Rolex's Tesla Challenge

[GONZO2LR]

Originally Posted by colonelpurple

As a reference, the magnets in use today in MRI are in the 0.5-Tesla to 3.0-Tesla range, or 5,000 to 30,000 gauss. This is considered harmless.


If you were mad enough, you could have your watch in a bag next to the MRI machine and a 40,000 watch protection would be ok, but I wouldn't risk it.

Funnily enough I did put a watch in a locker outside an MRI room last year. it was a mistake, I should have taken my Casio. Anyway the watch was heavily magnetised and I need to buy a de-magnetiser - which was a bit of fun!

???i've put my sub in a locker outside an MRI room for years and years...at least 5 times...no issues....????

[Milkshake]

Originally Posted by SearChart

They're the same watch.

Nope

[Easy E]

Originally Posted by Milkshake

Nope

Sooo…..do you know what that guy does for a living?

[Milkshake]

Originally Posted by Easy E

Sooo…..do you know what that guy does for a living?

He repairs Rolex watches.

But anyway he’s just a human and we’re all the same! Only some minor cosmetic differences, which don’t amount to individualism

[illiguy]

Wow. Thanks for sharing, OP!

[Easy E]

Originally Posted by Milkshake

My take is this technology will be in every Rolex.

The Milgauss is gone forever.

I'm inclined to disagree. I think they will absolutely bring a Milguass back on account of this (or comparable). No way they just let this slide into regular production without some amount of fanfare. It's a big deal.

[Easy E]

In all fairness, I also think it will eventually make it into all or most models. Maybe rather quickly even.

[thegrandseirolexguy]

Thanks for sharing. Interesting post indeed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bluestreak]

Originally Posted by Milkshake

Yes, not effectively the same at all. Are all Rolex with parachrome hairspring effectively the same? Obviously they aren’t and AK is not the same watch as a Milgauss, however one tries to make it so.

I didn’t say they were the same watch. I said they use the same case. Which is shielded with a soft iron core. Which is undeniably true.
We’re talking about antimagnetism. And as far as that goes the Air King and are the same.

Green Crystal and polish and dial don’t make a bit of difference in any-magnetism.

[russ86]

Wow thanks for interesting info!

[Milkshake]

Originally Posted by bluestreak

I didn’t say they were the same watch. I said they use the same case. Which is shielded with a soft iron core. Which is undeniably true.
We’re talking about antimagnetism. And as far as that goes the Air King and are the same.

Green Crystal and polish and dial don’t make a bit of difference in any-magnetism.

[saxo3]

Originally Posted by RTG

Awesome intel. Thanks for posting. Looking forward to the next Milguass.

Originally Posted by SearChart

Very interesting stuff! Definitely hope for the return of the Milgauss

Originally Posted by Rolex1982

Thnx OP for sharing the info!!

Originally Posted by cpatab2020

Great info in this thread. Thank you.

Originally Posted by lab rat

Interesting. Thanks, OP.

Originally Posted by travisb

Thanks for the info and research! Maybe a new Milgauss in the works.

Originally Posted by Scottyboy

Very interesting and informative, thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by learnmids

Interesting post.Thanks

Originally Posted by illiguy

Wow. Thanks for sharing, OP!

Originally Posted by thegrandseirolexguy

Thanks for sharing. Interesting post indeed.

Originally Posted by russ86

Wow thanks for interesting info!

Many thanks, let me explain in more detail how I see this development.

Among many technically relevant details, the Rolex patent application(Demande de Brevet) states the following:

"The measurements were carried out using a superconducting magnet from Oxford Instruments, which can apply a magnetic field of up to 12 T (120,000 G) with a field homogeneity of < ± 2%. The working gas temperature was 20±2°C."

"The invention proposes an inertial element enabling a watch movement to operate without stopping under an intense magnetic field, in particular a magnetic field with an intensity of 8'000 G, or even 15'000 G, or even 20'000 G, or even 30'000 G, while ensuring a residual rate of less than 1 s/d after such exposure."

