My Bluesy Got 'Fried' By the Laptop & Stopped Working

[koshiru]

Hi guys,


I was working on my laptop and I think it was near to the harddisk of the laptop and a possible power surge at the time when my watch stopped working. No matter how I wind, the seconds not moving.

No more warranty on this watch (got it from 2011), if I bring it to RSC, will there be repair charges? I think its the parachrom spring that got fried. My DJ was fried this way after buying brand new from AD after few days when working on my laptop.

How do I prevent such 'frying' in future? Please do not ask me to take out my watch when on the laptop.

[BisonHead]

I would say change your laptop

[1William]

Interesting. I have never heard of this. Get it repaired and enjoy.

[koshiru]

Its a brand new work laptop

[watchmaker]

A mechanical watch cannot be ‘fried’ by a laptop, even if there was a power surge. There is nothing to fry from an electronic standpoint.

The only issue a laptop can cause is magnetism related problems.

And to answer your other point, yes it is most likely you will be charged for a service if your eight your old watch is no longer working.

[psv]

Originally Posted by watchmaker

A mechanical watch cannot be ‘fried’ by a laptop, even if there was a power surge. There is nothing to fry from an electronic standpoint.

The only issue a laptop can cause is magnetism related problems.

And to answer your other point, yes it is most likely you will be charged for a service if your eight your old watch is no longer working.

This is correct, there is no way for a laptop to damage a watch to make it stop. If a watch somehow gets demagnetized, it will run very fast or slow, but not stop.

There could be a million reasons you watch stopped, but your new laptop isn't one of them.

And yes, Rolex will do a full service to your watch, probably $500-800, which isn't a bad idea anyhow on an 8 years old watch. Make sure to indicate whether you want the watch/bracelet polished or not, otherwise they will polish it as standard operating procedure.

[214270Explorer]

Originally Posted by psv

This is correct, there is no way for a laptop to damage a watch to make it stop. If a watch somehow gets magnetized, it will run very fast or slow, but not stop.

There could be a million reasons you watch stopped, but your new laptop isn't one of them.

And yes, Rolex will do a full service to your watch, probably $500-800, which isn't a bad idea anyhow on an 8 years old watch. Make sure to indicate whether you want the watch/bracelet polished or not, otherwise they will polish it as standard operating procedure.

Agree 100% with Patrick's / Scott's superb advice.

[denmanproject]

Originally Posted by watchmaker

A mechanical watch cannot be ‘fried’ by a laptop, even if there was a power surge. There is nothing to fry from an electronic standpoint.

The only issue a laptop can cause is magnetism related problems.

And to answer your other point, yes it is most likely you will be charged for a service if your eight your old watch is no longer working.

This is spot on, there are other issues going on no way it is your laptop

[whatsthetime?]

With no relation to "frying your watch" you should alway disconnect the power source & ground yourself while working on electronics.

[keepitsimple]

If you want to eliminate the risk of magnetising your watch, make sure the drive is a SSD. If it's new laptop, it probably will be.
I magnetised a vintage Omega as the mechanical drive was at the front left of the laptop - just where my left wrist would be.
Fitted a SSD to replace it.
As others have said, it won't stop your watch running completely though.
That's some other problem.

[Fabrice M]

You need to remove the back of your watch and put in a new battery ; )

[tamiya]

There are worse magnets on a laptop than just the HDD... don't forget the speakers, cooling fan and these days there's lots of magnets on the edge to hold it shut. Or hold bits on. Or charge your Pencil.

Unusual a magnet can kill your watch instantly, but can make timekeeping erratic - often running fast. One very easy way to discover if your watch has gotten magnetised, it's called a Compass :D

Instant death would usually be some mechanical breakdown - yeah mainsprings can break.

If you're that paranoid about damaging magnetism, they've made a model specially just for You! :) it's called the Milgauss

[Tools]

Fried..

If you are winding your watch fully and the seconds hand isn't moving, or if shaking it a bit, you see the seconds hand wiggle or even go backwards a second or two, it's a broken mainspring.

It's not possible for your laptop to damage your mechanical watch; you must be a youngster.

[koshiru]

My bluesy back from servicing and as good as new beside my Xmas pressie

Attachment 1097622

[Nikrnic]

That was quick. Demagnetised I guess.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[Beckster]

Originally Posted by koshiru

My bluesy back from servicing and as good as new beside my Xmas pressie

Attachment 1097622

If you don’t mind could you tell us what was the issue? Or did RSC not tell you what it was.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by koshiru

My bluesy back from servicing and as good as new beside my Xmas pressie

Attachment 1097622

Sounds good. Unfortunately I can't see your attachment.

