Material world

Every watchmaker will tell you: the race for new materials is only just beginning and, rather than a sprint for the finishing line, looks set to run and run. In the meantime, we can already list the effects it is having. These are important consequences as they concern every aspect of the industry, touching on questions of finance, concept and design.

First of all then, finance: the high-tech era is a general incitation for brands to want to stand out from the crowd, often by developing their very own alloy or by launching full-scale R&D projects. Such bubbling creativity leads to a hunt for new talent, often plucked from what appear to be very different horizons to watchmaking - computer engineers, electronics engineers and microengineers - not to mention partnerships with the big names in aeronautics or high-flying university research labs. These cross-disciplinary partnerships are especially interesting as they bring a breath of fresh air at a time when many companies are actively pursuing vertical integration. Since the turn of the 21st century, futurism is gaining ground over watchmaking’s other values, whether openly admitted or not.

Of course a brand needs a foundation, be it a new face or a centuries-old firm. Still, the professionals know all too well that if they stand still for too long they may well rust… like an old and noble material that has given as much as it can give.

As one can imagine, ambitions such as these imply substantial investment. The only way to produce an infinitely lightweight but extremely robust watch is to invest in machines capable of working with these exceptional materials. Companies that realised this didn’t hesitate to take the plunge. Presumably as part of their strategy they have scrupulously calculated amortisation of these costs.

This is where the big cheeses in marketing and the designers step in. They too are instrumental in shaping our tastes. Now that XL watches weigh just a few grams, we adore having them on our wrist without suffering the inconveniences of size. Similarly, we’re now eager to admire our watch’s "engine", showcased by deliberately exaggerated industrial details. On this note, see the article on the Master Compressor Extreme LAB by Jaeger-LeCoultre, one of the recent models most representative of this high-tech trend.

Tomorrow is indeed another day. Meanwhile the race to revolutionise materials goes on, and more than one brand is joining in the adventure. ■

Flavia Giovannelli

See also:
From outer space to inside your watch

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