. Antique table clock with fusee-and-chain drive.
  • parted off the arbor

This work alone took approximately one hour.

Hardening and tempering of the part

The balance staff has been hardened and tempered. Antique verge escapement table clock with fusee and chain.

The next step was to harden and temper the part. This is an extremely delicate stage of the work and requires experience. During hardening, the blank must not deform, crack, or even break. The surfaces may oxidize or burn, which results in a loss of material. During tempering, it comes down to just a few seconds and a few degrees that determine the color. One must visually assess, with an experienced eye, the proportions of the part — its mass, length, thickness — and how quickly it turns a straw-yellow color. Both tempering and hardening must succeed on the first attempt.

Manufacturing the balance staff. Shaping the pallet to its correct form. Antique table clock with fusee-and-chain drive.

The next 10 hours were spent working on the pallets to give them the correct shape. It is best to grind the pallets while the balance staff is clamped in the lathe. Afterwards, I smoothly polished the pallet surfaces with Degussit. The section between the pallets was slightly turned down again on the lathe. I burnished the pivots and rounded the pivot shoulders.

Antique verge escapement table clock with fusee and chain. Process of shaping the pallet for the balance staff.

Now the balance staff can be installed and the length checked. First, I shortened the pallets slightly. Since the final dimension was unknown, I had to repeatedly remove small amounts of material, install the staff, and test it until the pallet began to slide off the escape wheel without touching the teeth.

Work on the Balance and Hairspring

25 hours

After that, I turned my attention to the balance. First, I carefully removed the hairspring, then clamped the balance by its collet in a centering tool to true the balance and straighten its plane, so that it would not “wobble.” I pressed out the brass collet. Since the original was contaminated with tin, I made a new collet.

New bushing. Centering and poising the balance. Antique verge escapement table clock, driven by a fusee and chain.

I riveted the new collet into the balance and pressed in the balance staff. Then I checked the trueness again and corrected it slightly. Now the balance had to be poised. For this, I applied tin to the rim of the balance, just as a watchmaker had done before me.

The hairspring in the restored balance. Antique table clock with verge escapement and fusee-and-chain drive.

Hairspring

Restored balance with hairspring installed in the movement. Antique verge escapement table clock.

Manufacturing the Fusee Chain

6 hours

Manufacturing the hook and pin (Ø 0.32 mm × 0.6 mm) for the fusee chain. Antique table clock with verge escapement and fusee-and-chain drive. Manufacturing the fusee chain. Two hooks shown; the upper one is self-crafted. Antique verge escapement table clock with fusee drive.

One of the hooks on the fusee chain was broken off. I manufactured a new one from steel. I also made a small rivet (Ø 0.32 mm × 0.6 mm) to fasten the hook.

In the photo, the upper hook is the one I made.

General view of the fusee and chain. The newly crafted hook is placed on a two-cent coin for scale. Antique verge escapement table clock.

Manufacturing the Click for the Fusee

4 hours

The click appeared to be heavily worn, so I made a new one. In the photograph, the wear is visible, as well as the broken pin with a diameter of approximately 0.55 mm and a length of about 0.85 mm.

Antique verge escapement table clock. The newly manufactured fusee click lies to the right of the old broken one. Comparison of the fusee clicks: the newly crafted part next to the original broken piece. Antique table clock repair.

On the left, the newly manufactured click.

Detailed view of the newly made fusee click and the old broken component. Antique verge escapement clock restoration.

Manufacturing the Pinion

20 hours

Manufacturing a pinion. Above: the pinion with a broken pivot. Antique verge escapement table clock, driven by a fusee and chain.

In the movement, the pivot of one of the pinions was broken off. A new pinion had to be made. The diameter of the pinion is Ø 2.7 mm, the pivot diameter Ø 0.29 mm. The pinion has 6 leaves. I milled the leaves using a 19th-century tool.

Antique verge escapement table clock with fusee and chain. Newly manufactured pinion compared to the old one. Top view.

A new brass bushing was also made.

Gear wheel with a new pinion and new brass bushing. Antique table clock with verge escapement and fusee-and-chain drive.

