Important Modern and Vintage Timepieces

New York, Jun 08, 2011

LOT 166

ROLEX REF.1019 MILGAUSS "CERN" DIAL Rolex, ?Oyster Perpetual, Milgauss, Superlative Chronometer, Officially Certified?, case No.1636736, movement no. M210757, Ref. 1019. Made in 1967. Very fine and rare, anti-magnetic, water-resistant, center seconds, self-winding, stainless steel wristwatch with a stainless steel Rolex USA Jubilee bracelet.

USD 20,000 - 25,000

CHF 17,000 - 22,000 / EUR 13,000 - 17,000

C. Three-body, polished and brushed, curved lugs, inclined bezel, soft iron gilt metal antimagnetic protecting cap forming a Faraday cage, screwed-down case back and crown, inner case stamped III.67. D. Brushed silver over soft iron with black steel baton indexes, outer minute/ seconds divisions, ?Milgauss? printed in red. Steel and black index hands, red arrow center seconds hand. M. Cal. 1580, rhodium-plated, 26 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance adjusted to 5 positions and temperature, shock absorber, self-compensating freesprung white metal Breguet balance spring, Microstella regulating screws. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 38 mm. Thickness 14 mm. Approx. overall length 180 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 2*

Very good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-01

Good

HANDS Original

Notes

The Rolex Milgauss Ref. 1019 was manufactured as an anti-magnetic wristwatch from 1966 until the 1980's, for use by particle researchers and members of other professions which encounter high levels of magnetism. Most watches will be affected by magnetism at around 40 gauss (a unit of measure for magnetism); the 1019 remained accurate at 1000 gauss. Hence the name MIL (one thousand) Gauss. The model underwent several dial variations. The first examples had Rolex in small print and Milgauss larger; later the word Rolex was larger. The early versions had a black or silvered dial with luminous hands and outer dots. Later examples, available with silver or black dials, had luminescent material applied directly to the hour markers. This dial variation is thought to have been created in conjunction with the CERN particle research facility outside Geneva; it was designed without any luminescent material. Tritium, which registers on a Geiger counter, could potentially affect the outcome of precise radioactivity readings. Consequently, the hands and markers were black. Throughout the manufacture of the 1019, the silver dial was available as an option.
The present example is the rarest version of the Milgauss 1019, with the abovementioned CERN dial and the small print Rolex text.