Watch Terminology Dictionary

Nickel, symbol Ni, is a highly corrosion-resistant, lustrous metal. It is sometimes used for the plates and bridges of luxury watches, but is often alloyed with steel to produce nickel steel. It is extremely hard, but prone to causing metal allergies. For this reason, nickel-free or reduced-nickel materials are now preferred. Nickel plating is often applied as a pre-treatment for rhodium plating.