zircon

Amorphous alloys (LiquidMetals) have some attractive properties and some not so attractive properties. The article mentions cost. That is perhaps the largest bugaboo that is holding back adoption of this form of material. The composition of amorphous alloys is such that they rely on prodigious amounts of expensive base metals - zirconium, titanium, niobium, palladium, and the like. These metals have to be quite pure with a low oxygen concentration. Oxygen screws up the ability to form an amorphous (randomly ordered atomic structure) alloy. This requires very expensive refining techniques - especially for the reactive/refractory metals like Zr, Ti, and Nb. These metals can range in price from $20 - $25 per pound up to hundreds of dollars per ounce. In order to compete the alloy really needs to come in at under $10 per pound. This will be a major challenge.

LiquidMetal has a very high fluidity and it can reproduce amazing detail. One application that has been discussed is scalpels formed by casting the knife edge. It is strong and corrosion resistant and is very stiff (high Young's modulus.) However, it's impact resistance is more akin to glass. It has very little ductility - like silicon-based glasses - and is therefore rather brittle. So, while it has the fluidity to cast thin shapes like the casing for a computer, smart phone or tablet, it would likely be too brittle for that application. One good drop and it would tend to shatter. A thicker watch casing, on the other hand, may be attractive as very fine features could be cast into it. Unfortunately, Apple's partner, LiquidMetal Technologies has already licensed Swatch for the timekeeping applications. No idea if it is an exclusive license, but if so then that would leave Apple having to negotiate with Swatch and LiquidMetal to secure rights to use it in The Watch.

So, attractive properties, if used in the proper application, but with a very high raw material cost it will be a while before we see commercialization of these alloys in any volume.