Manufacturing the Hands

The movement had no hands; they were broken off. Only the part that fits onto the minute arbor remained. Visually, the material appears to be gold. The original design of the hands, as well as the material, is unknown. Therefore, I had to use commonly found hands from that period as a reference, choosing a design that more or less matches the style of the dial and the case.

Newly manufactured gold hour and minute hands. General view. Antique bracket clock with verge escapement, fusee, and chain.

Manufacturing sequence of the minute hand:

30 hours

  • I cast a gold blank Ø 3.5 mm × 30 mm in an induction furnace.
    • Cast gold blank (Ø 3.5 mm × 30 mm). Antique verge escapement table clock. Manufacturing the minute hand.
  • I turned a sphere Ø 4.4 mm on the thicker end using a lathe; this is the part of the hand that fits onto the minute arbor (cannon pinion).
    • Spherical element (Ø 4.4 mm), part of the hand to be fitted onto the cannon pinion. Antique verge escapement table clock. Manufacturing the minute hand.
  • I turned the hand to shape on the lathe, polished it, and parted it off.
    • Antique verge escapement table clock. Manufacturing the minute hand. The hand turned to shape on a lathe.
  • I mounted the hand on shellac, machined a flat surface on the back side, and drilled a hole Ø 1.5 mm in the spherical part.
    • Manufacturing the minute hand. Flat side with a drilled hole for the cannon pinion. Antique verge escapement table clock.
  • I made a square hole for the minute arbor.
    • Antique verge escapement table clock. Manufacturing the minute hand. Flat side with a square hole for the cannon pinion. Antique fusee bracket clock. Manufacturing the minute hand. Flat side with square hole for the cannon pinion. Side view.
  • Final polishing. Dimensions: 4.4 mm × 22 mm × 1.2 mm, 0.5 g.
    • The newly manufactured gold minute hand. General view. Antique table clock with verge escapement and fusee-and-chain drive.

Manufacturing sequence of the hour hand:

20 hours

  • I cast a gold blank Ø 5 mm × 16 mm in an induction furnace.
    • Manufacturing the hour hand. Golden blank Ø 5 mm × 16 mm. Antique bracket clock with verge escapement, fusee, and chain.
  • Clamping the blank in a three-jaw chuck, I turned it on the lathe from both sides, forming cylinders at one end.
    • Antique fusee bracket clock. Manufacturing the hour hand. Cylinders machined on both sides at one end of the blank. Side view. Cylinders machined on both sides at one end of the blank. Top view. Antique fusee bracket clock. Manufacturing the hour hand.
  • Clamping the blank by the larger cylinder in a collet, I drilled holes Ø 0.7 mm and Ø 1.5 mm, milled a taper and a cylinder Ø 4.2 mm, and marked a center line of symmetry.
    • Symmetry line for the outlines of the future leaves and marking for holes. Antique fusee bracket clock. Manufacturing the hour hand.
  • Using needle files and a jeweler’s saw, I shaped the outlines of the leaves and drilled a hole Ø 3.2 mm.
    • Antique fusee bracket clock. Drilled hole Ø 3.2 mm and shaped leaves of the gold hour hand.
  • I mounted the hand on shellac and engraved the relief over the entire surface.
    • Antique bracket clock with verge escapement, fusee, and chain. Engraved and polished relief of the gold hour hand.
  • I finished the surface with Degussit stones, applied chamfers, and carried out final polishing. Dimensions: 0.7 mm × 4.8 mm × 15.8 mm, 0.2 g.
    • Manufacturing the hour hand. Final polished and finished gold hour hand. Antique fusee bracket clock. Antique fusee bracket clock. Manufacturing the hour hand. Final polished and finished gold hour hand.

Work on the Clock Case

8 hours

Overall, the case is in satisfactory condition. Some stone elements on the brass plates are missing and had been filled in by someone. The wood is damaged, and the shellac has flaked off at the location of the upper hinge, which has nevertheless been serving for 300 years. In some areas, cracks in the shellac are visible.

I carefully removed dust and dirt and cleaned the brass surfaces with turpentine.