Poll: Milgauss
Total Members Polled: 71
Discussion
Am seriously keen on the Rolex Milgauss. Happened to be passing a watchstore in Burlington Arcade and it just caught my eye in the window. Instant lust - it's the simplicity of the design. But by 'eck, they're expensive. Apparently, the world and his wife wants one so the dealers are marking them up substantially (although that looks to be changing).
Initially, I was sure I wanted the black-face version with the green glass, but now I'm not sure that the black-face with normal glass isn't nicer (I like the design of the face-markings better) and, let's face it, it is £1000 (or more) cheaper, which is not to sniffed at.
What do people think? Is the green-glass one (which is apparently more sought-after) likely to retain value better?
Initially, I was sure I wanted the black-face version with the green glass, but now I'm not sure that the black-face with normal glass isn't nicer (I like the design of the face-markings better) and, let's face it, it is £1000 (or more) cheaper, which is not to sniffed at.
What do people think? Is the green-glass one (which is apparently more sought-after) likely to retain value better?
1. Dream watches and Watchesuk have a GV milgauss at a premium but less than Burlington arcade. Both are very reputable. Maybe Dominic H can assist perhaps too?
2. I have debated getting a milgauss (instead saving up for a Rolex Prince) and have to my relief watched the premiums for the green glass drop massively over the last 6 months. I don't know how easy it would be now to get one through an AD but frankly I'd give it a try.
If the standard black faced version floats your boat then there was one in the window of Mappin & Webb Fenchurch street the other week.
3. My preference is definitely for the Green version, I think it's funky and will always remain more desirable than the other standard versions.
2. I have debated getting a milgauss (instead saving up for a Rolex Prince) and have to my relief watched the premiums for the green glass drop massively over the last 6 months. I don't know how easy it would be now to get one through an AD but frankly I'd give it a try.
If the standard black faced version floats your boat then there was one in the window of Mappin & Webb Fenchurch street the other week.
3. My preference is definitely for the Green version, I think it's funky and will always remain more desirable than the other standard versions.
Edited by Captain Chaos on Thursday 9th April 11:41
I bought a black dial last year after waiting for 10 mths, then saw a white & black dial in the window last week in York. I was also offered a green glass about 4 mths ago which i passed on as the market for all watches like these was a bit flat.
Edited by Gurbinder on Friday 10th April 11:44
toohuge said:
It's a lovely watch, but i fear that the second hand may wear on me a little in a few years to come. I tried on one in america and it was very nice, just not sure about the second hand design.
Ditto. Do the Rolex designers object to using nice hands? I really dislike the Mercedes hands on SDs and Subs. Do Mercedes sponsor Rolex? 
I'm not a fan of any of the recent Milgauss models.
Will stick to my original late 50s Milgauss - slightly battered, lightning second hand, part of a link missing, doesn't jump out and say "I'm an expensive watch". It looks beautifully understated.
And rather bizarrely, my 9 month old son absolutely loves playing with it. I figure its lasted over 50 years, so it should be able to handle usage as a childs toy ..... although the more I think of it, the more I cringe ....
Will stick to my original late 50s Milgauss - slightly battered, lightning second hand, part of a link missing, doesn't jump out and say "I'm an expensive watch". It looks beautifully understated.
And rather bizarrely, my 9 month old son absolutely loves playing with it. I figure its lasted over 50 years, so it should be able to handle usage as a childs toy ..... although the more I think of it, the more I cringe ....
For what purpose was the Milgauss conceived? I know it's got magnetic shielding to protect the mechanism from interference but apart from spot welding (and I don't know any spot welders who'd wear a £5k watch to work) I don't know what profession it's aimed at?
Not that that takes away the beauty of the thing and after all how many dive watches ever get wet let alone go to 1200m
Not that that takes away the beauty of the thing and after all how many dive watches ever get wet let alone go to 1200m
mel said:
For what purpose was the Milgauss conceived? I know it's got magnetic shielding to protect the mechanism from interference but apart from spot welding (and I don't know any spot welders who'd wear a £5k watch to work) I don't know what profession it's aimed at?
Not that that takes away the beauty of the thing and after all how many dive watches ever get wet let alone go to 1200m
I lifted this from Wiki (obviously I knew it,Not that that takes away the beauty of the thing and after all how many dive watches ever get wet let alone go to 1200m
but this is more eloquently put)it explains it well..."The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Milgauss is a popular model introduced by Rolex in 1954 with the model number 6451. The Milgauss was designed as antimagnetic watch specifically for those who worked in power plants and research labs where electromagnetic fields can cause havoc with the timing of a watch. The Milgauss was equipped with antimagnetic alloys and encased by a Faraday cage. The words Milgauss is derived from the French word mille, which means one-thousand, and gauss, the unit of the magnetic field."
Rolex have a history for making watches you'd struggle to find a use for.
-More people have walked on the moon than dived recreationally deeper than 800ft, but that didn't stop Rolex coming up with the original model 1665 'SeaDweller 2000'.
-Who'd have thought there was a market for a Speliologist's watch, that didn't stop them introducing the 1655 Explorer II. It didn't sell*, but hey you don't win them all....
- Sells very well now!
Edited by Dominic H on Tuesday 14th April 19:01
mel said:
For what purpose was the Milgauss conceived? I know it's got magnetic shielding to protect the mechanism from interference but apart from spot welding (and I don't know any spot welders who'd wear a £5k watch to work) I don't know what profession it's aimed at?
Not that that takes away the beauty of the thing and after all how many dive watches ever get wet let alone go to 1200m
The current model has to be more of a pure marketing excercise with the apparent upsurge in popularity of the original Milgauss? Or is it the other way round?Not that that takes away the beauty of the thing and after all how many dive watches ever get wet let alone go to 1200m
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