Author Topic: Magnatized watch.. to worry or not?  (Read 3390 times)

Offline lowengen

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 318
Magnatized watch.. to worry or not?
« on: October 15, 2021, 03:22:01 PM »
Hi all sifus,

Just wanna check. I have a watch and it seemed to be magnatized (self checked with compass and Lepsi apps). However, the day to day accuracy still seems to be fine (+8s / day). As such, is there any point of worry?

Offline bulletnos

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 500
Re: Magnatized watch.. to worry or not?
« Reply #1 on: October 15, 2021, 04:45:52 PM »
Hi all sifus,

Just wanna check. I have a watch and it seemed to be magnatized (self checked with compass and Lepsi apps). However, the day to day accuracy still seems to be fine (+8s / day). As such, is there any point of worry?

Im no sifu, but best to get it demagnetized - otherwise it may cause added wear and tear to your watch components and movement.

I think u can get a demagnetizer online too - if u wish to diy.

Offline ExplorerII

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 198
Re: Magnatized watch.. to worry or not?
« Reply #2 on: October 15, 2021, 05:44:52 PM »
Sorry noob question. Does this affect quartz watches as well? Or just mechanical ones?

Offline dpkong

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2832
Re: Magnatized watch.. to worry or not?
« Reply #3 on: October 15, 2021, 06:35:13 PM »
if it's keeping time, maybe the magnetism helped??

 :Laughing_on_floor:

How do you determine it is magnetised?

Offline bulletnos

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 500
Re: Magnatized watch.. to worry or not?
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2021, 09:08:04 PM »
Here's a helpful article on watch magnetization I snagged off the web...with an excerpt below:

"Magnetization is a particular problem for mechanical watches, as it can cause some of the essential running parts, like the balance wheel and hairspring, to stick together and influence timekeeping accuracy. But quartz watches can be affected, too, as they often have steel hands that are sensitive to magnets."

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/01/style/watches-magnetization.html

Offline David_cheong

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1772
Re: Magnatized watch.. to worry or not?
« Reply #5 on: October 16, 2021, 10:00:06 AM »
Any good and reliable watch repair shop would have a good demagnetized gadget to rectify your watch.
A good way to magnetize your watch (without you knowing it) is to hand browse your car boot where 2 speakers are placed.

dc
I am almost a recovered watchaholic, but last checked shows only 70% recovered. How?

Offline bimmerman

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 749
    • Dating for unattached relationships
Re: Magnatized watch.. to worry or not?
« Reply #6 on: October 16, 2021, 01:23:05 PM »
No sifu here but have recent experience with a magnetized watch.

Bought a Lenovo laptop recently and didn't realise there are 2 very strong magnets located under the palm rest area to keep the lid shut when closed. So, my perfectly accurate Rolex Explorer running at a stable +1 to -1 seconds got magnetized and started running slow and erratically so. It started ticking between -2 to -8 seconds slow per day!

Did the low tech compass check method by moving the watch past a stationary compass and yup, each time the watch moved near the compass the compass hands swung.

So, I headed on to Shopee and bought a China demagnitizing device and received it within a week. Compared some youtube videos to see which was the best method for demagnetizing and decided on the one where you place your watch on the demagnetizer, press and hold the demagnetize button, count to 10 and slowly lift your watch away from the device vertically before releasing the button.

On the first pass, it seemed that my watch was fully demagnetized as the compass hands did not swing that much but nearer the bottom lugs of the watch, the compass still showed some movement. So I removed the watch bracelet and moved the watch sans bracelet across the compass and yes, the watch was indeed free from magnetizm. But the demagnetizing process had actually magnetized the bracelet pin instead which was affecting the compass. So I then demagnetized the bracelet and watch pins separately and did the magnet test again and voila! Watch, bbracelet and pins totally demagnetized.

So depending on the type of demagnetizer you purchase, it might not be powerful enough to demagnetize the entire watch in one single pass and you'll either need to remove the bracelet and do it separately or run multiple demagnetizing passes.

Hope that helps.

Oh, another thing, in the past it's common to find magnetized watches running fast because the maggnetism would cause the magnetized mainspring to bind and give the effect of a shortened mainspring and result in more beats per measure. These days with silicon mainsprings and Rolex parachrom and whatnot, they don't get magnetized but other components still do and this causes more drag on the drivetrain (my layman, non sifu definition) which causes the watch to run slow.
« Last Edit: October 16, 2021, 01:27:39 PM by bimmerman »

Offline bulletnos

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 500
Re: Magnatized watch.. to worry or not?
« Reply #7 on: October 16, 2021, 01:35:43 PM »
No sifu here but have recent experience with a magnetized watch.

