Marco Rosignoli – Bridge Building Expert

Marco Rosignoli has more than 20 years of experience in bridge construction and design. (Source: San Francisco Public Press)

Marco Rosignoli is an expert in bridge design, construction, forensic engineering, consulting and education, with over 37 years of experience in 21 countries. Through a two-part series, Rosignoli gave readers an in-depth look into emerging megacities and their infrastructure needs. According to Rosignoli, efficient transportation is the key to an economically competitive city, and megacities will call for mega-sized bridges made of high-quality steel. Read on to find out more.

Part one: Ask an Expert: Building Bridges for Megacities

Part two: Ask an Expert: Building Bridges for Megacities – Part 2

Naim Josefi – Fashion Designer

Naim Josefi is an innovative designer who mixes fashion and technology. (Source: Naim Josefi)

Naim Josefi runs a fashion company based in Stockholm, Sweden, and is widely known for winning Project Runway Sweden back in 2012. Josefi is a fashion designer who is blurring the boundaries between science and fashion as his projects include steel dresses, 3D printed shoes and laser-printed jeans. Find out why the designer chooses to work with steel and incorporate new technologies into his art.

Read on: Ask an Expert: Fashion Forward with Steel

Professor Bill Arnold – Oil Industry Expert

Bill Arnold is a professor in the practice of energy management at Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business. Previously, Professor Arnold was Royal Dutch Shell’s Washington director of international government relations and senior counsel for the Middle East, Latin America and North Africa for 16 years.

Bill Arnold is an Energy Management Professor at Rice University. (Source: Society of Petroleum Engineers)

Professor Arnold gave readers an insider’s analysis of the rapidly-changing oil industry marked by unpredictable oil prices. He says, in the midst of change, there are newly-developing business opportunities and alternative sources of fuel such as natural gas that will subsequently create more demand for high-quality steel.   

Find out more: Ask an Expert: The Role of Steel in a Changing Oil Industry

Park Jong-jae – Automotive Columnist

Park Jong-jae is a motorsports columnist and the former editor-in-chief at F1 Racing Korea. Back in May, Park contributed a two-part series on POSCO GIGA STEEL. In the first part, Park reinforced the need for lightweight materials in the auto industry and highlighted some of the most successful cases of POSCO GIGA STEEL application from POSCO’s partners including GM Korea and Ssangyong Motors.

2016 Chevy Cruze Body Structure with POSCO GIGA STEEL. (Source: World Auto Steel)

Read more: Ask an Expert: POSCO GIGA STEEL Opens Door to the Future of the Auto Industry

In part two, he took readers through the 6 different types of POSCO GIGA STEEL and how they can benefit different parts of a vehicle.

There are 6 types of POSCO GIGA STEEL. (Source: Astro Awani)

Find more information: Ask an Expert: POSCO GIGA STEEL Goes Beyond the Limits of Traditional Lightweight Materials

Gil Bruvel – Steel Artist

Gil Bruvel is a veteran artist who creates sculptures using stainless steel. (Source: Gil Bruvel)

Gil Bruvel is an artist who works with stainless steel to create beautifully crafted sculptures of the human form. For the past 40 years, Bruvel has dedicated himself to painting, drawing and sculpting. He worked on a series of stainless steel sculpture for his Flow Series that depict aspects of nature mixed with the human body. Check out his creations and learn more about why Bruvel chooses to work artistically with steel.

Take a look: Ask an Expert: Capturing the Fluidity of Life in Ribbons of Steel – An Interview with Gil Bruvel

POSCO’s Masters of Korea

Every year, POSCO names its Masters of Korea. These masters are employees who have become experts in their respective fields through years of hard work and dedication. All 3 Masters of 2017 contributed to POSCO by developing new technologies, coming up with groundbreaking ideas and finding solutions to make POSCO safer, more efficient and highly competitive in the global steel industry. Find out who they are and their journey to becoming the POSCO Masters of Korea.

Master Nam Tae-Gyu has 40 years of experience working for POSCO.

Master Nam Tae-Gyu: POSCO Masters: 40 Years in the Making

Suh Gwang-Il examines machinery at a POSCO steel mill with colleagues.

Master Suh Gwang-Il: POSCO Masters: A Cold Rolling Expert

Master Kim Yong-Hoon played a key role in automating POSCO’s production systems.

