Magnetized watches

[larryccf]

I posted this in another forum, but thought it might help some here.

One of my watches, a Seiko Blue Sumo (SBDC033) was keeping beautiful time, +2 to +3 seconds per day, time over 17 days. THen all of a sudden it dropped to -12 to -14 seconds per day. WTH??

THen i remembered a thread about watches being magnetized and the effects - erratic stopping, extremely fast or slow time accuracy etc

After researching, i found there are free apps on Google Play Store (or apple's counter affair) that measure the gauss in the environment, as smart phones have a compass sensor that reads the magnetic field.

Downloaded one, and the meter went crazy when the phone was near the watch. But learned i didn't need to download any app - just open the Compass function and bring the phone near the watch.

Ordered one of those "blue box demagnetizers" from ebay - under $11 shipped, demagnetized it per instructions and it improved but not to what it was before. Demagnetized it again, this time twice and more slowly- first time with the case back down (after removing the bracelet), left it on the blue box for 5 seconds while holding the activation button on, then while still holding it "on", lifting the watch and slowly "floating" it away till it was about 12" above the blue box and turning the blue box off.

Then repeated the above, this time with the dial face down

After that, all was well - watch went back to +2 to +3 spd

I figured out, using the smartphone app, that my microwave was probably the culprit. Our's has a "speed convention" function, but it doesn't turn off the way it should. Which means i have to reach overtop of it (with my watch wrist hand) and unplug it for 5 seconds and plug it back in so the wife can select whatever function she wants (ie microwave, etc). THe transformer is right behind the control panel which is also directly underneath the receptacle where the microwave is plugged in - and that tranformer generates a hellacious magnetic field while it's powered.

hope that helps some

[Old Expat Beast]

Good info, thanks!

[Bazza.]

I had the same thing with a Laco watch I picked up once it was only just 2 years old and running 40+ sec's fast after I'd finished it was back to 2/3 sec's

Here is a video link to how I did it https://youtu.be/5xD7lTmYqwY

[collarcity]

Thought smartphone compasses operated via GPS?

[JR16]

Originally Posted by collarcity

Thought smartphone compasses operated via GPS?

Not according to a quick google search (at least for the iPhone). iPhone has a built-in magnetometer


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[larryccf]

Originally Posted by collarcity

Thought smartphone compasses operated via GPS?

open the compass function on your phone, holding the phone with screen facing toward ceiling. THen slowly turn so the top of the phone is pointing in a new direction - as the needle on the compass shows new bearing or compass point, and you haven't moved in the room, it has to be a magnetic sensor - no way GPS can tell you what direction your phone is pointing toward.

[collarcity]

Cool, good to know.

[twall3]

I had this happen with an SKX007 once - turned out that setting on top of my iPad, the magnetic closure of the cover was enough to throw off the timing. In my case, it started gaining about 1 min/day. That blue box demag is a really nice (and affordable) piece of kit. Although, I found that I had to take the caseback off for it to have any effect on the balance spring. PS...that Blumo is a great watch!

[larryccf]

Originally Posted by twall3

I had this happen with an SKX007 once - turned out that setting on top of my iPad, the magnetic closure of the cover was enough to throw off the timing. In my case, it started gaining about 1 min/day. That blue box demag is a really nice (and affordable) piece of kit. Although, I found that I had to take the caseback off for it to have any effect on the balance spring. PS...that Blumo is a great watch!

Now that you mention it, i had to do mine a second time - i had not taken the bracelet off the first time, so couldn't get the caseback down in contact with the blue box - i followed the instructions from one of the youtube vids, where you leave it on the blue box for 5 seconds, then while continuing to hold the button lift it slowly up until it's about 12" above and then releasing the button.

Then repeat the above with the dial down,

[twall3]

Originally Posted by larryccf

Now that you mention it, i had to do mine a second time - i had not taken the bracelet off the first time, so couldn't get the caseback down in contact with the blue box - i followed the instructions from one of the youtube vids, where you leave it on the blue box for 5 seconds, then while continuing to hold the button lift it slowly up until it's about 12" above and then releasing the button.

Then repeat the above with the dial down,

That sounds like a good approach. I figured that as little as I could get between the demagnetizer and the balance spring the better - hence taking the back off, and even rotating the winding rotor out of the way. I didn't try lifting it off the demag, but rather moved it around laterally on top of the demag (sort of a wax-on, wax-off motion). I'm not sure what orientation the demag circuit is oriented, so this made sense to me. I suppose, in the end, if it's demagnetized for you, then it's a job well done

[larryccf]

there's only somewhere near a hundred instruction tutorials on youtube, none of them identical

BUt after the 2nd one (attempt described above), the Gauss meter app on my phone showed very little movement when i brought the phone close to the watch.

I just checked the timing on all the seiko watches an hour ago - 4 days to the hour and it's lost 5 seconds the entire 4 days so about -1.25 spd - that's a 2nd gen sumo with the 6R35 movement.

an earlier 1st gen sumo (6R15 mvmt) that i also demagnetied, after 3 days is showing spot on, ie -/+0 - that watch will never leave this collection. And a SRPC91 (4R36 mvmt -save the ocean turtle) is showing -5.5 seconds over 4 days total.

I'm thinking maybe demagneting the watches every now and then wouldn't be a bad idea. I know when i brought the phone near my notebook, needle went active on the app, and the notebook's battery is right under the front edge where my palms sit

[toxicavenger]

You can demagnetize a watch out at the check out counter in a store that uses magnetic theft prevention. For example Homedepot. They have a gray pad at the register to demagnetize the tags. Run your watch over it at checkout. True story.

[twall3]

That’s a pro tip!


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