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

Boettger & Wittig Watch and Tool Demagnetizer

The Boettger & Wittig Watch and Tool Demagnetizer, patented in 1902, was an essential technological response to the growing presence of electricity in industrial and domestic life. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the rise of electric motors and dynamos created magnetic fields that frequently "magnetized" the steel hairsprings and balance wheels of mechanical watches. This caused the coils of the hairspring to stick together, making the watch gain time rapidly or stop altogether. Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Boettger & Wittig developed a device that used a hollow-core electromagnet to neutralize these fields. Unlike modern push-button demagnetizers, this early model featured a distinctive mechanical pole-changer—a sliding metal comb that the user moved back and forth to rapidly reverse the polarity of the current while the watch or tool sat within the core.

The machine's design is a testament to the "over-engineered" aesthetic of the early electrical age, typically featuring a long, polished wood base (approximately 15 inches) and exposed brass components. The device was not only used for watches but was equally vital for watchmaking tools like tweezers and screwdrivers; if a tool became magnetized, it would frustratingly cling to tiny steel screws or parts, making delicate assembly impossible. While the company faded from prominence as integrated electrical components became smaller and more efficient, Boettger & Wittig’s 1902 patent (US699863) remains a landmark in horological history. Today, these machines are highly collectible "crossover" items, sought after by both tool collectors and watch enthusiasts for their architectural beauty and their role in the silent war against magnetism.

Sourced from: Elephant's Trunk Flea Market