Geneva, May 14, 2023

LOT 166

ROLEX, REF. 1019, MILGAUSS, "CERN" SILVER DIAL, STEEL

CHF 15,000 - 20,000

EUR 15,300 - 20,400 / USD 16,900 - 22,600 / HKD 134,000 - 178,000

Sold: CHF 27,500

A fine, rare, self-winding, stainless steel anti-magnetic wristwatch with silver "Cern" dial


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent

Case: 3-8

Good

Slightly scratched

Movement: 3 *
Dial: 2-6-55-02

Very good

Slightly oxidized

Luminous material reapplied

HANDS Service hands

Brand Rolex, Switzerland

Model Milgauss

Reference 1019

Year 1965

Case No. 1636703

Bracelet stainless steel Rolex riveted expandable bracelet (7206/65) dated 70, approx. overall length 160 mm.

Diameter 37 mm.

Caliber 1580, 26 jewels

Signature Dial, case and movement signed

Notes

The "Milgauss" was introduced in 1956. It was designed for use in areas of high electromagnetic fields which can be found in laboratories.

The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), the world’s pre-eminent particle physics laboratory, was one of the first scientific labs in the 1950s to confirm the "Milgauss" could resist magnetic fields up to 1 000 Gauss.

The reference 1019 was in production from 1965 to 1990, the model was only available in stainless steel. Its name is derived from the Greek "Mil" for thousand and "Gauss," the unit to measure magnetism.

A normal watch movement can withstand to 70-90 Gauss whereas the "Milgauss" keeps its incredible precision in a magnetic field up to 1 000 Gauss.

Rolex had made some of these "Milgauss" reference 1019 for CERN and these feature indexes and hands that are non-luminous, and this example is stamped 65 in the caseback meaning it was one of the earliest produced in this reference.

Provenance

Property of a British Gentleman