Can quartz watches become magnetized? / Mainspring Q&A - Answering your watch questions

Q: Can quartz watches also become magnetized?

Magnetism is the greatest enemy of mechanical watches. When brought close to a magnet, most mechanical watches will lose time or, in the worst case, stop. Even if the watch is then removed from the magnet, the magnetic effect remains in the movement. In this case, it will not return to its original performance unless it is "demagnetized."

Digital quartz watches are generally not affected by magnetism.

A: Analog quartz watches are also vulnerable to magnetism because their motors become magnetized, but they will often return to normal functioning if moved away from magnets. Digital quartz watches, which do not have built-in motors, are generally not affected by magnetism. Furthermore, since magnetic strength is inversely proportional to the square of the distance, the greater the distance, the lower the risk of magnetization. If you wear an analog quartz watch or mechanical watch, make it a habit to keep it at least 5 cm away from magnets.