Incabloc shock protection system
The Incabloc shock protection system is used in mechanical watches, to protect the critical alignment of components in the event of an unexpected physical shock, such as being dropped.
The pivots and jewels of the balance are fragile in comparison to the mass they need to support, and without shock protection are the most likely part of the watch to be damaged under impact.
The Incabloc system uses a "lyre-shaped" spring to allow the delicate bearing to shift in their settings under impact, until a stronger shoulder of the staff contacts the strong metal endpiece. When the impact is over, the springs guide the parts back to their original positions. The staff itself does not move relative to the jewel bearing, but the whole bearing is carried in a metal bushing that is free to move in the metal endpiece, under the control of the spring.[1] Some modern balance wheels use a simplified arrangement, where an enlarged jewel (taking advantage of the low cost of modern synthetic rubies) is free to move as its own mobile bushing.
Similar systems are ETA's Etachoc, Rolex's Kif, Seiko's Diashock, and Citizen's Parashock.
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