An apparatus having a fast drop-off in attraction force between magnets is provided. The apparatus includes a first magnet array having a plurality of magnets with different magnetic field orientations fixedly positioned in a first housing. The apparatus also includes an adjacent magnet assembly relative to the first magnet array and provided in a second housing that includes second and third magnet arrays, each having a plurality of magnets with different magnetic field orientations. The apparatus includes an activation mechanism configured to move the adjacent magnet assembly from at least a first relative position to a second relative position. The adjacent magnet assembly in the second relative position has a second magnetic attraction force with the first magnet array that is substantially reduced as compared to a first magnetic attraction force with the first magnet array in the first relative position. The magnet arrays may define a magnetic fastener controlling opening and/or closing of portions of a device.