The Rolex Air King (Past and present)

[mikeinalexandria]

My dad wore an old Rolex Air King with the rivet bracelet for many years. He let me wear it in high school and college once in a while. Very similar to the photo below. He traded it on a two tone Datejust a few years back. I kind of wish he kept and restored it.



I bought a 14000 Air King with a grey dial in 1991. Similar to the photos below. I wore it daily till 2008 when I traded it on the GMT Master II. It visited Rolex twice, once for a stuck spring and once to do a nice update and cleaning including changing the dial to blue. Pics below. The Air Kings are still neat watches!

[pknopp]

I'm still deciding what I want as my first Rolex and I'm really thinking it should be an Air King. Not because they are generally less expensive but because the more subdued look is more to my liking.

It's to me just a really classic design.

[brkanand]

Originally Posted by pknopp

I'm still deciding what I want as my first Rolex and I'm really thinking it should be an Air King. Not because they are generally less expensive but because the more subdued look is more to my liking.

It's to me just a really classic design.

I agree with you. They are underrated. Good luck with your purchase.

[powerfunk]

Originally Posted by pknopp

I'm still deciding what I want as my first Rolex and I'm really thinking it should be an Air King. Not because they are generally less expensive but because the more subdued look is more to my liking.

It's to me just a really classic design.

I agree. Also, the AK is the most comfortable watch I've ever worn. It's like butter on your wrist. My 5500 gets more wrist time than my Sub and GMT...keeps incredible time too!

There are so many nice AK dials to choose from. Enjoy the hunt.

[s1nn3d]

Originally Posted by mikeinalexandria

My dad wore an old Rolex Air King with the rivet bracelet for many years. He let me wear it in high school and college once in a while. Very similar to the photo below. He traded it on a two tone Datejust a few years back. I kind of wish he kept and restored it.



I bought a 14000 Air King with a grey dial in 1991. Similar to the photos below. I wore it daily till 2008 when I traded it on the GMT Master II. It visited Rolex twice, once for a stuck spring and once to do a nice update and cleaning including changing the dial to blue. Pics below. The Air Kings are still neat watches!

The grey dial looks really nice.

[s1nn3d]

Guys, what kind of dial is on this AK 14000?

[joe100]

Grey tritium


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[s1nn3d]

Originally Posted by joe100

Grey tritium


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Hi, Joe! :) What I mean is what dial design if there's such a thing is on my sample 14000? If you look at the blue dialled 14000 of mikeinalexandria, it has sub second markers as compared to my sample 14000 which has none.

Originally Posted by mikeinalexandria

[joe100]

It doesn't have a name or anything like that. It's just a 1990s grey tritium dial.


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[s1nn3d]

Originally Posted by joe100

It doesn't have a name or anything like that. It's just a 1990s grey tritium dial.


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Got it! As always, thanks joe! :)

[realist alive]

is it odd or rare that my air king from my first post doesn't say precision on the face. I haven't been able to find another one like it.

[joe100]

Some AKs came without the text. Not common but not exactly rare

[Blue September]

Hi all!
I'm waiting for my (second hand) Oyster Perpetual 70's Air King 5500 to arrive. Can anyone tell me the distance between the lugs? I plan to buy an alternative strap for it.
Thanks!
John

[joe100]

It's 19mm on the 5500

[travis0306]

Just a question
"the 60's 5500 explorer is 32mm and the 60's 5500 airking is 34mm?"

please correct me if I am wrong.

[powerfunk]

Originally Posted by travis0306

Just a question
"the 60's 5500 explorer is 32mm and the 60's 5500 airking is 34mm?"

please correct me if I am wrong.

From everything I've read, 5500 Air Kings and 5500 Explorers are literally identical except for the dial. "5500"' refers to the case, which is a 34mm case. 5500's are great!

[joe100]

Most people won't touch a 5500 explorer with a barge pole because its the easiest vintage Rolex to fake with genuine parts. Get a correct serial range AK, drop in a new dial and hands and you have a 5500 explorer. I'd buy one as long as it came with papers however.


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[Kiwinz]

A few pics from my 5500 just back from service and only had a new crown and tube fitted, rest is in brilliant condition.

[Gerardus]

Nice, thanks for sharing

[joe100]

Mighty fine!


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[Blue September]

That's gorgeous! What's the strap?

[Kiwinz]

Originally Posted by Blue September

That's gorgeous! What's the strap?

Not quite sure, Croc style with inside calf leather lineing.

Certainly not a very expensive one,...the Buckle be worth 10x more

[joe100]

Either way, it looks great with the Rolex buckle.


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[bonguya]

P9220006.jpg

[luca.321]

This is mine.

Just received as present. I really don`t understand about rolex (just started).
It doesn`t have a box, certificate and nothing written on the back.

What the best way to understand the reference & value?

Thanks guys.

[IMG][/IMG]

[joe100]

Hi Luca

What you have there is a Rolex AirKing 5500. From the dial I can tell it appears to be a 1970s model, maybe slightly earlier. The 5500 was one of Rolex longest running references. The reference and serial numbers are located between the lugs.

Very nice watch regardless!

[Gugnunc]

Just to point out that the 1530 movement shown by Kiwinz has a stick regulator. For a long time it had been "received wisdom" that all 1530 movements had a microstellar adjuster and that this was one of the features which distinguished them from the 1520. (I believe that "Precisions" have 1520 movements and "Super Precisions" have 1530s). However there are so many instances of 1530s with stick adjusters (my own watch is one such) that I firmly believe that the 1530 was manufactured with both types of adjusters and not exclusively microstellars. Is it possible that early 1530s were microstellar and later ones stick or vice-versa? My own watch is 1963 manufactured and 1530 "stick" and I note that the one belonging to Kiwinz was made in late 1958.

[joe100]

With rolex there is no rhyme or reason.

[Walter Wharton]

Dear Members,

Can anyone tell me what the difference is between the references numbered as follows : 11000 11000M

Many thanks an interested Rolex owner

Kind regards

Walter Wharton

[joe100]

Otho k you mean 14000 and 14000m. The difference is the movement. The 14000 has a cal 3000 and the 14000m has a 3130. That's it.

The 3130 is used in the current AK line as well