Lesson In Successful Failure
During the 1950’s, two of the
most esoteric models rolex ever produced were introduced. The “Tru-beat” (model
6556) and the “Milgauss” (model 6541, 1019). The “True-beat” was a standard
chronometer grade non-date Oyster Perpetual, but it had a dead beat sweep
seconds hand that would make the second hand stop at each seconds mark before
jumping to the next one. According to the “Milgauss”, it was made in response
to people working in areas of high electro-magnetic radiation, such as research
labs or power stations, in which the effects of radiation would make the
watches unreliable because of magnetizing the balance work of a watch.
Another example of Rolex's
misguided product development and marketing coming full circle is a watch
geared towards doctors and medical professionals, the Rolex Tru-Beat. The only difference between the Tru-Beat and
the standard Rolex Oyster is that the movement has been modified to make the
second hand tick once per second instead of sweeping smoothly. The point of this modification was so that an
accurate pulse rate could be kept.
Lesson In Successful Failure
During the 1950’s, two of the
most esoteric models rolex ever produced were introduced. The “Tru-beat” (model
6556) and the “Milgauss” (model 6541, 1019). The “True-beat” was a standard
chronometer grade non-date Oyster Perpetual, but it had a dead beat sweep
seconds hand that would make the second hand stop at each seconds mark before
jumping to the next one. According to the “Milgauss”, it was made in response
to people working in areas of high electro-magnetic radiation, such as research
labs or power stations, in which the effects of radiation would make the
watches unreliable because of magnetizing the balance work of a watch.
Another example of Rolex's
misguided product development and marketing coming full circle is a watch
geared towards doctors and medical professionals, the Rolex Tru-Beat. The only difference between the Tru-Beat and
the standard Rolex Oyster is that the movement has been modified to make the
second hand tick once per second instead of sweeping smoothly. The point of this modification was so that an
accurate pulse rate could be kept.
The Rolex Tru-Beat 6556
represents an exclusive model of the Rolex range, both for its specific
characteristics and its function. From the outer Aesthetically view, it looks
similar to an Oyster Perpetual, this model is distinguished by its dead seconds
complication of the 1040 calibre movement (based on the 1030 calibre): this
function makes the seconds hand move forward in small jumps instead of
sweeping, allowing a better visualisation of the seconds
The Tru-Beat reference 6556 was produced in steel and 18kt gold (yellow and rose) with a standard or Metroplitan dial with Dauphine hands. Only some models have a red seconds hand.
The Tru-Beat appeared on the
market for the first time in 1954 and went out of production in 1959, without
being replaced. The problems with the fragile 1040 calibre were sometimes
resolved by removing the dead seconds function and bringing it in line with the
classic 1030 calibre. Since the model was produced
in a limited number of pieces and its unique jumping seconds, characteristics
it has become a collector item now.
Prices of the Tru beat varied
according to whether the Tru beat still jumps. Very often, these mechanism that enable the Trubeat to jump
were being removed when being serviced by Rolex. Prices dropped as much as 60A%
when the Tru beat no longer jump. This is how the mechanism look like:
I have sold off my precious 25 gold Classic Cds which I have spent 6 years in collecting and I have also sold off my new Italian Sonus Faber Cremona speakers in order to find cash to buy this..
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