2008 ROLEX OYSTER MILGAUSS STAINLESS STEEL MODEL 116400

2008 ROLEX OYSTER MILGAUSS STAINLESS STEEL MODEL 116400The story of the Rolex Milgauss begins during the salad days of the Atomic Age. As it became more and more common for medical professionals and power plant workers to come into contact with substantial amounts of magnetism in the workplace, a demand began to grow for a timepiece that would not stop or have its timing altered upon encountering a field of over 50 gauss. Ever the pioneer, Rolex rose to the occasion in 1956 and created a watch designed to

The story of the Rolex Milgauss begins during the salad days of the Atomic Age. As it became more and more common for medical professionals and power plant workers to come into contact with substantial amounts of magnetism in the workplace, a demand began to grow for a timepiece that would not stop or have its timing altered upon encountering a field of over 50 gauss.

Ever the pioneer, Rolex rose to the occasion in 1956 and created a watch designed to withstand an electromagnetic field of up to 1,000 gauss (hence the name, as “one thousand” translates to “mille” in Latin). The prototype was even sent to the European Organization for Nuclear Research for testing. The finished product adopted a look similar to that of their wildly successful Submariner, and as a visual nod to its intended audience, the second hand was crafted to look like what appears to be a bolt of lightning or a magnetic wave.

The Milgauss was discontinued in 1988, but was reintroduced in 2007 with a ferromagnetic shield just inside the case, as well as a magnetic alloy Parachrom-Blu hairspring that is ten times more resistant to impact shocks, and affords the watch even more defense against magnetic fields than the original version (all despite being finer than human hair). This is one of those reintroduced at this time, now referred to as the “ 2008 rolex.“ The updated shield makes for a case thicker than that of most Rolex watches, and the 904L polished stainless steel from which it is built makes it all but impervious to corrosion. All of this offers robust protection to a calibre 3131 self- winding mechanical movement that is exclusive to Rolex timepieces.

Though the Milgauss may have been built for the needs of a scientist, it his become a favorite of some of the most brilliant minds in the entertainment world. The collections of vintage Rolex superfans Jennifer Anniston and Eric Clapton each count at least one among their inventory, as do those of Tom Hanks, Sylvester Stallone, and Ashton Kutcher (who has been seen wearing a piece very similar to this 2008 white face model). Less conventional yet infinitely more durable than the average Rolex, the Milgauss is a stoically eccentric watch that effortlessly stands the test of time.

Maker: Rolex
Model: 116400 Oyster Milgauss
Year: 2008
Material: Stainless Steel
Dial: White with Orange Lightning Bolt Second Hand
Case Measurement: 40mm
Movement: Automatic
Condition: Pristine
Weight: 152.4 Grams
Size: Fits up to an 8 Inch Wrist, Adjustable
Made in Switzerland

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Stephanie Windsor only sells pre-owned, vintage and refurbished watches that are subject to one or more of the following: Repair and replacement of damaged or worn parts or the replacement of the original watch crystal. The original maker of the watch is not under any obligation to service watches by Stephanie Windsor.