Rolexes becoming magnetised.
Discussion
In my watch box I have two Rolex Sports (a GMTII and a Sea Dweller) that seem to be susceptible to becoming magnetised. Not hugely so, but they will start to gain 20 seconds a day or so.
I have a demagnetiser which seems to sort them out, but they are seemingly prone to it.
None of my other watches are affected.
Any ideas chaps?
bobbybee said:
Where is the box kept?
Near or on a speaker, subwoofer or some such?
I've not heard of Rolex being particularly susceptible to magnetic fields, I've had 5, currently down to 2 all kept on a watch winder, therefore about 5cm from an electric motor, with no issues.
They are kept in a safe. No magnets nearby that I am aware of.Near or on a speaker, subwoofer or some such?
I've not heard of Rolex being particularly susceptible to magnetic fields, I've had 5, currently down to 2 all kept on a watch winder, therefore about 5cm from an electric motor, with no issues.
There's a steel Sub in the same box that is never magnetised.
bobbybee said:
I don't think they are magnetized then, could be how you are storing them.
face up / down or on the side crown up / down, the resting position can have quite an effect.
Depending on age they may be showing signs that they need a service
Does the safe have an electronic lock?
Are the 2 watches effected kept nearer the lock than the Sub?
Pretty sure they are becoming magnetised. When they run fast I check them with a compass and they make the needle move. Then I demagnetise them with my demagnetiser, they don't move the compass needle anymore and they return to normal accuracy (or lack thereof, these being Rolexes).face up / down or on the side crown up / down, the resting position can have quite an effect.
Depending on age they may be showing signs that they need a service
Does the safe have an electronic lock?
Are the 2 watches effected kept nearer the lock than the Sub?
The watches get shuffled around the box so it's not positioning in there.
The other watches are a Cartier, a Tag Heuer and a Sub. Ironically, the Dweller seems most inclined to become magnetised and that is the one with the thickest case.
Yell_M3 said:
Just an aside, what's your demagnetizer? Can you point me to a web site?
I have one very similar to this.http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/watch-demagnetiser-demag...
Bit of an update on this.
I have meticulously checked all my watches in the box and found that actually some of the others were SLIGHTLY magnetised.
I checked the box and found that the spring catch was very magnetised. It will not demagnetise with my demagnetiser. No idea how it became magnetised. I have started storing the watches without the box.
Confident that I had found the source of the problem, I was surprised when my SD began racing again. Yep, magnetised again.
I am starting to wonder whether my laptop has shielding issues. I think I need to start looking more closely at it.
Okay, I've been at my Lenovo G50 laptop and bottom left where my wrist rests there is a definite magnetic field that makes the compass align sharply. We're not talking hi fi speaker strength I don't think, but would this be enough to magnetise a watch? The head of it is probably 3 inches from the magnetic area of the laptop.
Variomatic said:
It shouldn't be.
We're surrounded by magnetic fields of that sort of strength most of our lives nowadays and it's rare for them to cause problems. One thing that might be worth checking if your safe is iron or steel shelled - has it managed to become magnetised? Can't imagine how it would but if there's no other source....
I've just tested hat and it IS exhibiting a slight magnetic field. However I demagnetised all the watches a few days ago and the only two that were magnetised a moment ago were the ones I've been wearing this week.We're surrounded by magnetic fields of that sort of strength most of our lives nowadays and it's rare for them to cause problems. One thing that might be worth checking if your safe is iron or steel shelled - has it managed to become magnetised? Can't imagine how it would but if there's no other source....
To rule out the safe, though, I will store the watches elsewhere for a few weeks.
mikeveal said:
Assuming your safe is iron, or a similar material with a high permeability, there can be no magnetic field from outside your safe can penetrate to the inside. The safe can not become magnetised to introduce a magnetic field insider the safe.
It's a Faraday cage for magnetism, easier to explain with electricity...
