Carbon Fibre In Watchmaking
Carbon fibre composites create distinctive watch cases with unique aesthetics – to the delight of brands and customers alike.
Carbon fibre reinforced polymer – sometimes referred to as carbon fibre or carbon composite – first became widespread in industries like aerospace and Formula 1 in the 1980s. But the industrial use of carbon fibre itself actually dates back to Joseph Swan, who produced carbon fibres as filaments in light bulbs back in 1860, an idea later further developed by Thomas Edison, who baked cotton threads or bamboo slivers at high temperatures, carbonizing them.
In the world of luxury, watch brands fall over themselves to offer their customers something special. At the top end of the scale is the unique piece watch that has been designed specifically for a single customer. But for the average collector such a watch will forever be the stuff of dreams. So how can watch brands nevertheless tempt their customers with a hint of the unique in their watches? Smart brands have understood that carbon fibre composites are an effective way to do this, particularly with the latest types of composites, and some have even gone as far as to develop their own carbon composites. Because of the way such composites are produced (layers of fibre sheets are positioned at different angles to improve the robustness of the finished material), there is a lot of flexibility in which particular types of carbon can be used, how the layers can be arranged and which polymers and resins can be used to bind them. Most important for the watch industry is the fact that when the case is machined from a solid block of the material it reveals the structure of the material in a finish that is unique to every watch case.
Carbon fibre lends itself to watch cases for other reasons, however. It is three times stiffer than titanium yet weighs two times less than the metal. Most men to whom the virile black of such cases appeals will already be familiar with the material from various other areas, such as Formula 1 and yacht racing, or they may even have composites in some of their other possessions like tennis racquets, golf clubs or fishing rods. For the same reasons, carbon fibre watches are designed almost exclusively with men in mind and invariably keep the black colour of the composite, with a matte or sometimes glossy finish. Although some of the innovative materials listed below allow brands to add different colours to the mix, including the luxury sheen of gold.
Compared to metals, the main advantage of carbon composites is lightness – it has a density of 1.7-1.9g/cm3, compared to approximately 5g/cm3 for titanium, 8g/cm3 for steel and 19g/cm3 for gold. So a watch case that weighs 40g in steel will be more than 95g in gold but less than 10g in carbon composite. That impressive lightness has a direct effect on wearability and comfort. For this very reason, the material has been the focus of watchmakers who want to create shock-resistant but light watches.
Sleek and lightweight, carbon watches keep the wearer’s wrist cool and comfortable, allowing for optimal movement and ease. Boasting heat, sweat, corrosion, and water resistant benefits, the carbon fiber watch is strength and appeal in one uber-modern accessory. When it comes to lightness, durability or looks alone, carbon really does seem to be every watchmaker’s ideal savoir-faire.
