zOwie Omega Discussion Forum

: Hi guys. New to the forum, a hello to everyone :)

: I recently purchased the Speedmaster Moonwatch which I love to
: bits, a true classic. Only problem is I have now developed a
: rash around my wrist. I'm allergic to nickel and that is the
: reaction I get every time I touch nickel. Both the watch and
: strap are stainless steel but I've been led to believe that
: nickel can be used as a finish on stainless steel straps to give
: it shine.

: I'm pretty despondent about this to be honest. What should I do?
: Buy a leather strap and buckle for it and deal with the fact I
: can't wear it with the bracelet? Or do you think its possible to
: get a bracelet that does not contain nickel?

: Any help would be great guys.

Stainless steel is not finished with nickel.

Stainless steel is the name given to a group of corrosion resistant and high temperature steels. Their remarkable resistance to corrosion is due to a chromium-rich oxide film which forms on the surface. When ordinary carbon steel is exposed to rain water, for example, it corrodes forming a brown iron oxide, commonly called rust, on the surface. This is not protective and eventually the entire piece of steel will corrode and be converted to rust. But when enough chromium (more than about 10%) is added to ordinary steel, the oxide on the surface is transformed - it is very thin, virtually invisible and protective in a wide range of corrosive media. This is what we call stainless steel and there are several different types, and many different grades.

The majority of stainless steels contain nickel (Ni), which is added for a number of reasons but particularly to change the crystal structure from ferrite to austenite. Austenitic stainless steels are ductile, tough and, most importantly, easy to form and weld. These steels are not magnetic in the annealed condition.

Austenitic, or 300 series, stainless steels comprise over 70% of total stainless steel production. They contain a maximum of 0.15% carbon, a minimum of 16% chromium and sufficient nickel and/or manganese to retain an austenitic structure at all temperatures from the cryogenic region to the melting point of the alloy. A typical composition of 18% chromium and 10% nickel, commonly known as 18/10 stainless, is often used in flatware. Similarly, 18/0 and 18/8 are also available.

The low carbon version of the Austenitic Stainless Steel, for example 316L or 304L, are used to avoid corrosion problem caused by welding. The "L" means that the carbon content of the Stainless Steel is below 0.03%, this will reduce the sensitization effect, precipitation of Chromium Carbides, due to the high temperature produced by welding operation.

Most watches are 316L steel.

Type 316—the second most common grade (after 304); for food and surgical stainless steel uses; alloy addition of molybdenum prevents specific forms of corrosion. It is also known as marine grade stainless steel due to its increased resistance to chloride corrosion compared to type 304. 316 is often used for building nuclear reprocessing plants. 316L is an extra low carbon grade of 316, generally used in stainless steel watches and marine applications due to its high resistance to corrosion. Also referred to as "A4" in accordance with ISO 3506.[10] 316Ti includes titanium for heat resistance, therefore it is used in flexible chimney liners. It contains 10-14% nickel.

The short answer is no. Get something platinum, gold, titanium, fabric, leather or other to put your watch on.