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The Index — Vintage watches, decoded.References, dials and variants up to 2000

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Rolex Milgauss 6543 · The Index

Brands
Rolex
Milgauss
6543

Milgauss 6543

c. 1954–?1 variant

The first Milgauss, made for only a couple of years in the mid-1950s and often treated as a proof of concept. Odd 19–20 mm lug width that fits no standard Oyster bracelet; iron ring around the movement and a thick caseback for shielding.

Most believe fewer than a couple of hundred were made; only a handful have surfaced. Phillips puts the 6543 and 6541 together at under 200 pieces.

Variants over time

Production years have not been recorded for these variants.

Variants

Honeycomb Dial, Submariner-Style BezelUndated
Told from the 6541 by its Submariner-style 60-minute rotating bezel, dauphine hands and plain straight seconds hand (no lightning bolt). Black honeycomb dial with faceted triangular markers at 3, 6 and 9. Christie’s sold an example in 2017 for CHF 271,500; another sold in 2012 carried a later 6541 bezel and 1019 service hands.
Faraday cageHoneycomb dial

Reference specifications

Brand: Rolex
Model: Milgauss
Reference: 6543
Category: Sport
Production: c. 1954–?
Case material: Stainless steel
Case diameter: 38 mm
Date: No

More specifications (2)

Crystal: Acrylic
Movement: Automatic

Read more

In-Depth: The Past, Present, And Future Of The Rolex MilgaussRead more at HODINKEE (opens in a new tab)
What's The Legacy Of The Rolex Milgauss?Read more at Phillips (opens in a new tab)
Fratello's Top 5 Rolex Milgauss ModelsRead more at Fratello (opens in a new tab)
Why Did A Rolex Milgauss Ref. 6541 Fetch CHF 2.2 Million?Read more at Fratello

Automatic

Specs shared by all variants. Variant pages show where a variant differs.

(opens in a new tab)

Highlights: Christie's Hong Kong Watch AuctionRead more at SJX Watches (opens in a new tab)

Rolex Milgauss Review & Buying Guide - Is It Worth Buying?Read more at Bob's Watches (opens in a new tab)

All Milgauss references

Next reference6541