What materials are mechanical watch movements generally made of?

　　What materials are mechanical watch movements generally made of?

　　The workmanship of mechanical watch movements is constantly improving nowadays, and the materials used for watch movements are also constantly changing. So what materials are mechanical watch movements generally made of nowadays? Below, Xiaoya will popularise some relevant knowledge about mechanical watch movement materials for everyone.

　　Mechanical watch movement material type one: Copper alloys

　　Red copper is pure copper, also known as red brass.

　　Brass is an alloy composed of copper and zinc, and is the most common and highest-content metal used in watch materials. The main plates and bridges of the vast majority of watch movements are machined from brass. Brass can also be used to make the gears inside the movement.

　　Lead brass is brass with added lead, designed to improve the machinability of the brass. This type of lead brass is mainly used to make the mainplates and bridges of watch movements.

　　Cupronickel is a copper-based alloy with nickel as the primary additive element. It has a silvery-white appearance, hence its name.

　　Tin bronze is a bronze with tin as the main alloying element. The tin content generally ranges between 3 and 14%, and it is mainly used to make resilient components and wear-resistant parts.

　　Mechanical watch movement material two: tungsten alloy

　　The solid-state density of tungsten is 19.25 grams per cubic centimetre. Combined with nickel, iron, copper and other elements to create a high-density alloy, this alloy has a density more than twice that of copper or steel. This alloy is primarily produced for making the rotor segments of automatic watches, because the greater the density of the rotor segment, the more the winding efficiency can be improved.

　　Mechanical watch movement material three: steel

　　Steel is also used extensively within the movement, including various springs, gears, pinion shafts, winding stems, and minute and hour wheels...

　　Mechanical watch movement material four: elinvar

　　Elastic alloys are generally divided into high-elasticity alloys and constant-elasticity alloys. The former requires a high elastic limit, low anelastic effect, and good heat resistance, allowing it to work at higher temperatures; the latter requires the modulus of elasticity to remain virtually unchanged with temperature within a certain temperature range.

　　High-elasticity alloys are used to make mainsprings, storing energy for the operation of the movement.

　　The notable difference between constant-elasticity alloys and other metal materials is that their modulus of elasticity remains constant or has an absolute value close to zero within a certain temperature range. Using constant-elasticity alloys can greatly reduce the impact of external temperatures on the timekeeping accuracy of watches. Constant-elasticity alloys are further classified into weakly magnetic and non-magnetic according to their magnetic sensitivity.

　　Mechanical watch movement material five: precious metals

　　The precious metals used inside the movement are primarily gold, platinum and rhodium. Due to their high density, gold and platinum are mainly used to make oscillating weights to improve winding efficiency, and antique pocket watches have also used gold to make balance springs, gears, and gold chatons. Rhodium, on the other hand, is used for electroplating.

　　Vacheron Constantin Overseas 21k gold rotor segment

　　Mechanical watch movement material six: natural gemstones

　　Natural gemstones are also used in movements, but mostly in pocket watches. The reason for this is that synthetic gemstones are not only inexpensive and suitable for mass production, but they also boast superior quality without the flaws commonly found in natural gemstones. Some high-end modern watch movements still use a small number of natural gemstones.

　　Mechanical watch movement material seven: plastic

　　Engineering plastics are lightweight, self-lubricating, have low friction, and are anti-magnetic.

　　Mechanical watch movement material eight: silicon

　　Silicon began to be associated with watch movements only in the last 20 years, with Ulysse Nardin first introducing a silicon escapement wheel in 1999. Afterwards, balance springs were also manufactured using silicon. Silicon is a new type of material that is anti-magnetic, low in density, and wear-resistant.

　　Having read the above, Xiaoya recommends a top-tier replica mechanical watch here for everyone, and interested friends are welcome to take a look.

　　Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Q1372520

　　Price: (Please contact customer service for the latest price)

　　Series:Master collection

　　Movement: Automatic mechanical movement

　　Strap: calfskin strap / American alligator leather (available to order upon payment)

　　Case: 18 rose gold-plated

　　Clasp: Folding clasp

　　Crystal: Sapphire crystal glass

　　Diameter: 39MM

　　Review:

　　The small subdial in the top left corner is the 40-hour true power reserve display, while the right side features a circular date ring, and the seconds display subdial is positioned at the bottom of the dial, delivering impressive practical performance.

　　While the silver dial certainly offers a superb metallic aesthetic, true refinement and luxury come from the meticulously carved components that support a strikingly three-dimensional dial structure.

　　The three subdials are indicated by blued steel hands, displaying the date, small seconds, and power reserve respectively, with near-perfect proportions.

　　◆ Both the finishing techniques and the artistic appreciation value are far superior to the steel models. Thinking about this, purchasing the rose gold version becomes much easier to justify.

　　Overall, the primary material used for mechanical watch movements remains brass, along with many other materials which we will not list individually. If you wish to purchase a top-tier replica mechanical watch first, you are welcome to scan the QR code to add our WeChat for enquiries.

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