The Myth and Allure of the Legendary Midas Watches

The Fascinating History of Midas Watches

In the world of luxury watches, few timepieces have captured the imagination quite like the mythical Midas watches. Conjuring images of a golden touch and unimaginable wealth, the Midas holds a special place in horology lore. Yet, despite their fame, Midas watches remain shrouded in mystery and intrigue. This is the story behind the legend of these opulent and elusive timepieces.

The Birth of Midas Watches

Midas watches trace their origins to the brilliant mind of renowned watch designer Gerald Genta. In the 1960s, Genta made waves by creating iconic luxury sport watches like the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Patek Philippe Nautilus. By the early 1970s, Genta sought a new challenge - to design the world's most expensive watch. He envisioned a timepiece forged entirely from precious metals and envisioned it to be the crowning glory of luxury watchmaking.

In 1972, Genta unveiled his concept to watch executives from Rolex. Known as the “King Midas,” the watch featured an oval case and integrated bracelet crafted entirely from 18k yellow gold or platinum. Even the watch's grooved bezel and signature “Phillips head” screws were made from precious metals. The rich yellow hue and lustrous shine evoked imagery of King Midas from Greek mythology, whose touch could turn objects into gold.

The Myth of the Solid Gold Watch

As the watch that purportedly cost $5 million to produce in the 1970s, the King Midas understandably captured public fascination. For decades, rumors swirled around its precious metal construction and record-shattering price tag. However, the truth behind the myth is rather more complex.

According to historians, Rolex did not actually produce full solid gold watches as Genta envisioned. Instead, the Midas watches Rolex manufactured featured gold plating over stainless steel base plates. This allowed Rolex to control costs while giving the watches a rich external gold appearance. Only a handful were supposedly made, gifted to a select group that likely included the Shah of Iran.

So while the legend of the solid gold Midas lives on, the reality was somewhat more practical. Still, with thick gold plating, ornate finishing, and hefty 40mm cases, Midas watches oozed extravagance worthy of their name. They remain the closest interpretation to Genta’s ambitious solid gold concept.

The Modern Midas Legacy

Today, vintage Midas watches from the 70s rank among the rarest and most valuable Rolex timepieces ever produced. With so few in existence, they trade hands for astronomical sums whenever they occasionally appear at auction. Their seminal place in Rolex iconography is assured.

Moreover, the Midas legend continues to captivate the imagination of contemporary watch enthusiasts. Other brands have released their own revivals of Genta’s concept, from Hublot’s Big Bang to Urban Jürgensen’s jaw-dropping PT 9300-SS08 Midas. For many, the magic and mythos permanently connected to the Midas name endure across generations.

The Allure of Solid Gold Timepieces

At their heart, Midas watches represent the enduring allure of solid gold in watchmaking. For centuries, gold’s radiant glow, heft, and intrinsic value has imbued it as the ultimate insignia of luxury. As items of immense emotion, identity, and significance, a solid gold timepiece represents the apex of prestige.

The Science Behind Gold's Appeal

The unique atomic qualities of gold lend to its universal appeal. Scientists attribute its glittering yellow radiance to how the element's electrons interact with light. The metal's density accounts for its satisfying weight and tactile sensuality. Its natural resistance to corrosion and tarnish contributes to an enduring aesthetic and financial value.

There are also interesting psychological associations with gold tied to collective conceptions of wealth, status, and human fascination with rarity. As a material entwined with society’s primal economic systems, lust for gold appears deeply ingrained into human instinct.

The Allure of a Golden Touch

Owning something crafted completely from precious metal represents the ultimate demonstration of material worth. Like the mythical King Midas, possessing a solid gold watch offers a modern tangibility to the fantasy of holding nearly magical power in one’s palm.

The Midas legend also underscores gold’s capacity to uplift an item beyond its functional purpose into something greater. Like alchemy, forging timekeeping capability from pure precious material creates an object duality - one both commonplace yet elevated in stature.

In this elevated status there arises an intangible value that cannot be measured by weight in karats alone. There is delight in both rarity and irony - that bare necessities like screws, bezels and dials achieve pricelessness when rendered through precious means. For owners, enjoyment stems from gold’s luxurious irony as much as its monetary implications.

The Height of Watchmaking Ambition

Above all, Midas watches signify horology at its ambitious peak. Gerald Genta envisioned a timepiece without compromise, fashioned to be the apex of luxury watchmaking. The exercised will and technical prowess required to manufacture functional mechanical watches from solid precious metal puts Midas watches in rarefied air.

Pinnacle of Design and Engineering

While subsequent Midas tributes have reinterpreted Genta’s iconic gold aesthetics, none have matched the complexity of constructing an entire self-contained mechanical watch from precious metal. Integrating bands, dials, movements and complications using gold or platinum poses tremendous engineering challenges.

There exists artistry not just on the outside but also within, uniting high watchmaking with precious material in a remarkable feat. The few OG Rolex Midas watches thus represent a pinnacle marriage of design ambition with manufacturing acumen unseen before or since.

Symbolic of Watchmaking's Past, Future Relevance

On another level, Midas watches symbolize watchmaking’s evolving identity from technological necessity to cherished luxury. As functionality becomes less relevant in modern times due to smartphones and smart wearables, mechanical watches must increasingly trade on luxury appeal.

With units like Midas watches breaths relevance into an ancient craft. They provide a bridge linking watchmaking's instrumented past to a desired future as emotional objects of passion. In precious metal, Midas watches literally and metaphorically glow - proudly declaring luxury mechanical watchmaking shall endure through the ages.

FAQs

Were the original Midas watches really made entirely from solid gold?

No, the original Midas watches produced by Rolex for King Faisal of Saudi Arabia in the 1970s were not made fully from solid gold. While designer Gerald Genta envisioned the Midas to be crafted entirely from precious metals, the real watches had gold plating over stainless steel to control costs.

How many Rolex Midas watches were actually produced?

The exact number is unknown, but watch experts estimate around a dozen Midas watches were produced, making them exceptionally rare. Some experts believe the Midas watches were only ever gifted and never formally sold to the public.

What makes the Midas watches so valuable today?

As one of the rarest Rolex watches ever produced and the stuff of legend, Midas watches trade hands today for incredible sums exceeding $500,000 to over $1 million. Their value stems from tiny production numbers, symbolic place in watchmaking history, and the exoticism of their all-gold style and mythos.

Has Rolex or any other brand revived the Midas watch?

Modern interpretations of Genta's iconic all-gold concept include the Hublot Big Bang Midas and Urban Jürgensen PT 9300-SS08 Midas. However, no brand has replicated the full solid gold engineering ambition of the original 1970s Rolex Midas - making those watches uniquely special in horology history.