What material aspect does silicon provide that is beneficial in watchmaking?

Silicon offers significant advantages in watchmaking, particularly due to its excellent coefficient of friction. This property reduces the amount of friction between moving parts, which leads to less wear and tear over time, consequently enhancing the longevity and precision of the watch's movement. Additionally, the low friction helps in improving energy efficiency, allowing a mechanical watch to maintain accuracy with less energy loss, which is crucial for timekeeping.

While other materials used in watchmaking may exhibit their own unique benefits, silicon's specific attributes make it particularly valuable. It is not notably lightweight and flexible in the way that certain metals might be, nor does it provide transparency like some synthetic materials. Lastly, the cost-effectiveness of silicon compared to precious metals like gold plays a role in economic considerations, but it is the functional properties—especially the low coefficient of friction—that drive its incorporation into high-quality watch movements.