[Randomgary]

Please do.

I have an implanted medical device and have current running though me all the time. Never been made aware of any issues like this.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Randomgary

Please do.

I have an implanted medical device and have current running though me all the time. Never been made aware of any issues like this.

Afraid you guys worry to much about your Rolex watches in general,first would doubt if anyone is in any extremely high magnetic field in any home situation or from medical implants so please do not worry. Now if a hospital patient when any form of scanning CT or MRI is done the rest will be shielded but you would not be able to wear a watch there. Now Rolex watches are made mainly from S.steel or precious metals and in conjunction with nickel, brass or beryllium, bronze or Glucydur balance wheels so they are very anti-magnetic to begin not sure if the screws used are ferrous metal.Sure the older Nivourax hairsprings were very very very slightly magnetic but would have to come in contact with a strong magnetic field to fully magnetised,and according to Rolex the in-house parachrom hairsprings are not magnetic.Although there are other things in movement that could get magnetised,IMHO magnetised is often used as a cop out for just simple regulation but to de-magnetise any watch is a very very very simple process to do.

Myself worked in the Steel industry for almost 30 years working with and around very powerful electro-magnets plus computers electric motors in control centre. And I never ever had any problem with Rolex or any other mechanical watch I was wearing.Now I work with and repair high powered transceivers but owing to poor health thats now on stand by, but they do put out a strong magnetic field again never had a problem with any Rolex oyster or any other mechanical watch.Even your own body puts out a magnetic field same for every electrical devise in your home.Now I would never put any mechanical watch directly on any powerful magnet thats common sense as everyone should know.

Today the Swiss standard test to be called anti-magnetic watches which most all Swiss watches are today, they have to pass a test including all Rolex watches.This is to withstand a strong magnetic field of 4800 Amps per meter,and to keeps on running with a maximum deviation of 15- 30 seconds per day.Now this test I am 100% sure that 98% of all watch wearers would never subject or come into contact with such a strong magnetic field.

[Randomgary]

Originally Posted by padi56

Afraid you guys worry to much about your Rolex watches in general,first would doubt if anyone is in any extremely high magnetic field in any home situation or from medical implants so please do not worry. Now if a hospital patient when any form of scanning CT or MRI is done the rest will be shielded but you would not be able to wear a watch there. Now Rolex watches are made mainly from S.steel or precious metals and in conjunction with nickel, brass or beryllium, bronze or Glucydur balance wheels so they are very anti-magnetic to begin not sure if the screws used are ferrous metal.Sure the older Nivourax hairsprings were very very very slightly magnetic but would have to come in contact with a strong magnetic field to fully magnetised,and according to Rolex the in-house parachrom hairsprings are not magnetic.Although there are other things in movement that could get magnetised,IMHO magnetised is often used as a cop out for just simple regulation but to de-magnetise any watch is a very very very simple process to do.

Myself worked in the Steel industry for almost 30 years working with and around very powerful electro-magnets plus computers electric motors in control centre. And I never ever had any problem with Rolex or any other mechanical watch I was wearing.Now I work with and repair high powered transceivers but owing to poor health thats now on stand by, but they do put out a strong magnetic field again never had a problem with any Rolex oyster or any other mechanical watch.Even your own body puts out a magnetic field same for every electrical devise in your home.Now I would never put any mechanical watch directly on any powerful magnet thats common sense as everyone should know.

Today the Swiss standard test to be called anti-magnetic watches which most all Swiss watches are today, they have to pass a test including all Rolex watches.This is to withstand a strong magnetic field of 4800 Amps per meter,and to keeps on running with a maximum deviation of 15- 30 seconds per day.Now this test I am 100% sure that 98% of all watch wearers would never subject or come into contact with such a strong magnetic field.

Thanks for the reply, just to reinforce I'm not worried I'm just genuinely interested.

The implant is significant enough to jamm my cars keyless entry as seen here.

https://youtu.be/gZueGqih1o8

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Randomgary

Thanks for the reply, just to reinforce I'm not worried I'm just genuinely interested.

The implant is significant enough to jamm my cars keyless entry as seen here.

https://youtu.be/gZueGqih1o8

Would expect thats some sort of radio frequency and not magnetic any field.

[RJK]

Padi, I tried searching the internet without luck so I’ll ask, what kinds of devices are we talking about that put emit strong magnetic fields in the 4800 amp meter level?

[Claven2]

As others have said, if a watch needs service at the 8 year mark, service it. It's due. No hocus-pocus, all mechanical mechanisms eventually fail and need service.