Antimagnetic or Bust? An In-Depth Look at the Progression of Silicon in Watchmaking

It's impossible to refute the fact that silicon components further the science of chronometry, but for many collectors and members of the horological cognoscenti, silicon also raises the question of the purposed "Soul" of watchmaking If the industry is to move away from silicon to whatever the next big revolution is, then what is to come of all the watches ticking away with silicon parts? It isn't something you can reproduce at home, that's for sure The brand, which is now owned by the Kering Group, has continued its exploration of silicon and recently released a concept watch called the Freak NeXt that features a three-dimensional flying oscillator constructed of four silicon wheels stacked on top of one another.

The Swatch Group, on the other hand, has made the usage of silicon and other antimagnetic materials a defining part of its strategy in the 21st century One of the other more memorable announcements that truly showcased the flexibility silicon allows watchmakers was the Girard-Perregaux Constant Escapement prototype from 2008 that featured a psychedelic-looking butterfly escapement design made of silicon set between the pallet and anchor wheels to keep the energy transmission consistent from the mainspring to the balance wheel Maurice Lacroix focused on the elasticity of silicon when it introduced the unique piece Masterpiece Roue Carrée Seconde for the Only Watch auction in 2011 that featured silicon wheels in a variety of shapes that were visible from the watch's dial.

Although Ulysse Nardin fired the silicon starting gun close to two decades ago, it feels like only the first lap of the material's application in watchmaking is coming to a close. . Source