Grail Watch#OnThisDay October 2, 1967: Reinhard Straumann, inventor of the anti-magnetic spring materials known as Nivarox and Nivaflex, dies. His work revolutionized watchmaking materials science. #Nivarox
#OnThisDay November 3, 1892: Reinhard Straumann is born near Waldenburg. After a stint at Revue Thommen he invented the anti-magnetic hairspring material known as Nivarox, which remains the key commodity in the mechanical watch industry. #Nivarox
Following the groundbreaking work of Charles-Edouard Guillaume and Paul Perret, Reinhard Straumann invented #Nivarox, the alloy still used for balance springs. He was a true renaissance man, and his company Straumann Group still exists today!
Fritz Marti, engineering genius and originator of hundreds of patents, perfected #Incabloc the very same year! Now 90 years later, we still rely on Nivarox and Incabloc, and everyone in the industry ought to know the story of these two very different men.
The autumn 2023 issue of #EuropaStar was just released, and I know my readers will love it! This issue focuses on #watchmovements - the heart of a #watch and the heart of an industry! And I'm proud to have contributed an article focused on a few of the geniuses of the #horology industry, Reinhard Straumann and Fritz Marti, inventors of #Nivarox and #Incabloc!
I welcome your comments and feedback on my humble contribution, "1933: The Origins of Nivarox and Incabloc"!
https://www.europastar.com/current/ES-GL_375_2023_004-005_0001/index.html#p=94
I just turned in an article exploring the surprisingly parallel story of the development of #Incabloc and #Nivarox - keep an eye out for #EuropaStar and you'll see!
In the mean time, here's a photo of Reinhard Straumann, inventor of Nivarox and all-around renaissance man, at his favorite sporting activity! He broke his leg doing this a few years later and that set him on a path of discovery that lead to Nivarox as well as medical implant maker Straumann Group! #watches #horology
