MAILLECHORT (‘NICKEL SILVER’)
‘Nickel Silver’ (‘German Silver’, maillechort) is an alloy from the brass family. It is defined by the inclusion of nickel in the binary copper-zinc alloy, and occasionally lead. For the alloy to be homogeneous, the combined content of zinc and nickel must remain below 36% with the following distribution:
- Copper: 45-65%
- Zinc: 20-30%
- Nickel: 5-25%
With a lighter and more silvery appearance than brass, ‘Nickel Silver’ is distinguished by its low oxidisability and greater hardness. It is easily machinable, elastic, a poor conductor of electricity, and can be slightly or non-magnetic depending on its composition.
Although known to the Chinese since antiquity, maillechort was developed and intentionally produced in the early 19th century by French metallurgists Maillot and Chorier, who named it by combining their names. The patent was filed in 1827 by Philibert Maillot. Since then, watchmakers have particularly appreciated this alloy for its mechanical properties and often prefer it to brass due to its superior corrosion resistance.
In watchmaking, maillechort is used in the same areas as brass, which it generally replaces.
Bridges, mainplates, and wheel plates can be manufactured from this alloy. Its remarkable resistance to corrosion and low electrical conductivity typically eliminate the need for galvanic surface treatments.