THE JOURNAL
Reintroduced to its roster in 2007, the Milgauss quickly became one of the hottest watches offered by Rolex. Buyers were fascinated by the lightning-bolt seconds hand, the size, the smooth bezel, the antimagnetic properties and the time-only nature of the watch. Waiting lists for models, particularly the version with the green sapphire crystal, were long at a time when most Rolex watches could be purchased on a whim during a visit to a official retailer.
So it came as a surprise earlier this year when the Crown announced that it would be discontinuing the the line. But if interest in the Milgauss was waning, this news has led to a renewed appraisal of Rolex’s “odd one out”. And proof that there is nothing like finding you can’t have something to energise the attention of watch collectors, a mint-condition 1958 model sold at auction for a record $2.4m just two months later.
It is against this backdrop that MR PORTER and Mr Eric Wind are proud to present a tribute to the Milgauss, in the form of a capsule collection. Think of it as an opportunity to get better acquainted with the cult Rolex.
The line’s origin story begins in the 1950s, long before the current era of “hype watches”. The first Milgauss was a product of the “Atomic Age”, a time when several Swiss watch manufacturers were dreaming up what would go on to become iconic “antimagnetic” timepieces for engineers and doctors working in high-magnetism environments, such as nuclear plants. Its contemporaries include the IWC Schaffhausen Ingenieur, the Eberhard Scientigraf, the Omega Railmaster, and Patek Philippe’s ref. 2570 and 2570-1, as well as 3417.
Rolex’s entry into the market was named for its ability to withstand magnetic fields up to 1,000 Gauss. Unlike the 2000s reissue, the original ref. 6541 was generally unpopular and early models often sat in stores for years before being purchased. But while slow off the market, it emerged to be one of the most beloved specialist models among physicists and engineers of the time.
It’s not rocket science, then, to note that the Milgauss’ skillset is very niche, with limited use beyond very particular fields. Equally, over the past decade, attention has definitely been more focused on other Rolex models. By the standards of contemporary Rolex Oyster watches, the Milgauss had become an outlier – the only watch with coloured sapphire crystal, the only model with such a quirky feature as the lightning bolt hand. And – although “unusual” usually equals “hot” in the world of Rolex – the lack of an update in many years saw interest shift elsewhere.
This capsule is a testament to “Milgauss style”. It is something of a love letter to Rolexes that are a bit sporty, a bit funky and a little off the beaten path. We have the two most desirable versions of the modern Milgauss in the capsule, both with green sapphire crystals. We also have six other vintage watches that each share some similarities to the variations of the Milgauss watches made over the last 65 years.
01.
Rolex Milgauss Ref. 116400GV
This Rolex Milgauss ref. 116400GV with blue metallic (“Z-Blue”) dial and green sapphire crystal was the last Milgauss variant introduced by the company. Rolex came out with the Z-Blue dial in 2014, replacing the white dial version. This reference features orange accents on the dial and an orange lightning-bolt hand. The watch is in great condition and is unpolished. It has a “random” serial dating to 2011 or later. It measures 39mm in diameter (48mm lug-to-lug). The watch was worn only a few times and it comes with what is likely its original Rolex box and some accompanying paperwork, but the previous owner misplaced the card.
02.
Rolex Datejust Ref. 16220
We are constantly amazed by the quality and differentiations of the dials that Rolex used in vintage Datejusts over the decades. I have found the Rolex Datejust to be one of the most versatile watches that a person can have. The simplicity in this silver-dial ref. 16220 is beautiful. This watch dates to circa 1991. It is paired on an Oyster ref. 78360 solid link bracelet that is commonly referred to as the IBM style. It comes with a box and the original papers. The Milgauss ref. 1019 made from the 1960s to the 1980s most commonly had an attractive yet simple silver dial – this silver Datejust dial is quite similar.
03.
Rolex Milgauss Ref. 116400GV
This Rolex Milgauss ref. 116400GV with black dial and green sapphire crystal was one of the most desirable watches of the early 2000s. It was the first model from Rolex to feature a green sapphire crystal and it helped introduce the era of the hype watch. This Rolex Milgauss ref. 116400GV features a black dial with orange accents and lightning-bolt hand. The watch is unpolished, but does show that it has been worn frequently over the years. We do not know the date of production, nor does it come with box and papers.
04.
Rolex Datejust Ref. 1601
This 36mm Rolex Datejust watch dates to circa 1972. It is in excellent condition with an unpolished case, and it is running well and keeping excellent time. This watch is a great example of Milgauss Style, as it is a rare non-luminous example with black paint in the hands and hour markers. The original Milgauss ref. 6541 was non-luminous, so that radioactive radium would not trip Geiger counters in nuclear environments. Some rare examples of the successor Milgauss ref. 1019 also were non-luminous with black paint in the hands. Those are often referred to as “Cern dials” by collectors as they were affiliated with the famous nuclear research facility based in France.
05.
Rolex Oysterquartz Datejust Ref. 17014
This Rolex Oysterquartz Datejust ref. 17014 is a very nice example with a rare blue dial, which nods to the last generation Milgauss. As one of Rolex’s most scientifically-minded and precise models, there is something of the Milgauss’ DNA to the Oysterquartz, which is said to have been designed by Mr Gérald Genta. The watch features a 6.40M serial dating it to around 1979. The watch is in excellent condition with an unpolished case. The case measures 36mm in diameter (42mm lug-to-lug). It features a very modernist-style bracelet and is somewhat brutalist in design. It also is a special early example without chronometer certification text on the dial. Shortly after the production of this watch, Rolex began getting the Oysterquartz models certified as chronometers and changed the dial text to reflect that.
06.
Rolex Date Ref. 15010
This Rolex Date ref. 15010 is another vintage watch that meets some of the Milgauss’ aesthetic touchpoints. It is a very crisp, unpolished example, and like the Oysterquartz has a stunning blue metallic dial. The watch dates to circa 1988 and does not come with a box and papers.
07.
Rolex Datejust “Linen” Ref. 1603
This Datejust dates to 1974 and features a 3.66M serial. The case measures 36mm in diameter and is paired on a US-made Rolex Jubilee bracelet. The watch is in excellent condition with an unpolished case, and is running well and keeping excellent time. It just passed a water resistance test of 3 bars. But why is it like a Milgauss? Well, the early Milgauss watches had a textured dial commonly called the “honeycomb dial”, quite beloved of collectors today. No one quite did textured dials like Rolex did back from the 1950s to the 1990s. However, the Milgauss did not have a monopoly on the idea – if you want to take find something of that appeal, a textured Datejust is one way to get it. This type of dial is usually called a “linen dial” for obvious reasons, resembling a shirt you would hope to wear on Capri one August. Why not take the watch with you, too?
08.
Rolex Explorer 1 Ref. 1016
Introduced in 1960, an icon was born in the 36mm Rolex Explorer ref. 1016, a model that remained in production until 1989. This example has a 2.11M serial dating it to approximately 1969. It features the mark I dial with the so-called “frog foot” coronet, and the original “Tropic 22” crystal. It is paired with a Rolex 7206 rivet bracelet with correct 58 end links. The ref. 1016 marked the first Explorer with “Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" printed on the dial. It is one of the most desired timepieces and for great reason: the 1016 is one of the purest expressions of watch design. It was released slightly before the Rolex Milgauss ref. 1019, the second generation of Milgauss ever made, and shares a similarly beautiful smooth and sloped bezel. Like the Milgauss, it also never had a date window. If you want to buy something from the period that gave us the original Milgauss, something equally pure and simple in its intentions, you could do a lot worse.