Horological Meandering

Incabloc may or may not have been the first balance staff shock absorber system, but they were undoubtedly the most successful early entry. So strong was their market position, that they impelled many watch manufacturers to print the word "Incabloc" on th...  

Well written, informative and amusing to boot. Thanks, tee. When you look at that KIF model in the last photo, it really brings home all the elements you'd need to balance to create an effective system, jewel curvature, clearances, spring forces, lubricat... 

Thanks, and your real-world experience with a troublesome KIF is interesting. I have a vague memory reading once that the lyre-shaped Incabloc clip could be opened like a door hinge during disassembly, whereas the KIF system required extracting the clip u... 

I didn'tknow the origin of the name " Kif " . Very interesting old ads, too. Best, Nicolas.

That's a lot of stars you're wearing there, Field Marshal! Thank you for taking notice of a lowly Sergeant, Sir!

Thanks for a great post. I enjoyed learning about KIF shock absorbers. The photos and illustrations you included in the post really added to my enjoyment and understanding of the topic. Cheers, Daos

Thanks, Daos. All the best to you! Tom

I have also wondered what, if any, practical differences there are between the common shock protection systems available today.. I have some old watch part catalogues from the 50s and 60s, and there used to be dozens and dozens of different shock protecti... 

I'd hate to think how many there are...If you look at tee's adverts you'll see that the KIF 370 and the KIF A are slightly different. The 370 is a three prong while the A is a four prong like a clover. I have no idea what functional difference they might ... 

No message body

cheers PAt