Imagine a safe made of copper, because the copper is an excellent conductor, the inside top wall of the safe will always be at the same potential as the inside bottom wall. Climb inside, close the door and probe around with a volt meter. No matter where you place the leads on the walls the voltmeter will always read zero. Once you've established that, it's easy to see that there is no electric field within the copper safe. Zero volts per meter. Doesn't matter what's happening outside, the copper safe could be being hit repeatedly with lightening bolts inside you see no effect. For a visual aid, google "Spark suit" to see men dressed in tinfoil hats playing with lightening.
The same principal works with magnetism. The walls conduct the magnetism preventing any field outside from penetrating to inside. Even if the safe itself becomes magnetised , there's zero field inside.
There is of course nothing to stop a magnet inside the safe from generating a field inside.
So you're saying that the safe isn't causing the magnetism?It's a Faraday cage for magnetism, easier to explain with electricity...
Imagine a safe made of copper, because the copper is an excellent conductor, the inside top wall of the safe will always be at the same potential as the inside bottom wall. Climb inside, close the door and probe around with a volt meter. No matter where you place the leads on the walls the voltmeter will always read zero. Once you've established that, it's easy to see that there is no electric field within the copper safe. Zero volts per meter. Doesn't matter what's happening outside, the copper safe could be being hit repeatedly with lightening bolts inside you see no effect. For a visual aid, google "Spark suit" to see men dressed in tinfoil hats playing with lightening.
The same principal works with magnetism. The walls conduct the magnetism preventing any field outside from penetrating to inside. Even if the safe itself becomes magnetised , there's zero field inside.
There is of course nothing to stop a magnet inside the safe from generating a field inside.
I have demagged my watches and am storing them temporarily in a wooden box, away from anything remotely magnetic. I hope that this will allow me to discount the storage location from my enquiries.
Variomatic said:
mikeveal said:
Assuming your safe is iron, or a similar material with a high permeability, there can be no magnetic field from outside your safe can penetrate to the inside. The safe can not become magnetised to introduce a magnetic field insider the safe.
It's a Faraday cage for magnetism, easier to explain with electricity...
All true if the safe is a simple iron (or similar) box construction. But they're often not. It's a Faraday cage for magnetism, easier to explain with electricity...
The lining may or may not be magnetically continuous across all 6 internal faces (in fact, the door lining often won't be) and things like shelves introduce further isolated parts. So, while the outer shell will form a cage, the internal bits may not.
Like I said in the last post, it's an outside chance but worth checking if there's no other explanation.
Vipers said:
How long have you had the watch? My seadweller wasn't a good time keeper. One day I got some moisture behind the glass as the winder "O" ring had perished, had been swimming), so had it serviced for the first time in about 15 odd years.
Last time I altered the time was about two weeks, just checked against my radio clock, spot on.
It does vary some weeks by a few seconds but not much, but as I said, it's spot on at the moment.
It's had about 3 months use from new.Last time I altered the time was about two weeks, just checked against my radio clock, spot on.
It does vary some weeks by a few seconds but not much, but as I said, it's spot on at the moment.
mikeveal said:
Joe's right. Needs all six sides to be a low permeability material (e.g. iron). Then no external field can get in, and magnetising the safe itself has no effect on items inside. Internal shelves have no effect.
Place a magnet inside and all bets are off.
No magnets inside as far as I am aware. But as I posted earlier in the thread, the catch on my watch box was VERY magnetic. There was no reason for it to be that way because it's a mechanical catch. It wouldn't de-magnetise either.Place a magnet inside and all bets are off.
An update on this.
I have been storing my watches in a wooden cabinet away from the metal safe. I have worn only two of them. Both of those I have worn have become slightly magnetised, the others are fine.
So it must be something I am coming into contact with daily. I am still suspicious of my laptop...
I have been storing my watches in a wooden cabinet away from the metal safe. I have worn only two of them. Both of those I have worn have become slightly magnetised, the others are fine.
So it must be something I am coming into contact with daily. I am still suspicious of my laptop...
bobbybee said:
Does seem odd, are they fairly new watches?
