The Milgauss is a watch with unique features and a unique history, even among Rolex products. Although production was once discontinued, it was revived, and early models are now being re-evaluated as vintage watches. We will explain the changes in the model and explore the appeal of the Milgauss.
Learn about the Milgauss
What kind of watch is the Milgauss? Let's start by explaining the general outline of this model, including the meaning of its name.
Originally developed for doctors and scientists
Known as an anti-magnetic watch, the Milgauss was developed in 1956 as a watch for doctors, researchers, and other professionals whose jobs often expose them to strong magnetic fields.
"Mille" means "1000" in French, and "gauss" represents the unit of magnetic flux density.
Considering that the magnetic resistance of a typical wristwatch is around 50 to 100 gauss, you can see how special this watch is.
Also popular as a vintage item
There are several models of the Milgauss, including the first and second models released several decades ago, which are now popular as vintage watches.
Although these two models are now traded at high prices, they were not very popular when they were first released, and production was discontinued after the second model was released.
The first model was hailed as a revolutionary watch at the time, as it was a special watch that could withstand magnetic fields of up to 1000 gauss. The second model, which had a completely redesigned design, has been on the market for about 30 years.
The first-generation model, which was in limited supply, is a rare model that trades at a premium price of over 1000 million yen. On the other hand, the second-generation model was sold for a long period of time and is in greater supply than the first-generation model, but still trades at a price of around 300 to 400 million yen.
History from its birth to the present
If we look at the history of the Milgauss, we will see that it was once discontinued, but was revived as an antimagnetic watch to keep up with the times.
From birth to discontinuation
The Milgauss is a watch developed by Rolex in 1956. At the time, it was designed as a practical watch, following on from the Submariner and GMT Master, which were both made to withstand harsh environments.
The Milgauss was developed in collaboration with the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), which was founded around the same time, and as mentioned above, it has the ability to withstand a magnetic field of 1000 gauss.
Nowadays, it is common knowledge among watch enthusiasts that precision watches are vulnerable to magnetic fields, but when the Milgauss was released, this fact was not necessarily well understood.
Given this background, the Milgauss was recognized as an extremely special watch, and production was discontinued around 87, approximately 30 years after the release of the second model.
Revived in 2007
In the 2000s, the explosive spread of mobile phones led to a widespread understanding that "magnetic resistance is essential for watches," and manufacturers began to take measures to prevent magnetism in their watches.
Among these, the silicon balance spring developed by Patek Philippe was a groundbreaking invention that used silicon in the balance spring, which is easily magnetized.
Rolex also succeeded in developing its own Parachrom balance spring in 2005. Instead of silicon, it uses a material called Parachrom alloy, which has magnetic resistance, temperature stability, and shock resistance.
The Milgauss was reborn in 07 after a hiatus of about 20 years.
Specially developed anti-magnetic watch
The Milgauss boasts excellent anti-magnetic performance, and its specifications are significantly different from other models. Let's take a look at some of the details that characterize the Milgauss.
Magnetic resistance and magnetic strength
How much magnetic force does the 1000 gauss magnetic resistance that gives the watch its name imply?
For example, the magnetic force emitted by electrical appliances is about 50 gauss for a telephone, about 100 gauss for a large speaker, about 600 to 700 gauss for a magnetic sheet, and about 700 to 1000 gauss for a magnetic bandage.
A typical wristwatch is said to be magnetically resistant to about 50 to 100 gauss, so this shows how powerful the magnetic resistance is.
Unique dial
In addition to its uniqueness as an antimagnetic watch, one of its major features is the unique design of the dial.
The second hand uses the "lightning hand" that was also introduced in vintage models, and the accent color is a bright orange.
In addition, the Ref. 116400GV uses a green-tinted "green sapphire crystal," giving it a unique character not found in other Rolex models.
At first glance, it appears to be a basic watch, but when you look at it up close or wear it on your wrist, you can see that it is a model that exudes an overwhelming presence.
Cases and parts are specially designed
The revived Milgauss maintains its magnetic resistance of 1000 gauss, and many of its parts are custom made for it.
For example, the case shield is made from a specially selected ferromagnetic alloy, and serves the purpose of absorbing magnetic fields and directing them to the outside.
The movement is also specially developed for the Milgauss, with a Parachrom balance spring and paramagnetic alloys used for the pallet and other parts.
Paramagnetism is the property of becoming magnetized when a magnetic field is applied and returning to its original state when the field is removed, which is why watches can maintain high accuracy.
