MAGNETIC WATCHES.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4839, 12 July 1884, Page 4

MAGNETIC WATCHES.

" Bid-you ever see a magnetic watch P " - mid a gentleman to a reporter, the other .day., ••W rriU7look here." The gentle- > nan pulled a heavy-gold watch out of hit pocket". The reporter looked rather incredulous. " Ob, you don't believe it, don't you ? Do yon expect an aurora borealis or a thunderstorm to play around a magnetic - watch P " Well, you are doomed to disappointment. But come along with me." "The reporter stepped with him into an optician's. The gentleman borrowed a compass, which he placed upon' the counter. He,brought the watch near to the compass and moved it gently from side to side. The needle followed the ; '■ watch as though it were a strong magnet. " This watch is an £80 one," said the

gentleman, " which I bought recently. It - would Jose, some days, ten seconds, and ethers ten minutes, varying with strange irregularity. I* took it again and again* to jewellers, but their efforts to repair the difficulty were unsuccessful. I sent it to a noted watchmaker in Liverp6ol. He replied that ft must be a magnetic watch. . t I thought that he whs trying to fool me. I made the trial you hare seen, according to his directions, and with the same result as you hare seen. lam convinced now; that the moment the watch js in the close viofnity of irori^it^is affected so as *, to lose time." •' 2 rt 7 A prominent watchmaker says:— "Watches are magnetised generally by too close proximity* to an electrical -_ battery. In these electric light offices '&- watohes are often affected. You should be careful also to avoid carrying a magnet about yonr person near to a- watch. The •■-test of bringing a watch close to a compel iis not a good one. All hunting cases have steel in them that would affect the ' needle of a? compass. If«those sfeel / ■ iprings were magnetised they would, of course, affect' the needle in a greater degree. The best test is to take out the < movement from the case and place the balance wheel, for instance, on a cork ,$ floating upon the surface of water."Then ffy bring your needle up to the cork, and if ' '. you whirl it about you may be sure your Jf; ,rbalance wheel is magnetised. A good if >~ watch is spirited by becoming magnetised, t v ' but you cao have it "demagnetised someV timei." :■ -"■>' -