Magnets everywhere!

My mechanical watches aren't resistent to magnetism, and most of yours probably aren't as well. And there are magnets everywhere. What do you do about it? Do you just don't care? Or do you really "pet" your watches in that regard? 

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I don't worry about it unless I see a watch acting strange. 

All modern watches have some magnetic resistance, and the magnetic fields produced by most items aren't powerful enough to damage a watch in the time it's exposed to them. 

Don't store your watches on electronic devices, or on magnets, and you'll be fine. 

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Thanks!

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KristianG

I don't worry about it unless I see a watch acting strange. 

All modern watches have some magnetic resistance, and the magnetic fields produced by most items aren't powerful enough to damage a watch in the time it's exposed to them. 

Don't store your watches on electronic devices, or on magnets, and you'll be fine. 

So it's mostly just exaggeration?

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Wear an Omega Seamaster 300 Professional! no issues at all.

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Only once I have managed to magnetize one of my watches. The Smart Cover of my iPad wasn’t so smart after all… or at least placing my watch next to it for the night.

I have an app called Lepsi with which you can detect if your watch was magnetized or not and it confirmed my suspicion. 
I then bought a watch demagnetizer off Amazon and it worked per well. 
It managed to demagnetize my watch and it’s running perfectly again. So to be honest I don’t worry about it that much any more but I do avoid magnets if possible. 

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I try to use common sense about it. Don’t rest a watch on top of a computer or speakers, etc. Generally keep a watch away from other items like AirPod cases, etc. I’ve had no problems yet, but I do have a demagnetizer that I used on an old pocket watch, just in case. 

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flo_of_time

Only once I have managed to magnetize one of my watches. The Smart Cover of my iPad wasn’t so smart after all… or at least placing my watch next to it for the night.

I have an app called Lepsi with which you can detect if your watch was magnetized or not and it confirmed my suspicion. 
I then bought a watch demagnetizer off Amazon and it worked per well. 
It managed to demagnetize my watch and it’s running perfectly again. So to be honest I don’t worry about it that much any more but I do avoid magnets if possible. 

Exactly the same experience. One time, iPad cover was the culprit. Lepsi diagnosed, inexpensive demagnetizer cured. 

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I don't even think about it when I'm wearing my mechanical watches. 

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Not worried at all. Until about a month ago I never knew it was a thing & have had no issues to that point so 🤷

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im using this demagnitizer for my watch. to detect it im using lepsi app

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I’ve honestly never had an issue with magnetism impacting my watches. Probably a benefit of being an accountant. 

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I work in an industrial environment with placards on many machines warning of electrical fields and danger to people with pacemakers etc.  I’ve never had an issue with a watch.  

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I am mindful of it to the extent that I don't sit my watch right next to my phone (the way magnetic forces exponentially weaken at a distance, it would pretty much have to be on top of my phone speaker to matter) & stay away from my kids' magna-tiles.

That said if it ever gets magnetized I'll just de-magnetize it. No big deal. 

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I do watch it around speakers and other known magnetic fields 🤣 But I don't worry to much. It's easy to discover and easy to fix if your watch should be affected

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Unholy
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im using this demagnitizer for my watch. to detect it im using lepsi app

Do you open the caseback?

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Unruhkloben

Thanks for letting me know! How much is an acceptable one?

Under 20 bucks on Amazon. 

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I don't worry about it.  If something changes, like they start to run 2 hours/day slow (or whatever), I'd get a demagnetizer.

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The hair spring gets magnetized and attracts itself to the other parts of the coil. Coils concentrate the field. 

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UnholiestJedi

I looked at them a cpl weeks ago and on Amazon they were $10-$20 and a user on Reddit said it fixed his watch

That's okay! Thank you!

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TonyXXX

I’ve used a compass to see if some of my watches were magnetised, simply move your watch closely near the compass and if that needle moves, you know you’ve got a problem. Simple fix though, demagnetise from eBay or elsewhere 👍

Thanks for the Tip!

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flo_of_time

Under 20 bucks on Amazon. 

That's good. Thanks!

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Unruhkloben

That's good. Thanks!

Most ADs also demagnetize your watch for a few bucks or even free, so I wouldn’t worry about this too much. 
In normal use a watch rarely gets magnetized. and some watches/movements are easier to magnetize than others. 

With my spring drive I tend to be more careful because this one can’t be demagnetized by simple demagnetizers but has to be sent in for service and this will cost you a bit.
 

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I know of a case (not me!) where a vintage pocket watch was magnetized and the demagnetizer didn't do the trick as apparently pieces needed separated demagnetizing (disassembly required). I presume this has something to do with size of watch or components?

I think I set a watch on a speaker this morning so the lume could soak up some sun. Well, I have access to a demagnetizer and may be using it tomorrow.

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Unruhkloben

So it's mostly just exaggeration?

Well, maybe not an exaggeration, but not the end of the world.  When it happened to my SKX, the watch ran crazy fast: many minutes per day fast.  But it was completely cured by one of those demagnetizers that Unholy posted.

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That's probably right. Thanks!

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flo_of_time

Most ADs also demagnetize your watch for a few bucks or even free, so I wouldn’t worry about this too much. 
In normal use a watch rarely gets magnetized. and some watches/movements are easier to magnetize than others. 

With my spring drive I tend to be more careful because this one can’t be demagnetized by simple demagnetizers but has to be sent in for service and this will cost you a bit.
 

Oh. Why isn't a spring drive resistant against magnetism? The problem with mechanical watches is that the hairspring pulls itself together and such beats faster, isn't it? And a spring drive has no hairspring. 

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PoorMansRolex

I know of a case (not me!) where a vintage pocket watch was magnetized and the demagnetizer didn't do the trick as apparently pieces needed separated demagnetizing (disassembly required). I presume this has something to do with size of watch or components?

I think I set a watch on a speaker this morning so the lume could soak up some sun. Well, I have access to a demagnetizer and may be using it tomorrow.

It probably doesn't happen that fast. In a mechanical watch, the problem with magnets is that the hairspring attracts itself and such pulls itself together, resulting in the watch beating faster. At least that's what I know and what gets affected first to my knowledge. That pocket watch might have had something like a remontoire spring that got magnetized as well. 

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I have in the past, bought vintage watches that have had problems with being magnetised. I too have purchased a cheap demagnetiser from Ebay, which has done the job. Sometimes it may take more than one go out it.

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Steveaceblu3

I have in the past, bought vintage watches that have had problems with being magnetised. I too have purchased a cheap demagnetiser from Ebay, which has done the job. Sometimes it may take more than one go out it.

Thanks!

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The problem is massively exaggerated. Bottom line, fridge doors and loudspeakers are pretty far from being the culprits.

Seiko's Spron hairsprings aren't exactly stellar, and Seikos are known to turn out actually showing symptoms of being magnetized than most stuff with Swiss movements by ETA, Sellita, Soprod... 

Still, my Seiko 5 with a 7S26 inside, with the lower grade of Spron, is unamused by loudspeakers, the fridge, car stereo, mag-lock in my work laptop. Even my 1940s Omegas are unaffected.

It's OK to be careful, but paranoia is unwarranted.