A 2023 watchmaking history report says an early CSEM European patent on a silicon hairspring expired that year. That is a milestone for one patent, not proof that every silicon hairspring design or manufacturing method is now free of patent protection—or that the expiration has already changed watch prices, supply or repair access.
What patent expired?
The patent at issue is European patent EP1422436B1, covering a silicon spiral and its manufacturing process. Stichting Haegsche Tijd’s 2023 history report says CSEM filed it in November 2002 and that it expired in 2023. The report also describes development collaboration among CSEM, Swatch Group, Rolex and Patek Philippe.
This is a reported status, not a complete legal assessment. Patent rights are territorial and claim-specific. The expiration of EP1422436B1 does not establish the status of every national member of its patent family, or of later patents covering different designs or processes.
Does that mean silicon hairsprings are no longer patented?
No. A separate patent document, EP3056948A1, discusses silicon hairspring designs and fabrication, including crystal orientation, spring geometry, dimensions, dry etching and a silicon-dioxide coating. Its existence shows that later patent documents address distinct approaches; it does not, by itself, establish whether any particular claim is currently in force or whether a manufacturer may use a particular design.
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So the practical answer to “Are silicon hairsprings still patented?” depends on the specific design, manufacturing method, relevant country and applicable patent rights. The available sources do not establish the current legal status of all national members associated with EP1422436B1 or of all later patents. They are not enough to conclude that a competitor can freely make any silicon hairspring.
Why silicon hairsprings matter in watchmaking
A hairspring is the spiral spring in a mechanical watch’s balance oscillator. Together, the balance and hairspring regulate the movement’s oscillation. A silicon hairspring is a microfabricated component, not a generic substitute that can be fitted to any movement in place of a metal-alloy spring.
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Patent literature describes monocrystalline silicon, low density, corrosion resistance, non-magnetic behavior and suitability for microfabrication as relevant properties. It also discusses how crystal orientation, shape and fabrication affect the component. Those descriptions explain why watchmakers have explored silicon; they are not controlled comparative tests proving that silicon is universally more accurate or durable, or that a watch containing it needs no maintenance.
Material is only one part of the design. A watch’s performance and service options also depend on the hairspring’s geometry, the way it is manufactured, the movement it is designed for and how the watch is regulated and serviced. The sources available here do not provide controlled tests comparing silicon and conventional metal-alloy hairsprings, so they do not support a universal ranking.
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Spiromax: an important commercial milestone
Patek Philippe unveiled its Spiromax silicon hairspring in 2006, according to the EP3056948A1 patent document and a 2020–2021 Wempe horology reference. The sources describe it as made from Silinvar, with a thickened outer terminal region, integrated fastening for the balance-spring stud and a self-centering integrated collet. The patent document also recounts the release and terminal geometry.
These details illustrate why “silicon hairspring” does not describe one interchangeable part. Geometry and attachment features are part of a particular design, and a spring has to be made for its intended movement. The Spiromax example should not be taken as evidence that every silicon hairspring uses the same material formulation or construction.
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What might change after the reported expiration?
In principle, the expiration of a particular patent can remove that patent as a barrier to using subject matter covered by its claims in the places where the right has ended. Whether that creates a practical opening depends on the design and process in question, other applicable rights, and the manufacturer’s ability to produce a component that meets the requirements of a specific movement.
The sources do not show that EP1422436B1’s reported expiration has caused lower prices, new suppliers, broader access to silicon hairsprings, or changes in watch repair. Those are possible future effects, not established outcomes. Nor do the sources establish a general industry licensing arrangement or its terms.
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What a watch buyer or owner should take from this
- For a buyer, the expiration report is historical and legal context, not evidence that a silicon hairspring automatically makes a watch superior. Judge a specific watch and movement on their merits.
- For an owner, it does not mean a silicon hairspring is a universal replacement part. Compatibility and repair options depend on the movement and the service provider; the cited sources do not establish broader repair access after the reported expiration.
- For anyone assessing a proposed design or manufacturing plan, the relevant question is not simply whether “the silicon hairspring patent” expired. It is which patent claims, countries, designs and processes are involved.
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