The Rolex Milgauss has been around for more than 50 years. The Milgauss Model was first released in 1956 and it became insanely popular because of its uniqueness and special features that made it one of the best choices for holding up against intense magnetic fields. The name of the Milgauss comes from the term gauss, which is a measurement for magnetic field strength, and mille, a French word that means one thousand. The Milgauss holds up under environmental conditions that feature magnetic fields that measure up to 1,000 gauss. This is a watch that combines physics with watchmaking in a unique and scientific way.
A scientific endeavor
The Milgauss is a pioneering watch design that was created in a joint effort by engineers and scientists with watchmakers using the technology that was created. This innovative technology provides protection for the movement so extreme magnetic fields cannot interfere with the normal functioning of the power source. This is one of the reasons that so many collectors are interested in obtaining an example, with the Rolex Milgauss Blue being among the most popular. If you’re in the market for a Milgauss Blue, then there are a few things that you need to know before you make a purchase.
Buyer’s Guide to purchasing a Rolex Milgauss Blue
The Milgauss Blue is a watch model that is easy to recognize due to its unique design and appearance. The original model featured clean lines with a lightning bolt shaped seconds hand in the color orange. Because this is a valuable luxury watch, with older versions coming up as collectibles, there are also counterfeits out there as well as some examples which have been restored with aftermarket components. This decreases the value of the timepiece and it’s important to make sure that you are buying the genuine article that is in fact as represented by the seller. The best way to ensure that this is the case is to make sure that you buy it from an official Rolex retailer that is certified as approved to sell Rolex brand watches. These dealers are trained to recognize the differences between genuine, those which are properly restored, and fakes that are being passed off as authentic.
The original saw a lackluster performance
The original Milgauss that was released in 1956 didn’t receive the attention or credit that it was due. When it came to sales, it was a distinct underperformer. This is believed to be because it had some tough competition with the Day-Date, the GMT-Master, the Explorer, and the Submariner releases by the brand. It wasn’t that there was anything wrong with the model, it’s just that the others were preferred. The others were precision timepieces with special features that appealed to professionals with the Submariner keeping time underwater, and the GMT-Master offering airline crews and pilots keep track of time as they flew through multiple time zones. The Milgauss simply kept accurate time when there were electromagnetic fields in the immediate environment.
Two years in the making
The Milgauss was really created in 1954, but it wasn’t released until two years later. The delay was instigated with a very important purpose in mind. It was to thoroughly test the watch through scientific methods to ensure that it lived up to the claims that Rolex made about it. Two years after its initial prototype creation, the results were in and it was ready to make its official debut to the world.
The specifications of the Rolex Milgauss Reference 6543
When considering a Rolex Milgauss Blue it’s important to become familiar with its basic features. the case is made of 904L stainless steel material. This is a strong and durable metal that is resistant to scratching and corrosion. It measures 38 mm in diameter. The bezel is also made of the same grade of stainless steel in a field styling with a smooth silver finish. The special features of the Rolex Milgauss Blue are time plus running seconds, and resistance to strong magnetic fields. The dial is a lovely blue with a sapphire crystal protecting the dial and the movement beneath. The movement is a Rolex Caliber 3131, and the watch is resistant to water up to 330 feet. The bracelet is also made of high-grade stainless steel in an Oyster styling.
It was only produced briefly
As a wise and informed buyer, it’s important to know that the Rolex Milgauss Blue was only produced for a short period of time. With its first release for sale to the general public in 1954, as reference number 6543, any model bearing this reference number is from the first manufacturing run. These are rare examples because they were all tested by the CERN scientists in Geneva, Switzerland to confirm its anti-magnetic properties. These were the prototypes, but the first publicly released watches were labeled reference 6541.
The original is rare with limited numbers
The Rolex Milgauss Reference 6543 was made in 1954 in low numbers. The current estimates are that only 88 to 200 watches bearing this reference number were made. The 6541 Reference number was created in 1956. The black dial featured a honeycomb pattern. The hands were dauphine or alpha with polished darts applied for the hour markers with Milgauss in all caps printed in bright red. The bezel was rotating.The movement was a caliber 1080 self-winding Rolex.
