Will a magnetized watch sustain damage during that time?

[Old Soul]

I am a college student taking physics and electrical engineering lab classes in which I will be working with and around magnets of about the strength of a fridge magnet. I don't want to leave my watch in the dorm but I also don't want it to become magnetized. If the watch is magnetized, could it damage any part of the movement from increased stress on the parts or anything? Thanks.

[Cc1966]

Do not know, however, you could pick up a demagnetizer off eBay pretty cheap for your own piece of mind. Good luck.

[bonbonson]

No damage. If magnetized the hairspring moves abnormally but can be fixed very simple. Just lost of accuracy. No damage.

[Beelzy]

If it starts to run erratically, just go into any retail store with a demagnetizernmachine and have them run the watch through it. Works dandy.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Old Soul

I am a college student taking physics and electrical engineering lab classes in which I will be working with and around magnets of about the strength of a fridge magnet. I don't want to leave my watch in the dorm but I also don't want it to become magnetized. If the watch is magnetized, could it damage any part of the movement from increased stress on the parts or anything? Thanks.

Well myself worked in the steel industry for many years working with and around very powerful magnets far greater than fridge magnets.And now work and repair powerful RF amplifiers and transceivers that give out far more magnet field and yet none of my watches have got magnetised.Today if any watch gets magnetised its a very simple process to de-magnetise and very rare the whole movement has to be stripped for all the movement parts to be de-magnetised.

[Old Soul]

Thanks guys. Padi, that is exactly the kind of response I was looking for. Are there any other people that work around magnets that would like to share their input? And do any watch tinkerers know if it's possible to damage the watch at all during a period of magnetization?

[sirjohnbrian]

If you get within 3 feet of a high field medical MRI, your Rolex will stop. Keep it there for a couple of seconds and it will not restart unless you shake or tap it.

I've never kept it in longer than a few seconds.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by sirjohnbrian

If you get within 3 feet of a high field medical MRI, your Rolex will stop. Keep it there for a couple of seconds and it will not restart unless you shake or tap it.

I've never kept it in longer than a few seconds.

Anyone who puts there watch anywhere a MRI scanner must be sixpence short of a shilling and there is no reason to do so.

[Survivor]

Originally Posted by Old Soul

I am a college student taking physics and electrical engineering lab classes in which I will be working with and around magnets of about the strength of a fridge magnet. I don't want to leave my watch in the dorm but I also don't want it to become magnetized. If the watch is magnetized, could it damage any part of the movement from increased stress on the parts or anything? Thanks.

You're the one in college,taking physics.........we should be asking you, not the other way around........

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by Survivor

You're the one in college,taking physics.........we should be asking you, not the other way around........

People don't go to school because they know all the answers. They go because they are looking for an education.

We at TRF take some pride in being able to answer questions posed by the uninitiated.

Those who seek answers legitimately should not be ridiculed for doing so.

[a_plus1234]

Buy yourself a milgauss. It resists magnetic fields.
Hence the name. Gauss = units to measure magnetic fields. I love physics.