EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ROLEX MILGAUSS

In 1965, Rolex introduced the reference 1019 Milgauss, which marked a departure from the bold design choices of its predecessor. The lightning bolt seconds hand was replaced with a more subdued straight seconds hand, and the overall aesthetic became more understated. The reference 1019 Milgauss remained in production until 1988, establishing itself as a symbol of durability and functionality in the scientific community. 

The Milgauss did struggle to gain popularity as it was such a unique look, you either loved it and wanted it on your wrist, or you would take a glance and never look at it again. Despite the differences in strong opinions the Milgauss, like all Rolexes, served a purpose and was addressed to that audience and it eventually caught on.

In its physical appearance, you could have easily mistaken it for an explorer or oyster perpetual. The Rolex Milgauss 1019 had lost the aluminium bezel and now had a polished steel bezel, like on a smooth bezel Datejust or Explorer. The straight seconds-hand gave the Milgauss the iconic ‘Rolex’ look, no fuss on the dial, excellent case with the three-link oyster bracelet still in an all-brushed finding. 

The only noticeable difference to the eye was the small red arrow at the end of the second hand, the red dial printing of the word ‘Milgauss’ and the unusual vertical brushed dial finishing in a cream colour. However, if you had the black dial variation of the Milgauss you could easily think it was a Datejust as the differences were less pronounced but the subtle detail on the dial and seconds hands was still there.

After a long and slow run with the Milgauss, Rolex knew they had to do something substantial with the line if there was any chance of them selling another Milgauss in a world of modern watches. Rolex revived the Milgauss in 2007 with the release of the reference 116400. This modern iteration retained the antimagnetic properties of its predecessors while incorporating contemporary design elements. 

The lightning bolt seconds hand made a triumphant return, this time in an orange hue reminiscent of the original model. The watch featured a 40mm stainless steel case, a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, and the calibre 3131 movement with improved resistance to magnetic fields. A dictionary definition of a night-and-day transformation, and in a world with millions of Datejusts on people's wrist, benign unique with a Milgauss grew massively. 

Throughout its history, the Rolex Milgauss has maintained its reputation as a charming unique watch that you can’t help but smile when you see one and appreciate its quirky looks. Its ability to withstand magnetic forces of up to 1000 gauss sets it apart in the horological world, appealing to those who demand precision in challenging environments. Despite Rolex’s selling point for the Milgauss is its 1000 gauss resistance, all of Omega’ co-axial movements are resistant to 15,000 Gauss! The distinctive design elements, such as the lightning bolt seconds hand, pay homage to the Milgauss's rich heritage while adding a touch of flair to an otherwise functional timepiece.

In order to increase the number of options to four, Rolex released two more models of the new Milgauss in 2014 in addition to the two that were presented in 2007. The first two models, with the references 116400, came with an orange lightning bolt in either a black or white dial with orange hour dots surrounding the markers. It is difficult to confuse Milgauss with anything else because it is written in bold orange on the dial, which is a good thing. With the Milgauss originally looking very much like the Rolex submariner and then more like a Datejust, it’s nice to see some distinctive features. They still featured a screw down crown and were water resistant to 100m which realistically is more than most need. So wearing the Milgauss in the pool, hit or beach would be no issue in terms of any water leakages. With a power reserve of 48 hours it was more than sufficient to take your Milgauss off for a couple of days and then pick it up again, still ticking. Despite its unique design purpose, it was also designed to be able to be worn every day.

It's more than likely that when people think of the Rolex Milgauss, they all see the Z-blue dial variant. This Milgauss variation is much easier to identify thanks to the distinctive green tint that encircles the sapphire crystal. This model is truly unique because of the beautiful sunburst blue and teal dial, a hue that Rolex has only ever produced for the Milgauss. The Milgauss features a 40mm case size, making it slightly more compact than the popular Datejust 41mm, but it still has a very comparable look overall. 

It truly has an attractive dress watch appearance. While the Datejust offers the most selection of colours for its dials, the Rolex Milgauss is the better alternative if you're searching for something uncommon to see on a wristwatch. With everyone wanting to stand out, the Milgauss is one of the best watches to accomplish that goal, but to take it one step further, ZEALANDE can make sure you get a truly unique timepiece.

The final model they produced was the model shown above. This model is very similar in crystal to Z-blue, with a black and greyish smoky dial and pale orange hour markers. This watch is a more refined version of Z-blue, but still being, just as unique and beautiful. This model is perfect if you are looking for a combination of bold colour and classic timeless style. 

With its roots in science, the Milgauss is definitely a very versatile watch to wear regardless whether you work in the world of science or not. Each variation of the Milgauss is so different from each other making the choice a bit easier for which one will best suit you, and in a world of vast amounts of choice, it’s nice to have a few models offered so different from each other.