An authentic Rolex Milgauss watch will bear the internal feature of a Faraday cage covering the movement of the watch. The cage is made of ferromagnetic alloy materials. While it bears a similar appearance to the Submariner, there are a few subtle differences. The case, and dial looked the same, but the bezel was fixed and the Submariner featured a rotating bezel in black, not a stainless steel finish. Another difference was the style of the hands. The hour and minute hands were of the dauphine type with a mirror finish. The dials were not produced in the blue version during this period of time
The Rolex Milgauss Blue was introduced in 2014
Production of the original Milgauss was stopped because it didn’t perform well on the market. It was reintroduced in 2007, but it would be 2 years before the Milgauss Blue would make its debut. The new version was released as the Rolex Milgauss Reference 116400. The three versions were released in the same 904L stainless steel cases with a width of 40 mm instead of the 38 mm size of the originals in a new generation. The new edition was fitted with a caliber 3131 movement and equipped with naturally magnetic-resistant parts including the Rolex blue Parachrom hairspring with even more magnetic resistance. The first 3 released in 2007 were offered in a black dial and a white dial with a third offered in a black dial with some slight variations including a green tinted sapphire crystal referred to as Reference number 116400GV for Glace Verte, the French term for green.
The Z-Blue production years are 2014 through the present.
In 2014, Rolex ceased production of the black dial version. The new dial variation referred to as Z-Blue with an electric blue colored sunburst dial capped with an inexperienced sapphire crystal and accents of bright orange. It is important to note that the Z Blue was only produced from 2014 through the present..
Price of a Rolex Milgauss Blue
It is estimated that the going price for a Rolex Milgauss Blue in pre-owned mint condition is between $7,000 to $8,000. The current edition bears the reference number 116400GV. The retail selling price is $8,300 brand spanking new. The pre-owned market, in some instances, however, places the selling prices at about $500 above their estimated value.This is important information when you’re looking for a Rolex Milgauss Blue, to avoid spending more than the watch is actually worth.
New or pre-owned: which is better?
From an investor’s point of view, there is a higher likelihood of making an unique investment when it comes to buying a pre-owned Rolex Milgauss Blue. Like other high-end luxury watches, there is always a chance of being taken for a ride by a seller who offers a pre-owned version of the watch at a price that is well above its estimated true value. Of course, the condition of the watch has a lot to do with its true value. Since research has shown that the majority of pre-owned Rolex Milgauss Blue models are sold at an inflated cost over the estimated value, it is strongly recommended that you make your purchase from an authorized Rolex dealer
Be careful of good deals
When considering a used Rolex Milgauss Blue wristwatch, it’s advised that you are wary of deals that seem too good to be true. On occasion you might come across an owner who either doesn’t know the true value of the timepiece, or is looking for a fast sale, but this is rare with valuable watches. If it sounds too good to be true, the odds are, that it isn’t a good deal at all. There are a lot of knock-off versions circulating through the marketplace for used Rolex watches. It can be difficult to discern the difference between the genuine article and a knock-off unless you have a trained eye. Subtleties can be hard to detect.
Aftermarket parts affect the value
When buying a pre-owned Rolex Milgauss watch, it’s important to ensure that documents that affirm that any repairs made to the watch were performed by authorized Rolex repair shops. Although aftermarket components are likely to work, their use causes a void in the warranty and they can also decrease the overall value of a Rolex watch.
Certificates of authenticity
When you purchase a Rolex Milgauss Blue watch, one of the most important things to do, after ensuring the condition of the watch, is to check the certificates of authenticity. Each Rolex watch is sold with paperwork that confirms the identity and authenticity of the model of watch that you purchase. It should contain the reference number and the year that the watch was produced. This is really the best proof to ensure that the watch retains its value as an authentic piece. Without this type of proof, you cannot be certain that you are getting a genuine Rolex vs a well-made knock-off version. It’s not worth taking the risk. This is one of the reasons why it’s important to know the history of the Rolex Milgauss. If someone tries to sell you a Rolex Milgauss Blue that predates its first release year of 2014, you’ll know that it’s not a genuine version of the watch. It simply wasn’t made before this date.
Conclusion
The Rolex Milgauss Blue is a special edition watch fin the Milgauss collection. The more that you know about the history of the Milgauss, the less likely you are to make an unwise purchase. As an investment, it’s best to be extremely careful about who you deal with, how much you pay, and make sure that all of the relevant documentation is in place and authentic. Be sure that you’re getting a good deal on a pre-owned Rolex and not paying an inflated price that exceeds the value. It’s always best to make your purchase from an authorized Rolex dealer whenever possible. If you do find a seller offering a good investment deal, then use the information that we’ve provided in this buyer’s guide to assess the authenticity of the timepiece. It pays to be a wise consumer when you’re considering the purchase of a luxury watch.
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