Horological Meandering

The next trendy material

Dear All,

Watchcases, movements and parts have been made from a wide range of materials from tantalum to osmium and finished with a variety of coatings from ruthenium to carbon (diamond).

I was looking at the Periodic Table of the Elements (Dimitri Mendeleev’s wonderful contribution to 19^th Century science) and wondering what exotic materials might be used next? I am sure that Marketing Departments with a little imagination could come up with some remarkable angles. The following seemed obvious:

Germanium – A. Lange & Sohne

Nobelium – Breguet, Patek, VC, etc.

Scandium – Sarpaneva, Voutilainen

Francium – BRM, Silberstein

Dubnium - Roger Dubuis

Americium - Martin Braun, RGM

Einsteinium – some supercomplicated perpetual with equation of time etc.

Boron – Rolex, etc.

These are all real elements, but of course most would not have the appropriate properties for watchmaking applications. Just having some fun.

Regards from the science nerd,

Andrew