Air-King (current series and brief history)

[r s gibson]

Bought my first Air King in 1985 from my local ROLEX agent.He also had a Daytona for sale at £789.If only!!

[Quarterblood]

any celebrity spots with an Air King...?

[168]

This is my first post. this Forum is awesome. Lots of info.
Will be picking up My Air king in a couple days.
Cant wait...

[brkanand]

Originally Posted by 168

This is my first post. this Forum is awesome. Lots of info.
Will be picking up My Air king in a couple days.
Cant wait...

Welcome to TRF.

[Vetteman]

Wife got this today....

[yannis]

Congrats mate!! Surely she will enjoy it!!

[neebsta]

Originally Posted by neebsta

Oyster Perpetual Super Precision

Here's mine

Joined the site in 2009, and this is my first post (forgot i'd joined :oD)

I am considering selling the above watch. I just don't wear it, and if I'm honest a 34mm dial is just too small!!

I have a price from Ian Blowers to trade against a Panerai, but I'm just wanting a gauge as to whether or not his valuation is fair.

It was sent back to Rolex for a full clean/oil/glass at a not too insignificant cost about 3 years ago, and has since then not been worn once!!!

It's an Oyster Air-king super precision with original pivot bracelet. What is tge difference between precision and Super Precision?

I just want more information really to help me make a decision on whether it should stay, or go!

[1966-Oyster]

Hello Everyone,

I took some photos tonight of my 1969 Air-King 5500. My father purchased this Rolex originally new and passed it down to me some time ago. It is now my one and only Rolex. It is stunning to me how after 42 years Rolex is/was able to design a timepiece that held so much understated elegance and unprecedented performance. The design elements hold up as fresh and inspiring today as they did in 1969. Rolex continues to quietly and confidently set the pace decade after decade. I am proud to be a part of the Rolex family.

You may note I made two changes to this timepiece. I replaced the crystal with a new acrylic Tropic 25-12. I also replaced the smooth bezel for a fluted one. I still have the factory original acrylic crystal and smooth bezel in the event I wish to return the watch to completely original. The hands, face, and markings have never been restored or touched up in any way. This handsome Rolex has always been well taken care of. Below are the photos.

Thank you for looking,
Kevin

[sellingblackbird]

Great story and a great watch!

[KDHfan]

Recently purchased... mine... and the wifes.

[cmnfahad]

my date

similar size with slight differences

[oneillba]

I really like the understated elegance of an Air King. Who knows, I may get one before my watch buying days are over.

[Riseman Weather]

It is pretty amazing a country like Switzerland that was neutral during World War 2 would allow a company like Rolex that is so well known around the world to even mention anything about brave soldiers using their watches to keep track of the time during a war. Anyway, if I had any reason to get the cheapest Rolex. It would be to get the Rolex Air-King, because any country that could fight off the Nazis in the Battle of Britain, and the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights during the Blitz gets my respect. Winston Churchill still has one of the great speeches ever told by another human being about what was to come upon them as the Nazis pounded them over and over. It still gives me chill and teary to hear it every time I hear it. Winston Churchill also wore a Rolex. A pink Rolex Day Date.

Sir Winston Churchill Speech - We shall fight them on the be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6llT2ZYg-4E

[168]

Originally Posted by KDHfan

Recently purchased... mine... and the wifes.

Elegant, simple, and very nice. Great looking pair..

[commando]

[jrpippen]

Here is mine. My first Rolex, and Im ashamed to say I have sold her today to enable me to hang onto another favourite, my Explorer 1. Im determined to have another though.

The blue dial is being swapped at this moment for the original Salmon so il be keeping the dial and hands off this one.

Does anyone one else find the hands on the new chronometer models a little small? The hands on the date are still the larger size, which i find more legible.

??

[commando]

[joe100]

[Oceanrumbles]

In the family since new and worn daily.

[joe100]

Mighty fine AK. Jubilees are much less common

[montresanciennes.com]

Hi There !

It is my first post and I am pleased to join this forum.
Let me introduce myself : JM from Paris (France).

I am fan of the Air King and i would appreciate to find more informations about the evolution / chronology of this model, because it is hard to find on the internet.

The following pictures are the one I wear every day. A 5500 form 1969 :





And the next pictures are another one, gilt dial, from 1958 :






Please note that the side is "flat" :


Very nice fancy clasp :


Best regards, JM.

[joe100]

Greetings and welcome

http://www.rumiz.it/Pagina-Air%20King.html

It's initalian but you can translate it how you see fit. It's the best air king reference on the net. Not complete because some of the movement calibers are left out but not bad either.

Joe

[montresanciennes.com]

Great link, thank you !

[joe100]

No worries

[2th Dr]

Originally Posted by 1966-Oyster

Hello Everyone,

I took some photos tonight of my 1969 Air-King 5500. My father purchased this Rolex originally new and passed it down to me some time ago. It is now my one and only Rolex. It is stunning to me how after 42 years Rolex is/was able to design a timepiece that held so much understated elegance and unprecedented performance. The design elements hold up as fresh and inspiring today as they did in 1969. Rolex continues to quietly and confidently set the pace decade after decade. I am proud to be a part of the Rolex family.

You may note I made two changes to this timepiece. I replaced the crystal with a new acrylic Tropic 25-12. I also replaced the smooth bezel for a fluted one. I still have the factory original acrylic crystal and smooth bezel in the event I wish to return the watch to completely original. The hands, face, and markings have never been restored or touched up in any way. This handsome Rolex has always been well taken care of. Below are the photos.

Thank you for looking,
Kevin

I am fortunate to have been able to obtain this exact watch from Kevin, and it is one I will NEVER flip!

[tommyyu]

hi guys. I just got a AK, 14000M black dial, K serial, at least the certificate reads this.

However, I feel a little disappointed. Isn't this watch too small? I did not expect it to be so small. I have a thin wrist, but it still looks rather small on my wrist. Did I got the ladies size?

I know nothing about Rolex, it is gonna be a present for my dad. He got a much thicker wrist than I. Please help to explain...

Thanks

Tom

[joe100]

The AK is and always has been 34mm. Perfect size

[tommyyu]

Gifts to my parents - AK & DJ.

[R.J.]

What a great thread. Just read every post. Have a Patek for dress and a Sub for daily wear but my AK still finds wrist time weekly. Just a beautiful watch with pedigree.

[joe100]

Yep, one of the longest continuous production rolex watches.