The anchor escapement is a crucial component in mechanical watches, serving as a mechanism that regulates the release of energy from the mainspring to the gear train, ultimately controlling the movement of the watch hands. It consists of an escape wheel and an anchor, which work together to convert the rotational motion of the gear train into the oscillating motion required to drive the balance wheel. This interaction ensures that the watch maintains accurate timekeeping by allowing the gear train to advance at regular intervals.

The anchor escapement was developed in the 17th century and became widely adopted due to its improved accuracy over earlier verge escapements. It operates by having the anchor's pallets alternately engage and release the teeth of the escape wheel, which is driven by the mainspring. As the balance wheel oscillates, it causes the anchor to pivot, allowing the escape wheel to advance one tooth at a time. This controlled release of energy ensures that the balance wheel maintains a consistent oscillation, which is essential for precise timekeeping.

The anchor escapement's design has evolved over time, with variations such as the Swiss lever escapement becoming the standard in modern watchmaking due to its reliability and efficiency.