Boettger & Wittig Watch and Tool Demagnetizer (c. 1902)

Boettger & Wittig Watch and Tool Demagnetizer

The Boettger & Wittig Demagnetizer, patented in 1902, was an essential technological invention designed to protect the mechanical watches of the early electrical age. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the rapid rise of factory electric motors and early appliances created invisible magnetic fields that frequently "magnetized" the delicate steel springs inside pocket watches. When this happened, the internal coils would stick together, causing the watch to run wildly fast or stop working entirely. To solve this, a Milwaukee-based company developed a device that used an electromagnetic coil to neutralize the magnetic pull. A watchmaker would place the affected watch or tool inside the machine and use a sliding metal handle to rapidly switch the electrical current back and forth, safely clearing the magnetism. It was a vital tool for keeping watches accurate and ensuring that tiny steel screws wouldn't frustratingly cling to a watchmaker's tweezers during delicate repairs.

Sourced from: Elephant's Trunk Flea Market