The use of maillechort, a tarnish-resistant, creamily beautiful but easily marred alloy of copper, zinc and nickel, sometimes also called "German silver, " for the plates and bridges is a case in point.
Maillechort is more practical in that it is far more resistant to corrosion, but it is also a much more demanding material to work with, as it scratches easily and stains even more so if mishandled during assembly.