The use of silicone in watch movements has made serious headway since first appearing in the Ulysse Nardin Freak back in 2001. This is thanks to advances in production technology allowing manufacturers to incorporate silicone components into the serial production of movements. We?ve even seen the material used to redesign core components of traditional regulating organs altogether, such as the Zenith Oscillator first shown in 2017, and the Girard-Perregaux Constant Escapement introduced as a prototype in 2008 and commercially in 2013. Today, a new entry can be added to the list, and it?s from an unexpected source: Frederique Constant.

With the introduction of the Slimline Monolithic Manufacture, Frederique Constant becomes the first to bring a novel oscillator design that replaces the balance and balance spring to broad production. What?s more, the watch they?ve put it in can be had for under $5,000. While the Zenith and Girard-Perregaux examples mentioned above did come to market, they did so in very limited quantities and were not cheap. The Frederique Constant is different, and while it shares similarities with the Zenith Oscillator, it goes about it in a very different manner, and the end result is dramatically different, for better or worse. 
What?s so special about this thing" Well, in short, FC is using a single piece of silicone to act in place of where you?d regularly find the balance, balance spring, and lever, with the flexible material providing...