316L steel: What are its specificities ?

Looking for a steel watch? Charlie Paris offers French watches with... Strapsteel s and for all of our CaseFor our watches, we use 316L steel, a corrosion-resistant steel. But what exactly is 316L steel? What are its characteristics? In this article, the Charlie Paris Team will introduce you to 316L steel and its features. 

316L steel, stainless steel, steel: what are the differences?

Steel is a metal alloy composed primarily of iron, but also of carbon. The addition of carbon, between 0.02% and 2%, transforms iron into steel, making it even stronger while also giving it a certain degree of flexibility, which is why steel is widely used in construction. At this stage, steel (and 316L steel in particular) is not a stainless alloy. Beyond 3% carbon, iron becomes cast iron, but this high carbon content makes the metal very hard but also brittle. 

• Steel is an oxidizable alloy: Raw steel is an oxidizable alloy. It naturally reacts with oxygen molecules present in the air or water through redox reactions. This reaction is more commonly known as "corrosion." These reactions result in the formation of iron oxide and hydroxide, also known as rust, that familiar reddish-orange substance found on some iron structures. Rust is a destructive agent that gradually consumes the steel until it completely decomposes.  

• From steel to stainless steel: Strauss and Maurer, two German chemists, filed a patent in 1912 to develop the first stainless steel, a clever mixture of steel and chromium (the discovery of which, dating back to 1797, is attributed to the Frenchman). Nicolas Louis Vauquelin) and nickel (discovered in 1751 by Axel Frederik Cronstedt), which makes the steel highly resistant to corrosion and prevents it from rusting. The chromium content of stainless steel Its carbon content must be at least 10.5%, its carbon content less than 1.2%, and its nickel content approximately 8%. There are three categories of stainless steel: ferritic, martensitic, and austenitic.

• 316 steel and 316L steel: 316L steel is a type of austenitic stainless steel with a carbon content of less than 0.02%, a chromium content of around 17%, and a nickel content of 10 to 12.5%. Molybdenum is added to this alloy, with 2 to 2.5% added. The "L" in the abbreviation 316L indicates that it is a "low carbon" steel. As mentioned previously, this steel contains only 0.02% carbon, compared to 0.05% for standard 316 steel. During welding at very high temperatures, a substance called chromium carbide precipitate forms, making the steel, although stainless, more susceptible to corrosion. The minimal carbon content in the structure of this alloy prevents the formation of this precipitate, and therefore 316L steel is not subject to corrosion. Molybdenum, discovered in 1778 by Carl Wilhelm Scheele, is added to stainless steel to create 316L steel. Molybdenum not only hardens the alloy but, more importantly, makes it significantly more resistant to corrosion, even in extreme environments (chlorinated, salty, and acidic). This is why 316L steel is also used for outdoor applications such as railings and handrails.

Why use 316L steel in our watches?

For all of our watches, We have chosen to work with 316L steel. As you may have guessed, this alloy is known for its durability and also its high resistance to corrosion, two elements that we consider essential for our CaseFrom an aesthetic point of view, 316L stainless steel retains its shine over time and does not tarnish. Finally, it is very easy and fully recyclable. Thus, stainless steel watches can have a new life. The commitment from an ecological point of view, which is one of the core values ​​at At Charlie Paris, it was only natural that we turned to this type of steel for our watches.