Book excerpt: This vintage book contains a comprehensive guide to the inner workings of a watch, with information on the mechanics of clockwork lever escapements, cylinder escapements, verge escapements, shockproof escapements, and their maintenance and repair. Although old, the information contained herein is timeless and will be of considerable utility to anyone with an interest in the internal machinations of time pieces. The chapters of this book include: A history of clocks and watches, The escapement, The lever escapement, Lever escapement, Faulty escapements, Shockproof escapements and magnetism, and Chronometer escapement. Many antiquarian books such as this are increasingly rare and expensive, and it is with this in mind that we are republishing this vintage text now in an affordable, modern edition complete with a specially commissioned introduction on the history of clocks and watches.