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shappp91

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 11, 2014
72
9
Have any of you walked through metal detectors at work or in airports with the SS model? Wondered for a while if I'd have to take it off at work when leaving.
 
People had stainless steel watches ages before the AW arrived, you know.

And do they or do they not have to take them off at the airport? If you're going to be all smartypants you could at least answer the question.
 
I go through a metal detector everyday at work. I've been through twice with the aluminum watch. First day was an alarm. I think that machine may have its sensitivity turned up. Today I used a different detector and it didn't alarm.
 
And do they or do they not have to take them off at the airport? If you're going to be all smartypants you could at least answer the question.

Depends on the metal detector and the sensitively it's set to. So if u want to avoid the embarrassment of having to be told to remove it and go back again, remove it. If it's not on your wrist, the detector cannot go off, if you leave it on, it may.

His answer was common sense, it's a "metal" detector. Sensitivity varies.
 
Have any of you walked through metal detectors at work or in airports with the SS model? Wondered for a while if I'd have to take it off at work when leaving.

Sometimes it depends on the sensitivity of the detectors and sometimes it also depends on how much metal you're wearing overall. If the watch is the only metal you're wearing you might be able to sneak by. But if your belt buckle contains metal or you're wearing some other form of metal you may set it off with the addition of the watch. I'd say I'd test it out since I go through a metal detector every day at work, but alas, still waiting.... Probably another 3 weeks for mine.

Your safest bet is to take it off considering a majority of shoes, even sneakers contain metal.
 
Stainless steel used in watches often does not trigger the metal detector, because it's nonmagnetic. The Milanese band, might, though.
 
Stainless steel used in watches often does not trigger the metal detector, because it's nonmagnetic. The Milanese band, might, though.

Maybe not conventional SS watches, but there are magnets in iDevices. I'd think any magnets in the Watch would be relatively weak and may not be strong enough to trigger it.

Nevertheless, I've seen many people ordered to remove their watches when going through airport detectors. People are used to putting their iPhones in the bin so it's just one more thing to add to the bin if you have to remove it.
 
And do they or do they not have to take them off at the airport? If you're going to be all smartypants you could at least answer the question.

If you go through the pre-check line generally they do not ask you to take it off. I tried to take my regular watch off a few weeks ago and they told me specifically not to. I haven't flown since I got my Apple Watch, but it has about the same amount of metal as my previous watch.
 
Having flow through several different airports recently, it really depends on the airport. In Houston you strip down while in Atlanta you don't. Other places like Orange County lie somewhere in between. As a general rule, I remove certain items (including my watch) since you never know what TSA feels like that day.
 
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