Skin irritation

I've have seen some articles about how exposure to nickel, even in diet, can exacerbate nickel skin allergy. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2923958/

I never had a problem, but then I got my dad'd old Rolex Datejust on a Jubilee bracelet serviced by Rolex. I got a rash from the bracelet and case. When I went to clean the bracelet, I saw that they had left quite a bit of the polishing compound and steel slurry behind. It got a little better after I cleaned it.

But then I noticed I got a reaction from my Milgauss bracelet and even the buckle on another watch. I also found that the reaction was worst where there was a sharp contact with my skin. So the edge of the case, edge of the bracelet, and the lugs.

I avoided nickel in my diet, stopped wearing metal bracelets, and got all titanium buckles for my leather straps. Also got a titanium belt buckle and pen.

After a few months (and because I didn't find a strap that I liked) I am wearing the Milgauss on bracelet without issue. No reaction today.

Maybe Al knows a bit more about this, but it might be possible to get a stainless bracelet plated with a metal that you are not allergic to. Typically though the first step is to put some nickel down as an intermediate layer...

It might be worth it calling your local (or not so local) electro-polisher or plater and ask what processes they offer.
Typical minimum charges I have seen (in the Chicago area) are a bit over $100 for electro polishing stainless parts, and for various coatings on aluminum. So completely acceptable if you are used to Omega parts prices. ;-)

Unfortunately I have no experience with plating on stainless steel, and I'm not aware of an etchant that will predominantly take away the nickel.
As Al pointed out, it's not the nickel content per se, but the release rate.

A cheap solution might be to coat the inside of the bracelet with krylon or clear nail polish.

^^^Just for that:


That's a Titanium SMPO, made from Grade 5 Titanium.

I just checked and Grade 5 has no nickel, only Aluminum, Vanadium, no more than a quarter percent iron and two tenths of a percent of oxygen.

That's what makes it so accurate!

I myself suffer from my wife's allergies to anything under 14k gold...

Apparently nickel free stainless alloys are being developed, mostly for implants; I just came across this here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5090547.
Nickel is being replaced with manganese and up to one percent of nitrogen.
I'm not sure whether any of these steels are available for making watch bands; but since nickel allergies are rapidly rising, it might only be a matter of time.

I'm still thinking for an existing watch band it might be worth exploring passivation and/or electropolishing, to see whether it reduces nickel release significantly. Able Electropolishing here in Chicago is advertising a light electropolishing they call 'Brite Passivation': https://www.ableelectropolishing.com/services/brite-passivation/
I'd be interested in the outcome, if somebody decides to look into it.

Update:

I put the offending Rolex bracelet back on. I had heard that this is something not to be trifled with, a strong nickel sensitivity can really limit.

Note: The week before my watch reaction, I had also taken upon myself to use steel wool and do a deep scrub on 2 AlClad stainless steel pots and pans to get down to the original shine. I wasn't careful about washing my hands afterwards.

Fingers crossed that it was an acute sensitivity. I am leaning more towards Titanium watches now.

OOF. hope it is revolved...