How Does a Remontoire Work?

Remontoire is from the French word 'remonter' which means "to wind". It is a constant force device used in a timepiece whereby the main source of power periodically winds a spring or lifts a weight by equal amounts and at equal intervals to drive the timepiece's escapement.

What does a remontoire do?

In mechanical horology, a remontoire (from the French remonter, meaning 'to wind') is a small secondary source of power, a weight or spring, which runs the timekeeping mechanism and is itself periodically rewound by the timepiece's main power source, such as a mainspring.

What is a remontoir watch?

A remontoir (french: remonter – 'to wind') is a pocket watch in which the key winding mechanism was replaced with a winding button. It was invented in 1842 by Adrien Philippe and gained in popularity from 1870 forward.