How to check if watch is magnetised?

Hi all,

I have a seiko sumo with a 6r15 that's 10 years old now, so it's in need of a service. However, as its a cheap movement I'm reluctant to do so. I'd rather run it until its death and then replace, if necessary.

The movement is running about 3 minutes slow per day, which is quite significant. The cause of this is likely because the movement needs a service. However, if its due to magnetisation of the movement then I would like to get this resolved as its cheap to do so.

Is there anyway to check if a watch is magnetised? I've searched online and the usual recommendation is a compass (which I do not have) to determine if its magnetised. I also don't have a demagnetiser so I can't just do it myself. Are there any other methods we can use with everyday household items?

So... if the watch is losing time then it is most certainly not a magnetism. Magnetism usually causes time to speed up. There are a number of apps online too that can be sort of useful to check if it is magnetised (my humble opinion - is not). I have used one for Android called Magneto meter. You do have to compare it with a watch that is not magnetised to see the difference.

Hope this is helpful.

Sent from my SM-S921B using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NikP

So... if the watch is losing time then it is most certainly not a magnetism. Magnetism usually causes time to speed up. There are a number of apps online too that can be sort of useful to check if it is magnetised (my humble opinion - is not). I have used one for Android called Magneto meter. You do have to compare it with a watch that is not magnetised to see the difference.

Hope this is helpful.

Sent from my SM-S921B using Tapatalk

---

I'll check it out. As it's very unlikely to be magnetised, I might just leave it as it is. Thanks.

Last time Seiko did a service on my Padi, (4r instead of 6r) they simply replaced the movement. Once they learnt that I was a grand seiko fan and had a few of those they waved the bill for me (nice gesture).

So 6R is not far in terms of price so why not ask for a quote. Send it to Maidenhead (if you are in the UK of course) and check it out. It shouldn't be very expensive.

Just a thought...

Sent from my SM-S921B using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by NikP

Last time Seiko did a service on my Padi, (4r instead of 6r) they simply replaced the movement. Once they learnt that I was a grand seiko fan and had a few of those they waved the bill for me (nice gesture).

So 6R is not far in terms of price so why not ask for a quote. Send it to Maidenhead (if you are in the UK of course) and check it out. It shouldn't be very expensive.

Just a thought...

Sent from my SM-S921B using Tapatalk

---

Oh, that's very nice of them!

Yes, I'm located in the uk and I've dealt with Seiko UK in Maidenhead before. I just can't justify that expenditure for a service on a 6r, unless the cost is under £100. As these movements would simply be swapped it might be better to wait until it gets really bad.

Thanks again.

When I was in St James last week I asked if they could check if a watch I had was magnetised. They said they couldn’t check but could put it on their machine to demagnetise it.

Not sure of the machine they use but the one here looks to be about £20

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/ho...ize-your-watch

I had a cheap Ali Express watch running at +5 mins per day on arrival and thought it could be magnetised so I downloaded two apps - Magnetometer and Physics Toolbox. Both apps indicated it wasn't magnetised so I took it to a local watchmaker to check. He said that +5 mins per day was unlikely to be due to it being magnetised, as it would likely be more like +5 mins per hour. On inspection it turned out to be a defective hairspring. So it being magnetised is unlikely to be the cause. I guess it is a question of how much out you are prepared to accept in terns of timekeeping. Personally once it gets into minutes rather than seconds per day, I'd want to get it sorted.

A slow running watch is not magnetised.

I’d also query how a compass could tell anyone that a watch was; a compass needle will likely deflect near an unmagnetised steel-cased watch in any event.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SteveDSSD

I had a cheap Ali Express watch running at +5 mins per day on arrival and thought it could be magnetised so I downloaded two apps - Magnetometer and Physics Toolbox. Both apps indicated it wasn't magnetised so I took it to a local watchmaker to check. He said that +5 mins per day was unlikely to be due to it being magnetised, as it would likely be more like +5 mins per hour. On inspection it turned out to be a defective hairspring. So it being magnetised is unlikely to be the cause. I guess it is a question of how much out you are prepared to accept in terns of timekeeping. Personally once it gets into minutes rather than seconds per day, I'd want to get it sorted.

