A non-metallic element used in modern hairsprings and escapement components for its resistance to magnetism and temperature change. Not to be confused with silicone, the rubber-like polymer used in straps.
Silicon, the element also used in computer chips, has become an increasingly common material for hairsprings, escape wheels, and pallet forks in high-end watchmaking. It's naturally resistant to magnetic fields, doesn't require lubrication, and holds its shape reliably across a wide temperature range, all weaknesses of traditional steel components.
It's worth being precise about the name: silicon (no 'e') is this rigid, crystalline element used in movement components, while silicone (with the 'e') is an entirely different, flexible rubber-like polymer used for watch straps and gaskets. The two get confused constantly despite having nothing in common materially.
Silicon is a rigid, non-metallic element used in hairsprings and escapement components for its anti-magnetic properties. Silicone is a completely different, flexible rubber-like polymer used for straps and gaskets. They share a name but nothing else.
It's naturally resistant to magnetic fields, doesn't need lubrication, and maintains a consistent shape across temperature changes, addressing several long-standing weaknesses of traditional steel hairsprings.
Many major manufacturers now use silicon in some form, often under proprietary names, for hairsprings, escape wheels, or pallet forks in their higher-end movements.