Beryllium copper for watchmaking brings gold or copper toned good looks together with stable spring behaviour, for balance wheels, winding mechanisms and diving watch diaphragms. NGK Berylco is part of the NGK Group. NGK Berylco France, in Couëron near Nantes, has been one of Europe's leading high precision processors of beryllium copper strip since 1971, and UK, Irish and Nordic customers are looked after by NGK Berylco UK in Salford.

Luxury watchmakers value beryllium copper for its colour and formability. A 2% beryllium content gives a gold-like tone, while 0.5% gives a copper tone. It's used for balance wheels, with high rotational inertia for their mass, and winding mechanisms, plus gear wheels, annular balance wheels in self-winding watches and pressure diaphragms in diving watches. In eyewear, it allows thinner, lighter frames with better strength.

Thermal conductivity drives use in plastics and metal processing. The aluminium industry uses beryllium copper for casting moulds, while the plastics industry uses it for injection moulds, pistons and nozzles.

The core Berylco grades are C17200 (CuBe2, Berylco 25) for high strength, C17300 (CuBe2Pb, Berylco 33/25) for free machining and C17510 (CuNi2Be, Berylco 14) for high conductivity. Where a beryllium-free option suits better, the GMX copper-nickel-tin range covers it. NGK's technical team can help match grade, temper and form to the job.

Quality is backed by ISO 9001, the aerospace standard EN 9100, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001, with an in-house testing and inspection laboratory and an active R&D programme.

To discuss Beryllium Copper for Watchmaking, contact NGK Berylco UK on +44 (0)161 745 7162 or email enquiries@ngkberylco.co.uk. The Salford team covers the UK, Ireland and the Nordic countries.