The Breitling Watch Source Forums

My coworker had an important project that consistent with lots of magnet materials today. According to him he just learn a lesson that I shouldn't get close to a magnet while I have my Breitling on otherwise it will stop the movement. Is that a fact or a myth?

If your watch is an automatic, then you shouldn't get it too close to anything magnetic as the movement can become magnetised and stop working properly. If this does happen, then your Breitling Service Centre can demagnetise it for you (at a cost), but it's best not to let it happen in the first place.

If you watch has a quartz movement however, then magnetism won't affect it.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

It will, it happend to me.
But the magnet weighted cca 30 kilos.

Yes indeed it will, because it will counteract with the magnet inside the watch....
With mechanical watches when they're magnetised, they won't usually stop running completely, but they'll run very fast, like several minutes per hour! That's your indication of a magnetised watch....

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Vanessa
#18

Sorry, I should probably have clarified what I meant in my first post.... and please correct me if I'm wrong Vanessa!

As far as I was aware, a mechanical watch is more readily affected by magnetic fields than quartz, but the effect in mechanical watches is reversible. Under general circumstances I understood that a quartz watch is affected far less by magnetism - hence why the quartz M1 can use magnetic pushpieces, but a mechanical watch cannot.

However, if we are talking about very strong magnetic fields, then yes the magnets in the stepper motor in quartz movements can be irreversibly damaged.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Oh, great. Something else to worry about. My magnetic personality was the only thing going for me.

Hey Vanessa..... I've been looking at the Milgaus lately and wonder how much different the ability to handle magnetism is? Any info. Have you even got to put your hands on a Milgaus yet?

guys thanks a lot for the significant info. to be honest i thought automatic movements is made of some kind of metal that can't be magnetize. such as gold, alloy, titanium, aluminum or something. i wasn't aware again thanks for the info.

You are correct!

I have seen the Milgauss, but haven't worked on it. It has the new parachrom hairspring from Rolex, which is anti-magnetic, and it is double cased, meaning it has two case backs....
That's about all I know about that watch so far....
http://www.timezone.com/library/extras/200708222443

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Vanessa
#18

I think the second caseback is made from soft iron to combat the magnetic effects.

On the Vacheron Constantin Overseas models the entire movement is housed in soft iron inside the case to be completely anti magnetic.

Same goes for the IWC Ingenieur.
But I am not sure, if that can protect a watch from a 30kg magnet.

BG
Thomas

Especially if you drop it on your watch!

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Anyone out there know if the card shufflers in casinos could magnatize an automatic watch? obviously there is an electric motor, solenoids, and integrated circuits in there.. but how strong could the field be around it?

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Keepin' Time...

And i'm getting an Inge!!

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BreitlingSource Admin
http://www.breitlingsource.com - http://blog.breitlingsource.com

speaking professionally, an MRI scanner will trash your watch, mechanical, quartz, digital or most probably even a sundial in seconds....avoid them if you value your watch!

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John

Current:- Navi World, Coral SO, Panerai 219, Sea Dweller, Suunto Core etc

CORAL CLUB FOUNDING FATHER