As a Rolex after 2005 with the Parachrom hairspring is unaffected by magnetic fields and up to 10x more shock resistant
I've had various models since '96, never 'babied' them and never had an issue, it must be something you're doing, or environment that's causing the problems.
I have no doubt it is something I am subjecting them to. I just don't know what. I don't knowingly allow them near great big magnets.As a Rolex after 2005 with the Parachrom hairspring is unaffected by magnetic fields and up to 10x more shock resistant
I've had various models since '96, never 'babied' them and never had an issue, it must be something you're doing, or environment that's causing the problems.
Variomatic said:
13m said:
I don't knowingly allow them near great big magnets.
Apart from your own personality, of course 
Seriously, about the only thing you can do - apart from walking round everywhere with a magnetometer - is try to keep ruling activities / places out. Try carrying one of the "problem" ones around in your pocket for a day or two. If it doesn't magnetise then you know it's likely to be something your hands are interacting with rather than just something in a room with you.
Bit of an update on this.
I have started storing the watches in an aluminium box in a non-magnetic safe. I am wearing only half the watches.
The half that I am wearing are becoming magnetised, the others aren't. So the problem is occurring when I wear them.
I also note that the watches are becoming magnetised but not necessarily gaining time. This suggests that the magnetisation is not always significant. Other times the watches start to mess about. I tested one yesterday and it was magnetised but keeping good time.
I am starting to wonder whether there is what I'd call "cumulative magnetism" going on. I.e. the watches are becoming a little magnetised a number of times until they start to gain time.
I still suspect my laptop. It clearly emits a decent magnetic field, but bringing an automatic watch into close proximity with it four or five times doesn't magnetise it. Over a few hundred exposures maybe it is causing the problem.
I have found elsewhere on the Internet an account of someone else with (as I recall) as Rolex Sea Dweller who was experiencing cumulative magnetism from his laptops.
Thoughts anyone?
I have started storing the watches in an aluminium box in a non-magnetic safe. I am wearing only half the watches.
The half that I am wearing are becoming magnetised, the others aren't. So the problem is occurring when I wear them.
I also note that the watches are becoming magnetised but not necessarily gaining time. This suggests that the magnetisation is not always significant. Other times the watches start to mess about. I tested one yesterday and it was magnetised but keeping good time.
I am starting to wonder whether there is what I'd call "cumulative magnetism" going on. I.e. the watches are becoming a little magnetised a number of times until they start to gain time.
I still suspect my laptop. It clearly emits a decent magnetic field, but bringing an automatic watch into close proximity with it four or five times doesn't magnetise it. Over a few hundred exposures maybe it is causing the problem.
I have found elsewhere on the Internet an account of someone else with (as I recall) as Rolex Sea Dweller who was experiencing cumulative magnetism from his laptops.
Thoughts anyone?
PJ S said:
Have a look at the app from Lepsi.ch, for the iPhone (Android too?) – see if it helps detect where on the laptop the field is located.
I use Windows Phone.However a compass suggests a magnetic field to the left of the laptop, which is where my wrist rests.
If this IS what's going on, it is counter to the conventional wisdom that only really powerful magnets will magnetise watches.
Vanguard21 said:
It is extremely difficult to magnetize any decent mechanical watch nowadays, and if you do so the only part that will affect timekeeping is the balance spring. If your watch becomes magnetized then you will notice a huge difference in time loss. Of course with the newer Parachrom spring you will not be able to magnetize it, and definitely not the even newer silicon type named Syloxi.
If I recall correctly my 14060m with random serial number is panachrom. That can be magnetised and indeed was until I demagged it this morning. I do notice however that it is one that is least affected.It is not correct that magnetisation necessarily causes huge timekeeping errors. My watches start to run 10-20 seconds per day fast before I demag them. I have also returned to Rolex a watch with similar inaccuracy to be advised that magnetisation was the cause.
I was of the same view that magnetisation was a rare event. However I am starting to wonder otherwise.
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