Rolex Milgauss ref 116400

Some Green. The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Milgauss is a wristwatch model introduced by Rolex in 1956 with model number 6541. The Milgauss was designed to meet the demands of the scientific community working around electromagnetic fields. The first of its kind, it is capable of withstanding magnetic fields of up to 1,000 gauss and became known for being worn by scientists at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva. Its resistance to magnetic interference stems from a shield inside the case made of ferromagnetic alloys, which protects the movement. This shield consists of two components, one screwed to the movement and the other to the case. In addition, its Caliber 3131 movement includes paramagnetic materials. In the 1960s, Rolex launched the Milgauss ref. 1019. 

In 2007, Rolex brought back the Milgauss after nearly two decades as the model number 116400. The Rolex Milhaud ref 116400 is one of my first few modern Rolex watch that I have bought.

Avia Watch in new Vario strap

To match the Avia watch, I have used the Vario blue with velvet leather strap. 

Tudor Black Bay reference 70150 P01

I have placed an order for a new Tudor Black Bay P01 in March 2020 and I was not sure i can find one. To my surprise, I  have received a call yesterday from Orinetal watch Tudor boutique telling me that my watch is ready for collection today.

As you know, I am a vintage watch collector but lately, I have brought in some "Modern" watch i.e. the Rolex Kermit, and now the Black Bay P01. For the latter, I love the story as during the 1980s, I have already heard rumours or stories about the existence of the watch and the various controversies surrounding the watch. There’s no denying that the P01 is not a watch for everyone. It’s large, it’s bulky, and it has a very unconventional case design that will naturally not appeal to everyone. But what the Tudor P01 does have is an interesting history. This Tudor will line up nicely with my Rolex Kermit.

The Tudor P01 is equipped with a Tudor in house manufacture caliber MT5612. This movement has a variable inertia balance and a non-magnetic silicon balance spring. It is also COSC-certified as a chronometer. The movement offers a 70-hour power reserve. At the price of the P01, a robust and reliable in-house movement from Tudor is actually a great value proposition 

The modern version is slightly bigger than the vintage one (controversial one). There are collectors who believe that this is based on the fake and controversial Rolex and Tudor prototypes that were auctioned years ago by Antiquorum.

http://archive.is/TrRYT

https://www.reddit.com/r/Watches/comments/akoye3/rolex_tudor_the_tudor_7206_and_rolex_1690_fake/?utm_source=amp&utm_medium=&utm_content=post_title

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/the-original-prototype-that-inspired-the-tudor-p01

2019年帝舵推出的Black Bay P01就比較令人有驚豔的感覺，雖然它隸屬Black Bay系列，但是外觀上卻跟我們從2012年看到現在的BB有蠻大差別，但其實這也不算是品牌的全新創意，因為它的設計靈感來自1960年代的帝舵潛水軍錶原型，當時美國政府和帝舵合作開發軍用錶，這款的設計藍本誕生於1967年，它針對潛水計時錶圈的保護裝置有一套獨特的概念，可惜的是當年沒有受到美國政府採用，所以知道這款錶的人不多，不過就在手錶塵封半世紀之後，帝舵2019年終於再把它拿出來當成現代復刻手錶的靈感來源，成為帝舵今年最讓人有新鮮感的作品。

P01憑藉奇特造型以及帝舵自己的產品水準獲得了2019年GPHG的挑戰獎，在定價4000瑞郎的範圍內，它被專業評審認為最值得入手，詮釋出高CP值
https://www.world-wrist-watch.com/zh-Hant/Article/9629

https://www.gphg.org/horlogerie/en/watches/black-bay-p01

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=OavZK_aT4h4

Doxa jumping seconds deadbeat

This was my old blog on the Deadbeat jumping seconds.

Saturday, November 09, 2013

Doxa jumping seconds

There are only a few "jumping second watch" in the world. From what I know, these jumping seconds watch consists of the famous Rolex Trubeat 6556, and the Doxa jumping seconds using the Chezard Cal. 2-115 dead beat 21-jewel mechanism. I have seen a West end as well. 

Doxa was founded in 1889 in La Chaux-de Fonds by Mr Ducommun. The Doxa jumping second watch equipped with calibre Chezard 2-115, with 17 Jewels is often referred as the rolex Tru-Beat cousin.

It's called a "dead seconds" or "jump seconds" movement because the seconds hand jumps from second to second like a quartz watch, but in fact, it's a mechanical watch.

While traveling, I am lucky to find one Doxa jumping seconds where it is extremely rare. There are only a few on web sites around the world and I am luckyto find to one in amazing minty condition. The silvered dial with dauphine hands and gold embossed markers is unrefinished and close to mint.The details: The case, gold-capped bezel and stainless back, measures 35mm across, excluding the unsigned crown...by 42 mm from lug to beefy lug.The stainless steel back has some blemishing as the photos show, but nothing major.Vintage watch people tend to wear out the word "rare." But this time it applies. 