Bought a Lenovo laptop recently and didn't realise there are 2 very strong magnets located under the palm rest area to keep the lid shut when closed. So, my perfectly accurate Rolex Explorer running at a stable +1 to -1 seconds got magnetized and started running slow and erratically so. It started ticking between -2 to -8 seconds slow per day!

Did the low tech compass check method by moving the watch past a stationary compass and yup, each time the watch moved near the compass the compass hands swung.

So, I headed on to Shopee and bought a China demagnitizing device and received it within a week. Compared some youtube videos to see which was the best method for demagnetizing and decided on the one where you place your watch on the demagnetizer, press and hold the demagnetize button, count to 10 and slowly lift your watch away from the device vertically before releasing the button.

On the first pass, it seemed that my watch was fully demagnetized as the compass hands did not swing that much but nearer the bottom lugs of the watch, the compass still showed some movement. So I removed the watch bracelet and moved the watch sans bracelet across the compass and yes, the watch was indeed free from magnetizm. But the demagnetizing process had actually magnetized the bracelet pin instead which was affecting the compass. So I then demagnetized the bracelet and watch pins separately and did the magnet test again and voila! Watch, bbracelet and pins totally demagnetized.

So depending on the type of demagnetizer you purchase, it might not be powerful enough to demagnetize the entire watch in one single pass and you'll either need to remove the bracelet and do it separately or run multiple demagnetizing passes.

Hope that helps.

Oh, another thing, in the past it's common to find magnetized watches running fast because the maggnetism would cause the magnetized mainspring to bind and give the effect of a shortened mainspring and result in more beats per measure. These days with silicon mainsprings and Rolex parachrom and whatnot, they don't get magnetized but other components still do and this causes more drag on the drivetrain (my layman, non sifu definition) which causes the watch to run slow.

This is mighty "Sifu" enough to me! Thanks for sharing Bimmerman! (love yr watch shots too)

Cheers

Offline bimmerman

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 749
    • Dating for unattached relationships
Re: Magnatized watch.. to worry or not?
« Reply #8 on: October 16, 2021, 02:28:39 PM »
No sifu here but have recent experience with a magnetized watch.

Bought a Lenovo laptop recently and didn't realise there are 2 very strong magnets located under the palm rest area to keep the lid shut when closed. So, my perfectly accurate Rolex Explorer running at a stable +1 to -1 seconds got magnetized and started running slow and erratically so. It started ticking between -2 to -8 seconds slow per day!

Did the low tech compass check method by moving the watch past a stationary compass and yup, each time the watch moved near the compass the compass hands swung.

So, I headed on to Shopee and bought a China demagnitizing device and received it within a week. Compared some youtube videos to see which was the best method for demagnetizing and decided on the one where you place your watch on the demagnetizer, press and hold the demagnetize button, count to 10 and slowly lift your watch away from the device vertically before releasing the button.

On the first pass, it seemed that my watch was fully demagnetized as the compass hands did not swing that much but nearer the bottom lugs of the watch, the compass still showed some movement. So I removed the watch bracelet and moved the watch sans bracelet across the compass and yes, the watch was indeed free from magnetizm. But the demagnetizing process had actually magnetized the bracelet pin instead which was affecting the compass. So I then demagnetized the bracelet and watch pins separately and did the magnet test again and voila! Watch, bbracelet and pins totally demagnetized.

So depending on the type of demagnetizer you purchase, it might not be powerful enough to demagnetize the entire watch in one single pass and you'll either need to remove the bracelet and do it separately or run multiple demagnetizing passes.

Hope that helps.

Oh, another thing, in the past it's common to find magnetized watches running fast because the maggnetism would cause the magnetized mainspring to bind and give the effect of a shortened mainspring and result in more beats per measure. These days with silicon mainsprings and Rolex parachrom and whatnot, they don't get magnetized but other components still do and this causes more drag on the drivetrain (my layman, non sifu definition) which causes the watch to run slow.

