A plate spring of a substantially circular-ring-shaped form having a substantially externally conical upper side (12) and a substantially internally conical underside (13) between which there are positioned an outer annular edge (14) and an inner annular edge (15), wherein, in the unloaded condition, the surface layer (17) of the underside (13) comprises a higher inherent compressive stress than the surface layer (16) of the upper side (12).