ORGANIC MATERIALS
Organic materials are materials made by living things (plants, animals, fungi and other decomposers or microorganisms). Leather and cork, once used as a seal against dust, are examples of organic materials used in the watch industry in the past. Leather is of course still used as a watch strap.
LEATHER
Leather was once used as a gasket to make watches dust-proof. Today, it is mainly used to make straps for wristwatches.
WOOD
Hard material that makes up the trunk, branches and roots of trees. In watchmaking it is sometimes used as a support during the manufacturing process. It is also used to polish various surfaces.
CORK
A thick, light material provided by the bark of certain trees. It was once used as a gasket to make watches dust-proof.
SHELLAC
Shellac is a natural lacquer used in watchmaking notably to hold pallets in place on the anchor.