I have seen one with Moonphase in Switzerland but the seller is asking for 4.55 times the price of this making it difficult for me to buy...

AVIA STACCATO WITH CHEZARD 7400 DEADBEAT SECONDS MOVEMENT

This is my third dead beat jumping seconds watch. Found this from Europe. Dead beat seconds ( seconde morte ) aka jumping seconds ( seconde sautante ) is an older complication from 19th century which was first implemented in pocket watches. It was more of a doctors watch so that with every exact second the pulse could be counted. Later this complication has been transferred to wrist watches. Having less space in a wrist watch case, this complication evolved to a sophisticated watchmaking skill. Companies who were able to manufacture this was doing it simply because they could. Kind of haute horlogerie show. Not many were successful to imitate the quartz alike motion of the seconds hand vs swiping hands. It's a mechanical motion, which acts like a quartz watch, not sweeping 5-7 times per second, rather jumping once every second.

Chezard was a premium movement manufacturer back in the days and they have produced 4 dead beat seconds calibers The cal 7400, 7402 ( 7400 + date ), 115 and 116 ( 115 + hacking seconds ). Omega tried it also with their Synchrobeat models but had to collect them back due to malfunctions. Rolex did Tru-beat and they still are around would cost you an arm and a leg. The watchmaker of the watchmakers Jaeger LeCoultre has in the last years launched this complication again in their Geophysic models. So it's a movement which shows accomplishment of manufacturer with small tiny gears and parts working together.

Here we have the Chezard 7400 caliber, utilized by Avia model name Staccato ( Italian, perfect way to describe this complication ), the watch is from mid '50s.

https://www.fratellowatches.com/tbt-dead-seconds-tourist-radio-top/#gref

Omega Constellation Day Date 168.029

This is a Vintage Omega Constellation 18K Gold Bezel Textured Dial Day-Date Watch with Original Bracelet. It has a nice rose gold Movement Omega caliber 751 automatic, 24 jewels, Swiss lever, chronometer certified, adjusted to five positions and temperature, with quickset date function, swan neck micrometric regulator, and rose gold finish. This is an impulse trade I have traded my GP watch and Jovial Moon phase watches for this beauty. It has a nice size even though this is a 1960s vintage watch. I specially like the original crystal which has a widened window space for the Day Date.Previously, I have two of these but somewhere along my days of collecting watches, they were sold to fellow collectors.

Rolex Bubblebacks and the famous celebrities

The Rolex Bubbleback series have been popular among the celebrities and famous even during the early Periods.

For example Hemingway’s 

The Bubbleback pictured to the right is not the actual Hemingway watch, but one like it.

Jacob Palmer (Ryan Gosling) wears a Rolex Bubbleback with the reference 3372 on a brown leather strap.

Some modern watches & some reflections

Besides the Graham tourbillon watch, these are my small collection of modern watches.  I am constantly refining my collection in my efforts to keep the numbers down.The Rolex 16610LV is a giving me great satisfaction as its a tough everyday watch with waterproof and shock protection functions plus a sharp coloured bezel. The Mido Rainbow diver watch at the price is a must for any collector..

Mido Ocean star Powerwind 1000 Rainbow

The Mido Ocean Star Powerwind 1000 ref. 5907 from 1961 (the watch on which the new model is based) was immediately recognizable thanks to the presence of a multi-colored decompression scale on the watch's dial. This eye-catching dive watch was marketed toward early skin divers, as the scale on the dial could indicate the required length of a decompression stop during dives of varying depths and durations. This function-first tool watch was produced from approximately 1961 to 1965.

The Ocean Star Decompression Timer 1961 reproduces the irresistible vintage charm of the Ocean Star Skin Diver Watch, a popular 1960s MIDO model that remains one of the brand’s most sought-after original timepieces to date. Dedicated to the underwater world, this watch also served as a precious diving tool thanks to the multicoloured display of decompression Ko stops on the dial. It uses the best of current technology to revive the striking codes of the time, namely a rotating bezel with countdown timer and a coloured table beneath a ‘glassbox’-style sapphire crystal. This watch is equipped with the Caliber 80, which offers a power reserve of up to 80 hours. Each model comes with three easily interchangeable strap options.

This was was highly sought after by Collector and it was all sold out in Singapore, Malaysia and HK.. Lucky, with the help of Eva, I am able to get the last one from Taiwan.

Ocean Star 減壓測量1961限量錶再現了海洋之星潛水錶的不可抗拒的復古魅力，這是1960年代MIDO流行的款式，至今仍是該品牌最受歡迎的原始時計之一。專用於海底世界，錶盤上的彩色減壓顯示作為珍貴的潛水工具。它利用現今最先進的科技來測量減壓，即帶有倒數計時器的旋轉錶圈和“盒式”藍寶石水晶下方的彩色表。腕錶配備了Calibre80，可提供長達80小時的動力儲存。 另附有三款快拆式錶帶。

Photos of vintage Mido from the internet: two versions, one in feet and another in meter with date