Thoughts on the Air King?

[Seddyspaghetti]

i'd wear it if given for free

[mmalek1]

I am going on two weeks with this one and I can honestly say I love it. The lack of lume held me back for awhile, but as others have said, you don’t really need the full lume to read with minimal lighting. The white gold 3-6-9 shine just bright enough to see them. In addition, I can still tell the time close enough when in full darkness if I need too. The busy dial and colors do work for me. I like the uniqueness of it. One of my favorite parts of the watch is the weight. I actually prefer the weight over the explorer I. I believe my air king weighs 153grams vs 158 on my explorer II that has a glidelock on it. I got this as a birthday gift to myself and while still fresh in the honeymoon stage, it has been on my wrist everyday and night since I got it.

[Mifune]

Nice...

[Rashid.bk]

Originally Posted by HTXdev14

Hey Everyone!

So I’ve been seriously thinking about my next buy and I am getting more and more interested in the Air King. I’ve always been interested in aviation and the more I look at the Air King, the more it’s growing on me!

I wanted to reach out and get y’all’s opinion on it (especially from the owners)! I saw a few people mentioned that it might be discontinued? Is that true? If so, that definitely affects my timing as I don’t want to miss the boat.

I was also thinking about finding it from a grey? Thoughts on that being the better route?

From my point of view, there are very few Rolex that don't have a certain appeal when digested accordingly in the right context. If there's a watch that touches you, then don't worry about it's popularity in the public, go for it.
It took a while but I think the Airking is a damn nice watch and a very unique Rolex in design. If I had the budget for it I would purchase it no question, that being the case I have to pick my battles and save for the ones I can't live without, so to speak.

[Plant]

Love the older ones. I like the little splash of green on the current one but other than that Im not a fan, the dial is way too busy for me with all the numbers.

[foo4rolex]

Finally, got a chance to see it in person !!!
Loving it...

[EmmyRose]

The Air-King is a fun piece...love the colors! Just picked it up last week. It makes me happy every time I look at the dial.

[Yess]

Absolutely love mine.
A lot of comments I've read have said the dial is busy/cluttered. Then you see this is coming from owners of Daytonas.
Thing about the Air-King, unlikely you'll run in to another one in the wild, is a great size, good heft, and pops of colour really make it interesting.

[nachopc]

Originally Posted by doramas

Weighs like a rock

This plus thickness


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[morglaw]

Air King looks very nice, love it

[White Collar Boy]

Obviously divisive. I would love to have one of the new ones. Own a vintage one, which I love, but no relation—except by name—to the modern thing. I am a big fan of the modern one. You have probably seen that quite a few people predict it will be a future classic, but the only thing that should really matter is how you feel about it, of course.

This is one you might be able to buy new from an AD, without the infamous waiting etc. Let us know if you get one.

[Redbox]

Love mine

[APPRF]

Bloodhound Air King on green Everest rubber

[APPRF]

Bloodhound Air King on black Rubber B

[subx]

Originally Posted by sammy11

I picked one up last month having never seen one in person... something for a bit of fun.

Let me tell you.... it looks amazing in the metal. Pictures just can't pick up the contrast on the dial. I love all components, even the WG 369 - which I might consider having lume as with the Explorer - but I'm still on the fence with this as the polished WG really just pops when the light hits it.

Don't get me wrong, the lume debate is cool when one gets the UV lamp out or buggers about charging up the lume with a light before turning them off. But in reality, I never see benefits from using the LUME. Trust me, if there is even the slightest glimmer of light in the room then the high polish 369 reflects enough of a glint to tell the time... otherwise use ur phone!!!

The weight is spot on, has a lovely heft of quality that I find appealing also. A true daily IMO

If your an F1 fan... where else can you see that green/gold logo that's plastered all over the course (and lit up on top of Rolex HQ) other than on this Bloodhound AirKing.

At the price... why wouldn't you get one???

could not have said it any better : this is the 411 on the Bloodhound AirKing.

[PatrickGu]

I just got one today it is an amazing watch! Pics or videos don’t do this watch justice. It’s a different beast on the wrist. The green really pops! The dial doesn’t seem as busy in person and I find it very easy to read.

[Thuilln]

Originally Posted by Seddyspaghetti

i'd wear it if given for free

Even if free, I wouldn’t.

[JMtimes5]

Two years in, I’m still in love.
I love the quirkiness of it. Nothing like it in the current Rolex lineup.
I love the heft and the wrist presence.
If you don’t want to be a follower, this might be for you.




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[Asanch12]

The Air King is gorgeous, IMHO pictures don’t capture that. This piece is by far one of the most comfortable to wear, the wrist presence is perfect and I’ve enjoyed mine.


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[asisrich]

Offered it from my AD and passed on this a few times.

I knew it was something I had to learn to love and there was a slim chance I wouldn't ever like it.

I'm fortunate to have a few Rolexes, but if this is anyone's first Rolex or 2nd then it makes sense especially given the price point and possible collectability given it's strange dial.

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[Db7566]

Originally Posted by APPRF

I see a lot of love for the Bloodhound Air King these days. Big change from before. A note for all who have a Rolex Land, Air, Sea collection. If you don't have a Bloodhound Air King you don't have a Rolex air watch. The Air King is the only flieger (the 5 instead of 05 on the dial is because it's a flieger dial design) in the Rolex collection. GMT, and Sky Dweller Rolex are travel watches.

I’ll disagree with your definition of pilot watch. I do not claim to have my history down perfect but I’d prefer to stay clear of nazi war design.


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[dpvillanueva]

I definitely want one of those Bloodhound ones. Looks good for daily use!

[APPRF]

Originally Posted by Db7566

I’ll I’d prefer to stay clear of nazi war design.


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German design, I'm sure Rolex knows better in these matters. I prefer we don't go into this stuff.

[Twovalvekid]

Love mine. Was what i initially wanted then convinced myself it was too busy and gawdy while waiting on either it or an Exp 1. AD called and had an AK so i went and took a look. I walked out with it. Lots more space on the dial than in pics and nowhere near as busy looking. I think the WG 3-6-9 helps this as in most light it just makes the numbers disappear. The owner of the AD i got mine from walked in and he had one on, and even looking at it on someone else from a distance it looked much less busy. The green/yellow also is much more "muted" in person.

Couple pics:

[Junior_]

Odd dial. Too many fonts. Buy it before it’s discontinued.

[VegasMilgauss]

To me it just seems like they have put the white gold 3 6 9s from the old explorer in the Milgauss case, thrown on a generic stamped bracelet, coupled it with a headache inducing dial and font scheme and added in a green second hand for good measure.

A unique reference for sure.

Attraction definitely isn’t a choice!

[Etschell]

My favorite one is the 36 mm blue dial 3 6 9

[mykii]

Originally Posted by SDREW22

Missed opportunity by not going with a full lume dial here. That would have made this a stunner!

That is the reason it exists! The current Air King was literally introduced to suck up surplus Explorer dials. It may one day have one, though, if Rolex decides to retain it.

[HORNBLOWER]

It looks much better in reality.

[spclagent7]

I had been thinking about this Air King since its 2016 release. Last July I finally decided I wanted it, only to find out it’s now hard to get. Don’t know if true, but authorized dealers all over So Cal have been saying that Air King has recently been the most requested stainless steel model.

Anyhow, today I got a call from Rolex store that Air King came in!