Master Kim Yong-Hoon: POSCO Masters: Leading the Way Towards Automation

Thank you to the experts that helped make the Steel Wire shine like steel in 2017. In 2018, we look forward to even more opportunities to collaborate with even more experts to help provide you, our readers, a deeper understanding of steel and its applicability across industries.

Gone are the days of oversized, flashy pieces of bling, and returning are classic timepieces suitable for both genders. Rather than showy status symbols, fashion fans are looking at a more reserved set of long-lasting styles that exude elegance and sophistication.

Stainless steel has been a stalwart metal in traditional watchmaking for many years now, but designers and manufacturers have pushed different materials to accommodate trends in the past. Now, it seems they are returning to the steady original.

The Beginning of Stainless Steel

In 1913, metallurgist Harry Brearley developed the first piece of genuine stainless steel at his laboratory in Sheffield, England. The alloy was made with iron, chromium and nickel, and could withstand a wide range of chemical reactions.

Through Brearley’s invention, stainless steel has become the modern metal for everything beginning from cutlery to skyscrapers, and of course wristwatches.

The material is known for its high resistance to corrosion, heat resistance, weldability and durability, which makes it perfectly suitable for enduring straps and encasing the sensitive machinery found inside timepieces.

A Fashionable Military Companion

While wristwatches have been around since World War I, when they were considered both a strategic military tool and as well as a necessary fashion accessory, stainless steel watches were only introduced in the early 1930s in Geneva. Jewelers and watch manufacturers were looking for a cheaper material to use to make watches, since the Great Depression of the 1920s had left the precious metals market in the dust.

In fact, they were not always the men’s collector’s items they are now. Wristwatches were only worn by women before the 20^th century, the first made for Countess Koscowicz of Hungary by Swiss watch manufacturer Patek Philippe in 1868.

For women, these watches were less worn for practicality, and more for aesthetic purposes. In 1912, The New York Times reported that it was “the most useful piece of jewelry that has been invented for many decades,” worn by “women who have to work as well as those who play.”

The first prototypes for men may have been created by watchmaker Girard-Perregaux for the German Imperial Navy in 1880, after an officer complained about the difficulty of timing an attack correctly using a pocket watch.

And hardwearing materials were not just used as a fashion statement or quotidian utility. European soldiers began to incorporate unbreakable glass to survive the trenches and radium to illuminate the display at night during battles, with civilian styles swiftly following suit.

An Everyday Item

Nowadays, watches are used by almost everyone, everywhere, but stainless steel has become one of the core metal in a developed men’s market. At Baselworld, an annual trade show held for the global watch and jewelry industry, this year’s trends seemed to highlight simplicity.

There was a particular spotlight on steel, with mention given to the fact that it is a perfect watch material in terms of being both the fashion and the reliability stakes. Many luxury watch manufacturers displayed stainless steel devices, which offered a modern yet everlasting appeal.

But that is just the surface. Because wristwatches are often exposed to sweat and moisture, they can easily corrode and malfunction if not made properly.

That is why stainless steel is so important for time-telling. Not only does it keep the case waterproof, it prevents rust and is long-lasting – all necessary factors when it comes to keeping your watch clean and functional.

Making the Grade

It is also worth mentioning that not all stainless steel is alike. Most watch cases are made of 201 or 304L stainless steel, while luxury watch makers tend to use 316L, 904L or surgical grade varieties.

A majority of luxury watch manufacturers use 316L grade stainless steel. This contains molybdenum, which contributes to its extra-low carbon content and high resistance to corrosion. It is also magnet-resistant, unlike general-use 201 or 304L stainless steel grades.

The “superalloy” 904L has an even higher resistance to corrosion due to increased levels of chromium, molybdenum and nickel. It is a more expensive material overall, so only select high-end manufacturers use it in their designs.

Meanwhile, 316L is considered tougher, a “marine grade” steel, but it lacks the luster and protection against acids offered by the 904L, which is even used in the tech, aerospace and chemical industries. Stainless steel is also being used in cases for smart watches, furnishing these hi-tech items with a premium look.

Choosing Steel for Fall

The wristwatch has traveled a long way from its European origins, from gracing royalty to equipping hardnosed generals – and stainless steel has had a part in shaping its current rendition.

So whether it is dainty or utilitarian, cost-friendly or luxurious – you can bet that a piece of this resilient metal on your wrist will be what you are looking for to satisfy both seasonal and perennial trends.

A watch is something you will hopefully want to keep forever. And one crafted from stainless steel could be your best investment to keep up with fall 2016’s latest watch trends.

Stainless Steel Speaks Fashion

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