The antimagnetic Rolex — a lightning-bolt seconds hand, a green sapphire crystal, and a 2023 farewell.
Introduced
1956
Family
Milgauss
Current ref.
116400GV
Calibre
3131
The Milgauss was made for scientists and engineers working near strong magnetic fields, which can disturb a mechanical movement. A soft-iron Faraday-cage shield inside the case protects the movement, and the lightning-bolt seconds hand nods to that electrical purpose.
Never a big seller in period, the Milgauss became a cult favourite in its modern form before being discontinued in 2023 — which has only sharpened collector interest.
History
The 6541 (1956) had a rotating bezel and lightning-bolt hand; the 1019 (1960s–80s) was cleaner and is now highly collectible, especially in rare “CERN” configurations.
Rolex revived the Milgauss in 2007 (116400) with the lightning-bolt hand restored. The 116400GV added a green sapphire crystal (“glace verte”); a later Z-Blue dial variant paired the green crystal with an electric-blue dial. Production ended in 2023.
Reference table
A selective map of the references collectors ask about most — not every variant, but the ones that anchor the line.
| Reference | Years | Variant | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6541 | 1956–1960 | Vintage | Rotating bezel, lightning-bolt hand |
| 1019 | 1963–1988 | Vintage | Clean dial; collectible CERN examples |
| 116400 | 2007–2016 | Modern | Revival with lightning-bolt seconds |
| 116400GV | 2007–2023 | Green crystal | The “GV”; later Z-Blue dial |
Years are approximate production windows. Verify the reference and serial against the watch in hand before relying on any figure.
Nicknames
Each nickname maps to a reference and a story. Tap through for the Naples reference guide on each.
In Naples
Naples is a settled, well-travelled collector town, and the Milgauss fits a Gulf-coast life of flights, boats, and Fifth Avenue South dinners. We are a reference, not a dealer — this is context for buyers, not a storefront.
Milgauss FAQ
“Milgauss” comes from the French mille (thousand) and gauss, a unit of magnetic flux: the watch resists magnetic fields up to 1,000 gauss, thanks to a soft-iron shield around the movement.
The orange lightning-bolt seconds hand is a nod to the watch's antimagnetic, scientific purpose. It is the model's most recognisable signature and returned with the 2007 revival.
Yes. Rolex discontinued the Milgauss in 2023. As an out-of-production model with a cult following, clean examples — especially the green-crystal GV and Z-Blue — draw steady collector demand.