28.08.2024
316L stainless steel watch case
A safe bet!
316L stainless steel is very robust and therefore a popular material for watch cases. The advantages have also convinced us, which is why we use this stainless steel, also known as "surgical steel", for the cases of all our Circula watches. In this article, we will take a closer look at stainless steel and its use in watches.
What is 316L stainless steel?
316L stainless steel is a corrosion-resistant, iron-based alloy. In addition to iron, surgical steel mainly contains:
- 16.5 to 18.5 % chromium
- 10 to 13 % nickel and
- 2 to 2.5 % molybdenum
316L stainless steel also contains small amounts of other elements, e.g. phosphorus (0.045 %), sulphur (0.015 %) and nitrogen (0.015 %).e.g. phosphorus (0.045 %), sulphur (0.015 %) and nitrogen (0.11 %). The chromium makes the steel particularly resistant to corrosion ("stainless steel"), nickel increases its resistance to acids and the small amount of the alloying element molybdenum further increases its strength, corrosion and heat resistance.
316L stainless steel is ideal for watches!
This special chemical composition of the 316L stainless steel alloy makes the material robust and corrosion-resistant. This is particularly advantageous for watches that are worn a lot and may come into contact with salt or chlorinated water, for example. 316L stainless steel withstands contact without damage and, with the appropriate water resistance, watches such as the Circula AquaSport II or SuperSport with a surgical steel case can also be worn when swimming and diving in swimming pools or the sea.
Further advantages of 316L stainless steel for watches
- Bright, shiny surface (titanium, for example, looks much more grayish and matt in comparison)
- 316L stainless steel is color-fast. If the stainless steel looks discolored, this is due to dirt, which can be removed with a dry cloth.
- The stainless steel can be easily coated, so the watch cases do not always have to be silver-colored. We have coated some of our Circula watches with rose gold using the PVD process
316L stainless steel and nickel
Unlike other stainless steels, surgical steel is hypoallergenic and therefore also suitable for allergy sufferers. In addition to its robustness, this is another reason why we use 316L stainless steel for the cases and steel straps of our Circula watches. Although surgical steel contains a small amount of nickel, according to Commission Directive 2014/84/EU https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/DE/TXT/?uri=OJ:JOL_2014_192_R_0009, only a negligible amount of nickel per week may be released to the skin when stainless steel is used close to the body. Special nickel tests from the pharmacy can be used to test whether this quantity is adhered to.
We have also subjected our watches to this test and all models have of course passed.