ARCHIMEDE Materials

Stainless Steel ICKLER cases and steel bracelets

ARCHIMEDE uses high quality 316 L / 1.4435 stainless steel

Bronze cases

Bronze is mankind's oldest alloy. The first objects made of Bronze originate from the middle of the 4th millennium BC. From then on it has been possible to design and make parts, ornaments and tools from Bronze, making them harder, more durable and better than before.
The surface of bronze oxidizes and forms a natural 'patina' of copper oxide. This superficial layer of oxide then protects the underlying metal from further corrosion. It is especially resistant to sea water corrosion. Bronze is also not magnetic, has a high melting point near 1000 °C (~ 1800 °F). It is less brittle and about 10% heavier than steel and is more expensive. It is often used in architecture, outdoor statues and of course in the industry e.g. for coins, blades, marine fittings and ship turbines.

The ARCHIMEDE Bronze case, made by ICKLER, uses the Bronze alloy CuSn8, consisting of 92% copper and 8% tin. The crown is made of Bronze too and the case back is made of stainless steel 316L. The case has the ICKLER logo in between the lugs at 6 o'clock and the word "BRONZE" engraved on the other side.

The surface is natural and has no treatment from the factory and will develop the characteristic Bronze vintage patina over time.

ARCHIMEDE uses the Bronze case for its Pilots, DeckWatch and the diver SportTaucher.

Hardened stainless steel ICKLER case

The OutDoor Protect is equipped with an ICKLER steel case. The special hardining process has the following properties:

- Hardness ca. 1200 HV
- Thickness of the hardened layer: ca. 30µm
- No on top coating but a diffusion of carbon. No spalling.

After the surface treatment the case main part and the bezel are hardened. Due to the enormous increase of the hardness up to ca. 1200HV the OutDoor Protect gets an excellent shield against scratches and other damages of the surface and is therefore even better equipped for all kind of excursions and outdoor-adventures.

Antimagnetic, hardened stainless steel ICKLER case

Magnetism is the invisible enemy that can reduce the precision of watches or even bring them to a halt completely. You may not even be aware that your watch is regularly exposed to strong and potentially damaging magnetic fields. These days magnetic fields are ubiquitous, from your cellphone to your stereo speakers, computer monitors, and even the magnetic clasp on your handbag.

The established industry standards for magnetic fields (DIN 8309 / ISO 764) limit fields to 4,800 A/m, but this provides little protection from many common magnetic fields. We have equipped the OutDoor AntiMag with an internal housing made of soft iron that provides protection from magnetic fields of up to 80,000 A/m / 1000 Gauss / 100 mT. Like a Faraday cage, this inner case – consisting of dial, movement holder and base – bundles the magnetic field lines and guides them safely around the watch movement.

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Despite the soft iron mantle around the movement, the OutDoor AntiMag maintains a modest profile, with a 41 mm diameter and a thickness of only 11 mm. Like the smaller OutDoor Protect (39 mm), the steel housing is hardened to a hardness of approximately 1200 HV. Comprising a slim crown protector, 7 mm screw crown, sapphire crystal and solid threaded base, the housing components form a compact and solid unit.