My 3-year old Speedmaster 3570.50.00 recently started running fast. Around +30s per day, and the rate was increasing over the past couple months. Prior to this, since new, it was very consistent at +4s/day.

I sent it in to Omega, and they turned it around for me in two weeks. The diagnosis was magnetism, they demagnetized, and now my Speedy runs at a rate of +.4s/day. Basically perfect.

I'm curious, do you have any thoughts as to common sources and causes, and/or prevention of magnetism? I keep all my watches (4 total, three of which are Speedies) on the same shelf when not wearing them, all others are fine. And I haven't done anything blatantly obvious, such as placing on top of amp, subwoofer, TV, etc.

Just trying to think about things, so that I can keep an eye open in the future. Thanks for any suggestions!

 

iPads might be a big cause these days. The smart cover magnet is pretty powerful and, for those right-handed people who wear watches on their left wrist, could sometimes be too close to their watch.

 

You can pick up a de-magnetiser quite cheaply on ebay.

I regularly test my Speedmaster for magnetism with a button-compass, and degauss as necessary with a very basic device. It hasn't harmed the watch in any way. After a but of adjustment with the back off, the accuracy is near on perfect and has been for years - it loses a couple of seconds overnight, but when worm on the wrist it gains those seconds back, so on it averages pretty good I feel.

I know there are expensive de-magnetisers out there, but I really can't see what added value the extra cost brings, considering I can't control what magnetises the watch in the first place.

 

You can pick up a watch quite cheaply on ebay.
I know there are expensive watches out there, but I really can't see what added value the extra cost brings.

 

LOL José humorístico

 

Hmm! I'll have to consider those. I'll just keep an open eye and see what I come up with. I'm not too worried. For one, the Speedmaster has an anti-magnetic movement cover and protected by its case and dial (although not as much as a watch designed to resist the effects of magnetism, such as the classic Omega Railmaster, Rolex Milgauss, or the new Omega Master Co-Axial non-magnetic movements.

At the same time, anything robust enough to have flown to the moon (including spaceflight in an Apollo spacecraft and lunar module - with plenty of fuel cells, inverters, batteries, and electrical/magnetic fields abounding) doesn't need too much worry in day-to-day life.

In the worst case - having this watch demagnetized was very straightforward, and there are no lasting effects. The timing test Omega performed quoted a rate of +.4s/day. . .and not joking. . .it literally is less than +1s/day face up, and +3s/day in any other position (crown up, crown down). So on my wrist, that would equate to perfectly accurate.

Thanks again.

 

I share my small lounge with 7 electric guitars with magnetic pick ups, 5 guitar and bass amplifiers with magnetic speakers, 2 audio monitoring systems with 4 magnetic speakers, 2 android devices, and 1 large plasma screen TV.

Up on a shelf, well away from these evil, magnetic devices sits my 50 year old pre-moon Speedmaster.
Now, it may seem a basic question but (as some of you may know) I know 'four fiths of fakk all' about watches. In addition to this I know next to, ' four fiths of fakk all' about magnets.

My question for you all please is as follows: what sort of proximity is considered safe for a 321 movement and one, or more, of these magnetic sources?
Thankyou chaps.

 

Magnetic field falls very quickly with distance so just don’t set it on top of a speaker and you’re fine.

 

this applies to 95% of my "peers"

 

T

Thankyou. That sounds good. I thought it was safe up on the wall unit but I've just noticed the cupboard has magnetic catches.

 

Never hold your Speedmaster close to my avatar.

 

Any recommends on de-magnetisers? Both less expensive and costly solutions would be welcome.

 

I bought a cheap demagnetiser off ebay and it seems to do the job ok. To demag a watch, you place the watch on the demag unit, press and hold the unit's on button and slowly move the watch right away from the unit. This may have to be repeated several times but it does seem to work. Some of the more expensive units allow the watch to remain on the unit and automatically reduce the demag affects to zero. Hope that makes sense.

 

All interesting stuff, especially i-pads with their magnetic flip lids. My new Speedmaster Moonphase is a Master Chronometer with the 15,000 gauss protection, so hopefully I am okay.

 

Don't forget headphones & speakers have magnets.