Good Life Notes: August 2012

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Milgauss is a highly collectible model introduced by Rolex in 1956 with the model number 6451. The Milgauss was designed as an antimagnetic watch specifically for those who worked in power plants, medical facilities and research labs like those in Geneva where electromagnetic fields can cause havoc with the timing of a watch.

The current model Milgauss is equipped with amagnetic alloy (Parachrom-Blu) hairspring and movement encased by a Faraday cage.

The name Milgauss is derived from the Latin mille, which means one-thousand, and gauss, the unit of a magnetic field. This model is so named because it can withstand a magnetic flux density of 1,000 gauss.

The original Milgauss was very similar to the appearance of the Rolex Submariner, with an over-sized case and bezel, with the Twinlock crown, and a riveted Oyster bracelet. Although the Milgauss only went through two different models (6541, 1019) the Milgauss went through numerous configuration changes before being discontinued in 1988.

In 2007, Rolex brought back the Milgauss after nearly two decades as the model number 116400. There are currently three versions: white dial or black dial with a standard colorless sapphire crystal, and the GV (Glace Verte) or "Anniversary" model, with black dial of a slightly different design and a green-tinted sapphire crystal. The GV is the only Rolex produced with a tinted crystal.