Published on September 27th, 2022 | by Ali Dino
0How Does Magnetism Affect A Watch?
Does your watch gain or lose time without any reason; If yes, it’s time to figure out the hidden enemy. Who is? None other than magnetism. People with quartz or digital watches are safe from its effects, but when we talk about mechanical watches, then you are not on the safe side.
But it doesn’t mean putting your quartz watch in the magnetic field because they are also affected by it. After all, their steel hands are sensitive to magnets. However, knowing how magnetism affects a watch is exciting, so let’s discuss it in detail.
How Do You Know That Your Watch Is Magnetized?
Finding if your watch is magnetized or not is easy; the time on your timepiece shows its effect. Magnetism affects time in two ways: it makes the second-hand move faster or, in another case, slower.
People do tests to check whether the change in time is due to magnetization. You can also do this test at your home on your own. Just put your watch in a position where it faces a compass; if the needle starts moving and begins to point in the direction of your watch, it shows your watch is magnetized.
There is another way, but it needs a professional approach; otherwise, you will lose your favorite watch. So, a watchmaker would be the ideal person to handle this work; take your timepiece to him. To perform the test, he will first remove the rear of the case, and then, while holding the compass over the balancing spring or wheels, he will look for signs of magnetism.
What Causes Magnetism In Watch?
This point is crucial to understand because there are so many things around you that can cause magnetism, and if you can’t pay attention to it, you will not find out how your watch behaves after magnetism.
The cause of the magnetization of the watch is the magnetic field that comes into contact with your watch. Around us, many things contain electronic charges, and whether it be a slight or medium charge, all affect the mechanical Tonneau watches. For example, TV, hairdryers, phones, iPad, etc. have a small magnetic field, but the digital alarm clock has a medium one, and your watch may pick the charge while placed in front of it, and you will see that your watch moves a few seconds fast overnight.
But where the eclectic charge is at a high value, like near microwaves, large stereos, MRI scanners, and X-rays, mechanical watches are affected most in these areas. So, while working near such machines, you must demagnetize your watch daily.
How Does Magnetism Affect A Watch?
Mechanical watches have very minute steel components, and steel is a ferromagnetic metal that attracts the magnet. Magnetism will, in the vast majority of cases, lead a watch to gain time, but it also has the ability to cause a watch to lose time or perhaps stop completely. These components will be pulled in various ways by a medium to high strength charge, which may cause the cogs to move more slowly or stop moving altogether.
A little amount of magnetism won’t hurt the components of a watch, but a strong magnetic field will impose additional strain on those components, which might possibly cause them to warp.
Hairspring, also known as balance spring, is always on the great verge of magnetic effect. It is a small coiled spring that is so delicate that a little charge can affect it. Its main function is to make a wheel pulse back and forth at 28000 beats per hour to generate energy distributed through complicated clogs and livers throughout the movement, which moves the watch hands further. If this balancing spring comes in contact with a little magnetic charge, it will get affected, and you will see a fast speed time error.
How Do You Demagnetize Your Watch?
Before you do the demagnetization, make sure that your watch is being affected by magnetism. If you do it for no reason, it will hurt the watch. You can demagnetize your watch by using a simple way at home; you can call it a time-saving, cost-effective method. Just buy a demagnetizer from the market; the one you want for the market has many options. It is a relatively little gadget, roughly a few inches, that creates an erratic magnetic field that essentially cancels out the charge stored in your device. Follow the directions in the user manual provided by the manufacturer while using it. The other way is to take your watch to a watchmaker for demagnetization.
Conclusion
How magnetism affects a watch is a no more hidden thing to you, and also, if your watch shows a change in time, immediately test and get a demagnetizer to remove the charge from your timepiece. Correct the time and wear it again.