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Experts have previously narrowed down the genuine Explorer 5500 manufacturing dates to approximately 1958 to 1967 with serial numbers no higher than about 1.5 million.
This one has a serial number of 3.3 million and was made sometime around 1970 to 1972.
As a genuine Explorer 5500 is very rare, and redialed Air Kings are relatively common, the chances are high that this one started out life as an Air King and was redialed with an aftermarket dial.
Rolex service people are not stupid, nor are they incapable of looking at production records, so they probably made an assessment that this had an aftermarket dial based on the fact that the watch was made a considerable time after a genuine Explorer 5500 would have left the factory and also that the dial had some features which identified it as not genuine.
Photos will be good, but maybe not too helpful as some of the aftermarket dials are exceptionally good and, if the dial cannot be removed from the movement, only a detailed examination comparing the texture and thickness of the lume with a genuine dial can determine its authenticity.
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