diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 80bf24b..daba43a 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -82,6 +82,8 @@ setup.py =
     version="{pep440_version}"
 src/pycalver/__init__.py =
     __version__ = "{version}"
+src/pycalver/__main__.py =
+    click.version_option(version="{version}")
 README.md =
     [PyCalVer {version}]
     https://img.shields.io/badge/PyCalVer-{calver}{build}-{release}-blue.svg
diff --git a/src/pycalver/__main__.py b/src/pycalver/__main__.py
index 8e29355..a221ce7 100644
--- a/src/pycalver/__main__.py
+++ b/src/pycalver/__main__.py
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ def _init_logging(verbose: int = 0) -> None:
 
 
 @click.group()
-@click.version_option()
+@click.version_option(version="v201812.0010-beta")
 @click.help_option()
 @click.option('-v', '--verbose', count=True, help="Control log level. -vv for debug level.")
 def cli(verbose: int = 0):
diff --git a/src/pycalver/parse.py b/src/pycalver/parse.py
index a683516..9b0b59c 100644
--- a/src/pycalver/parse.py
+++ b/src/pycalver/parse.py
@@ -21,8 +21,12 @@ PATTERN_ESCAPES = [
     ("."     , "\u005c."),
     ("+"     , "\u005c+"),
     ("*"     , "\u005c*"),
+    ("{"     , "\u005c{{"),
+    ("}"     , "\u005c}}"),
     ("["     , "\u005c["),
+    ("]"     , "\u005c]"),
     ("("     , "\u005c("),
+    (")"     , "\u005c)"),
 ]
 
 # NOTE (mb 2018-09-03): These are matchers for parts, which are
@@ -54,17 +58,25 @@ class PatternMatch(typ.NamedTuple):
 PatternMatches = typ.Iterable[PatternMatch]
 
 
-def _iter_for_pattern(lines: typ.List[str], pattern: str) -> PatternMatches:
-    # The pattern is escaped, so that everything besides the format
-    # string variables is treated literally.
-
+def compile_pattern(pattern: str) -> typ.Pattern[str] :
     pattern_tmpl = pattern
 
     for char, escaped in PATTERN_ESCAPES:
         pattern_tmpl = pattern_tmpl.replace(char, escaped)
 
+    # undo escaping only for valid part names
+    for part_name in RE_PATTERN_PARTS.keys():
+        pattern_tmpl = pattern_tmpl.replace("\u005c{{" + part_name + "\u005c}}", "{" + part_name + "}")
+
     pattern_str = pattern_tmpl.format(**RE_PATTERN_PARTS)
-    pattern_re  = re.compile(pattern_str)
+    return re.compile(pattern_str)
+
+
+def _iter_for_pattern(lines: typ.List[str], pattern: str) -> PatternMatches:
+    # The pattern is escaped, so that everything besides the format
+    # string variables is treated literally.
+    pattern_re = compile_pattern(pattern)
+
     for lineno, line in enumerate(lines):
         match = pattern_re.search(line)
         if match:
diff --git a/test/test_parse.py b/test/test_parse.py
index 067978a..a7b53c8 100644
--- a/test/test_parse.py
+++ b/test/test_parse.py
@@ -115,3 +115,28 @@ def test_badge_parse_patterns():
 
     assert matches[0].match == "badge/CalVer-v201809.0002--beta-blue.svg"
     assert matches[1].match == ":alt: CalVer v201809.0002-beta"
+
+
+CLI_MAIN_FIXTURE = """
+@click.group()
+@click.version_option(version="v201812.0123-beta")
+@click.help_option()
+"""
+
+
+def test_pattern_escapes():
+    pattern_re = parse.compile_pattern(r'click.version_option(version="{version}")')
+    match = pattern_re.search(CLI_MAIN_FIXTURE)
+    assert match.group(0) == 'click.version_option(version="v201812.0123-beta")'
+
+
+CURLY_BRACE_FIXTURE = """
+package_metadata = {"name": "mypackage", "version": "v201812.0123-beta"}
+"""
+
+
+def test_curly_escapes():
+    pattern = r'package_metadata = {"name": "mypackage", "version": "{version}"}'
+    pattern_re = parse.compile_pattern(pattern)
+    match = pattern_re.search(CURLY_BRACE_FIXTURE)
+    assert match.group(0) == 'package_metadata = {"name": "mypackage", "version": "v201812.0123-beta"}'