Interestingly, they reached "only" 4 T (40.000 G) even though the instrument could go up to a maximum field of 12 T. The experiment was successful, and the caliber worked inside a magnetic field of up to 4 T, but not higher.

From that I conclude that this patent application is (only) the first step to develop a watch that can resist much higher magnetic fields than 4 T, 6 T, 8 T, 10 T, or even 12 T.

I can see a development comparable with the Rolex Deepsea Challenge (waterproof to 11,000 metres / 36,090 feet), which holds (as far as I know) the world record depth for professional dive watches.

The same is going to happen with this invention. Rolex wants to obtain the world record for a watch that still works (with a certain accuracy) in a VERY high magnetic field, i.e., larger than 16 T (16.000 Gauss). The needed superconducting magnet is a very special one but can be built.

The ultimate aim is not to design and build a new Milgauss, or a comparable watch of this type, but to research and develop a new movement, integrated into a new watch design, which exceeds what a competitor reached some years ago.

During this Rolex development, which will take years, any improvements can be used either for already existing or future new watch models. The final R&D goal is a different though.

All above is what I conclude from the patent application; research and development will certainly not stop at 4 T, and not serve to build a (much) better new Milgauss. That would be too simple for Rolex. They research for a 17-20 T resistant watch to obtain a new world record, like for the Deepsea Challenge. Yes, it is a BIG DEAL, imho.

If any customer needs a 20 T magnetic field resistant watch is a completely different discussion.

[bluestreak]

Originally Posted by Milkshake

The quintessential response of someone who is wrong…

[Milkshake]

Originally Posted by bluestreak

The quintessential response of someone who is wrong…

[csaltphoto]

Originally Posted by 77T

In the Milgauss, Rolex achieved its magnetic field resistance in part by protecting the movement with an internal soft iron cover.

The apparent advantage of the patent is that such a Faraday cage wouldn’t be necessary.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

This is the part I never understood but would like to. The soft iron core is VERY magnetic, easily magnetized. Wouldn't it influence the watches movement if magnetized? Or would the fact that it was evenly magnetized cancel this out?

[bluestreak]

Originally Posted by csaltphoto

This is the part I never understood but would like to. The soft iron core is VERY magnetic, easily magnetized. Wouldn't it influence the watches movement if magnetized? Or would the fact that it was evenly magnetized cancel this out?

https://science.howstuffworks.com/faraday-cage.htm


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[saxo3]

Originally Posted by csaltphoto

This is the part I never understood but would like to. The soft iron core is VERY magnetic, easily magnetized. Wouldn't it influence the watches movement if magnetized? Or would the fact that it was evenly magnetized cancel this out?

Magnetic fields cannot be blocked but only redirected. Magnetic shielding can be achieved
by using materials with high magnetic permeability, such as soft iron or mu-metal. These materials attract magnetic field lines, redirecting them around the area that needs to be shielded (here the watch movement). Soft iron is used because it does not retain its magnetism when the magnetic field is switched off, so it does not become permanently magnetized

[Imran]

Originally Posted by SearChart

They're the same watch.

To my knowledge, the 126900 newest air king has a different case than its predecessor. It's flat sided and much less thick. Very close to a GMT style case. Is that incorrect?

[drrd]

Originally Posted by GONZO2LR

???i've put my sub in a locker outside an MRI room for years and years...at least 5 times...no issues....????

I think the ‘fringe field’ outside the scanning room is required to be at least four orders of magnitude less than in the scanner, a fraction of a mT.

They used to just put scanners in really big rooms with passive shielding but these days scanners usually have a smaller outer secondary coil that runs out of phase with the larger inner coil to actively shield the room and beyond.

[SearChart]

Originally Posted by Imran

To my knowledge, the 126900 newest air king has a different case than its predecessor. It's flat sided and much less thick. Very close to a GMT style case. Is that incorrect?

Correct, the newest version has a completely different case and no longer has the anti-magnetic inner case. It also houses the 3230 instead of the 3131.

[colonelpurple]

Originally Posted by GONZO2LR

???i've put my sub in a locker outside an MRI room for years and years...at least 5 times...no issues....????

Very reassuring. I guess my one must have been less shielded :O