---

Yes, I may end up sending it to seiko to get it serviced. I do wonder if I'll end up getting a 6r35 in it instead of the 6r15. Either way they're similar enough that I won't care.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JGJG

A slow running watch is not magnetised.

I’d also query how a compass could tell anyone that a watch was; a compass needle will likely deflect near an unmagnetised steel-cased watch in any event.

---

Not so sure that is correct. Out of curiosity I just tried a dive compass against a steel watch and it didn’t budge.
However, some while ago I did check a watch I suspected to have become magnetised from frequent exposure to HV machinery and the compass needle did deflect as the watch was moved around it. Not definitive, but just my observations.


Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

I always use a compass to check for magnetism, then if need be a use as cheap demagnetiser I've had for year's


It really is very easy to do, YouTube would be a good place to look for tips.


Sent from a technical device

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sickie

I always use a compass to check for magnetism, then if need be a use as cheap demagnetiser I've had for year's


It really is very easy to do, YouTube would be a good place to look for tips.


Sent from a technical device

---

Not reliable, especially for an ‘anti-magnetic’ watch with an iron cage.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kingstepper

Not reliable, especially for an ‘anti-magnetic’ watch with an iron cage.

---

I do know the difference and it's reliable when also backed up by testing on a timegrapher but many people don't have one.


Sent from a technical device

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sickie

I do know the difference and it's reliable when also backed up by testing on a timegrapher but many people don't have one.


Sent from a technical device

---

Good.

Demagnetising a watch is easy using a cheap and readily available demagnetiser. Ideally, the before and after performance should be checked on a timegrapher, the change can often be quite dramatic but sometimes it's only a few secs/day and maybe 10° amplitude improvement.

I very much doubt whether the OPs Seiko is magnetised. I question his logic in running the watch till it's incapable of running any longer and then paying for a new movement, but if he thinks it makes sense that's fine.

There are cheaper options for servicing Seikos and in my experience the movements are robust and respond well to a straightforward stripdown, clean and re-oil. I often find that the hairspring needs minor trueing up and they're often out of beat to a significant extent. Never the easiest watches to regulate but that's a failing of the design owing to the lack of a fine regulation facility.

I`m not interested in working on this one, owners philosophy is at odds with mine, so he can pay whatever it takes when the watch finally gives up the ghost.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Loki324

As these movements would simply be swapped it might be better to wait until it gets really bad.

---

:eekskull: How bad does it need to be for you to consider it "really bad"? I mean, it will be right on time in hardly more than 8 months!

I hesitate to wear a watch that deviates more than 10s a day...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Saint-Just

:eekskull: How bad does it need to be for you to consider it "really bad"? I mean, it will be right on time in hardly more than 8 months!

I hesitate to wear a watch that deviates more than 10s a day...

---

Absolutely nothing wrong with a deviation of more than 10s/d. Now that's taking it to the other extreme.

I'm not sure how bad it has to get but as it's fine to run for one day, I'm still OK with it. It's not my only watch so the accuracy isn't all that important.

If thus we're my more expensive ones then of course I wouldn't hesitate to get it serviced.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Loki324

Absolutely nothing wrong with a deviation of more than 10s/d. Now that's taking it to the other extreme.

I'm not sure how bad it has to get but as it's fine to run for one day, I'm still OK with it. It's not my only watch so the accuracy isn't all that important.

If thus we're my more expensive ones then of course I wouldn't hesitate to get it serviced.

---

You see, I see watches as an illustration of mankind's engineering prowess. A gold watch may be great but it's just a pricey trinket if it's not accurate. Zenith, to name but one brand, won chronometer competitions at the beginning of the 20th century, with deviations <.2s

I accept that we don't NEED that degree of precision; but it's what I find most attractive in a watch.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...321171faa.jpeg