This is mighty "Sifu" enough to me! Thanks for sharing Bimmerman! (love yr watch shots too)

Cheers

You're too kind. Cheers buddy!  :Cheers:

Offline lowengen

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 318
Re: Magnatized watch.. to worry or not?
« Reply #9 on: October 16, 2021, 05:02:09 PM »
No sifu here but have recent experience with a magnetized watch.

Bought a Lenovo laptop recently and didn't realise there are 2 very strong magnets located under the palm rest area to keep the lid shut when closed. So, my perfectly accurate Rolex Explorer running at a stable +1 to -1 seconds got magnetized and started running slow and erratically so. It started ticking between -2 to -8 seconds slow per day!

Did the low tech compass check method by moving the watch past a stationary compass and yup, each time the watch moved near the compass the compass hands swung.

So, I headed on to Shopee and bought a China demagnitizing device and received it within a week. Compared some youtube videos to see which was the best method for demagnetizing and decided on the one where you place your watch on the demagnetizer, press and hold the demagnetize button, count to 10 and slowly lift your watch away from the device vertically before releasing the button.

On the first pass, it seemed that my watch was fully demagnetized as the compass hands did not swing that much but nearer the bottom lugs of the watch, the compass still showed some movement. So I removed the watch bracelet and moved the watch sans bracelet across the compass and yes, the watch was indeed free from magnetizm. But the demagnetizing process had actually magnetized the bracelet pin instead which was affecting the compass. So I then demagnetized the bracelet and watch pins separately and did the magnet test again and voila! Watch, bbracelet and pins totally demagnetized.

So depending on the type of demagnetizer you purchase, it might not be powerful enough to demagnetize the entire watch in one single pass and you'll either need to remove the bracelet and do it separately or run multiple demagnetizing passes.

Hope that helps.

Oh, another thing, in the past it's common to find magnetized watches running fast because the maggnetism would cause the magnetized mainspring to bind and give the effect of a shortened mainspring and result in more beats per measure. These days with silicon mainsprings and Rolex parachrom and whatnot, they don't get magnetized but other components still do and this causes more drag on the drivetrain (my layman, non sifu definition) which causes the watch to run slow.

Wow.. that may be the culprit... I had just recently bought a Lenovo laptop and uses it while wearing my watch as well...

Anyway, found a sifu to demagnetize it for me.. on the timegrapher it shows a peefect 0s / day now.. thanks!

Offline bimmerman

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 749
    • Dating for unattached relationships
Re: Magnatized watch.. to worry or not?
« Reply #10 on: October 16, 2021, 06:21:48 PM »


Do keep your mechanical watch away from the 2 points I marked. Which is quite a challenge because your wrist will be right at that point irregardless of whether you wear your watch on the left or the right.

I'm even thinking of having the magnet on the left removed since that's where I wear my watch. Oh well, only quartz watches for me when using this laptop.

Offline lowengen

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 318
Re: Magnatized watch.. to worry or not?
« Reply #11 on: October 16, 2021, 08:11:00 PM »
Wow you are right! I will keep in mind to remove my non anti-magnatic watches while using the laptop...


Offline pleasuresaurus

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 558
Re: Magnatized watch.. to worry or not?
« Reply #12 on: October 16, 2021, 10:24:55 PM »
Uih, tinggi sial reading! Good to know la, this stuff. So far I've been fortunate enough my habit is to take wristwatch off before typing on laptop. Just tested out my Dell also same thing, reader clock practically maxed out at 2700uT. This is specifically with the lower left hand corner of the laptop

Offline bulletnos

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 500
Re: Magnatized watch.. to worry or not?
« Reply #13 on: October 17, 2021, 10:19:04 AM »
This is the kinda stuff I love to see in a watch forum, a breath of fresh air compared to just talking about Rollie Prices and AD vs Grey adventures...

And a good discovery too! Just checked all my watches and 4 of em are magnetized! 2 Quartz Tissot watches, My Rado Diastar Auto, and the BB58! Time for some online shopping....haha

Any suggestions for good demagnetizers?

Offline bimmerman

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 749
    • Dating for unattached relationships
Re: Magnatized watch.. to worry or not?
« Reply #14 on: October 17, 2021, 04:33:49 PM »
This is a rather good one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBxeIRnXyXQ&t=156s

Covers 3 types of demagnetizers. The first two types are available cheap as chips on Shopee and the third one is a German super duper premium one which requires you to do nothing but place the watch there and just press a button and hey presto it's done. But you'll have to pay dearly for that one. The one in the middle is the best one. RM60 thereabouts on Shopee.