I’ve looked for the right white/tritium dialled Explorer II for a long time!

Well, I’m certainly happy this morning – after all the chopping and changing of late, the ins and outs have come to an end for now with a watch arrival that resolves one of my more painful regrets over the last couple of years.

The “Great White” Sea Dweller was released in 1977, and achieved it’s monicker as a consequence of Rolex’s decision to do away with the red font on the DRSD and replace it with… well, white. Also gone was the reference to the Submariner on the dial and the engraving on the case back was changed slightly. However, to my knowledge the same case was used and of course they came with the wonderful Tropic 39 Superdome crystal.

This one dates to 1980, and has a NOS crystal to set off the flawless dial (a Mark II, identifiable from the italic “ft” and “m” and the closed 6). The case is in great shape with fat lugs and sharp bevels, and the only think it could do with is an insert change as it’s wearing a service replacement. In fact, I’ve already bought a ghost insert for it, which should give the watch a pretty unique appearance.

I’m absolutely thrilled with this – my last Great White was a beauty but I actually think this one is even nicer. It’s pretty obvious that I’ve moved away from vintage Rolex sports watches for now, but to my mind the 1665 is the greatest watch that Rolex have ever produced and the opportunity to acquire another was irresistible.

The Milgauss is one of the more interesting watches in the Rolex line-up, and also one of the most underestimated. It’s history goes back some 60 years, when (according to some sources) Rolex was commissioned by CERN to produce a watch that could be safely worn by scientists that were working in the field of electromagnetic technology (see what I did there?) – something that was becoming increasingly commonplace. Now, the problem was that mechanical watches are regulated by a balance wheel and hairspring, and magnetic fields don’t do them any favours. In fact, a watch that’s been subjected to a magnetic field will often run too fast or too slow; in fact, if the force is strong enough, it’ll likely stop running altogether.

Rolex’s answer to this problem was the original Milgauss, released in 1954 at much the same time as IWC released the first Ingenieur – another watch designed with antimagnetic properties. Both utilised a Faraday Cage to enclose the movement, the idea being that it would divert a magnetic field and protect the environment inside it (which included the balance wheel and hairspring). In fact, the name “Milgauss” is derived from the French word mille (meaning 1,000) and gauss (the unit of meaurement for the strength of magnetic fields), and the Milgauss was able to withstand fields of up to 1000 gauss.

The early models were not particularly popular, and production actually ceased in 1988. However, the line-up included one watch that is now a vintage classic – the 1019, which these days can go for upwards of £20k in decent condition…

As well as the original 6451 (check out the lightning-bolt second hand… look familiar?)

So, fast forward a few decades and we come to the current line-up – three models of quite different appearance but all featuring the same technology. Inside is a calibre 3131 movement that’s unique to this model (and which is essentially a thinner version of the 3130); a Blu Parachrom hairspring which is completely resilient to magnetic interference; and a Faraday Cage/inner case back – just to make absolutely sure of it’s antimagnetic capabilities. Aside from that, though, it really is a quite beautifully engineered watch, with a fit and finish that puts some of the other models to shame. It’s heavy too – heavier even than the Sea dweller, whilst still being supremely comfortable on the wrist.

The reason that I’m wittering on about the Milgauss is actually because I picked one up today; not quite on impulse as I’ve been looking at them for a while now (and made a couple of unsuccessful attempts to buy one previously). It somehow manages to be both sporty and dressy at the same time, and the GV (with a green-tinted crystal) as also unusual enough that you won’t see anything else even vaguely similar. I’m really happy with it, especially as this one came unworn and fully-stickered as genuine NOS. Anyway, here’s a few shots taken very quickly when I got home this afternoon, and before I popped out again for dinner. I’ll take some more at some point with a little more care and attention to lighting, but I think these give a pretty good impression of just how nice a watch it is. Oh, and you’ll see that it also has an engraved case back – the only Rolex aside from the Sea Dweller to do so.

I’ve found that, of late, I’ve been suffering from sports watch overload. I’m drawn towards complications anyway, and more and more towards dressier styles of watch.

Over time, I’m intending to reduce my collection to seven watches; three of them will be at the dressier end of the scale and will include two JLC’s (the Perpetual Calendar and the Grande Reverso Sun Moon that’s due to arrive next week). The other will be this one, which I picked up today and have taken some first shots of. It’s an incredibly difficult watch to photograph, actually, and using high-power strobes just makes the task harder. As a first attempt, though, it’ll do.

Now, three from seven leaves four, and that’s going to be really tough.

I bought this watch months ago, but have only ever worn it with the spare heat-treated bezel insert that it came with. Until today, that is, when I popped the original bezel and insert on to see what it looks like.

What a difference! I’ll be keeping it like this now, as I think I may just prefer it.

I picked up some studio flash heads today, and have been trying a couple of shots to see how they come out. This one was with a softbox and a bit of fill light bounced from an umbrella… not bad, and with some practice I’m sure I can perfect it.

I’ve been neglecting my watches… here’s the most Rolex of Rolex, then.

Is that you can forget the watches that you really love. I’ve had quite a few new pieces arriving over the last couple of months, but someone posted a shot of a Sea Dweller earlier and I happened to stumble across it as I was having my morning surf (no, that’s not a euphemism). Anyway, I was soon retrieving the Pelicase from it’s cubby-hole and putting my Triple 6 on in place of the Tuna that’s been glued to my wrist for a while.

As the new camera arrived this morning, I thought “why not”…

I’m not sure what it is about Sea Dwellers, but I find them almost irresistible for some reason. This one, clearly, is a little bit different, which just adds to it’s appeal; in fact, I was almost tempted to pop the original bezel and insert on it this morning but in the end I decided to leave it as is.

It’s hard to articulate just how much I love this watch, but if things should ever go pear-shaped this is the one I would never sell. In fact, as an only watch you could do a lot worse.

I’ve had this 666 for a while now, and I do love it – it’s just the perfect all-round watch whilst the dial and insert give it a touch of the unusual and make it very special. From the moment I bought it I’ve used NATO or Zulu straps of one description or another but today – for our trip to Winter Wonderland – I decided to mount the bracelet for a change.

I really like it, and with a few watches now safely stored at the bank this is actually the only one I have on a bracelet at present.