Do watch winders magnetize watches

Yes,Watch winders generally do not magnetize watches—if they're well-made and use quality components. However, poorly designed or cheap watch winders might emit electromagnetic fields that could magnetize a mechanical watch over time, which may lead to timekeeping issues.

Here's why and what to look for:

Cheap winders:Many budget-friendly winders lack proper shielding around their motors and may position them too close to the watch, increasing the risk of magnetization.
Symptoms of magnetization:A magnetized watch may run fast, lose accuracy, or even stop suddenly.
Demagnetization:If your watch is magnetized, it can be demagnetized by a watchmaker using specialized equipment.

Why most good watch winders don’t magnetize watches:

Quality motors (especially Japanese or German silent motors) are shielded to reduce electromagnetic emissions.
Proper casing materials (like wood, PU leather, or glass) help isolate or block magnetic interference.
Low RPM operation and short, intermittent rotations limit exposure.

Choosing a winder:

Look for high-quality winders with proper shielding and avoid those with magnetic door closures or other potential sources of magnetic interference. For example, Taihua watch winders box have been measured to produce a maximum magnetic flux density of about 4 gausses near the motor, which is far below the approximately 60 gausses required to magnetize a watch. At just 10 mm away from the motor, there is effectively no measurable magnetic field. This level of magnetism is comparable to that of common household items like fluorescent lamps and is considered too weak to affect watches

In summary:
Quality watch winders from reputable brands are safe and do not magnetize watches.The magnetic fields produced by these winders are too weak to affect the watch’s movement.Therefore, you can confidently use a good-quality watch winder without worrying about magnetizing your automatic watch.