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Old 30 October 2016, 08:17 AM   #1
Portland
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Rolex Airking - advice/opinions

Hello everyone!

I am looking for my first Rolex and am in discussions with a really nice guy (and verified seller) in my area who has an Airking. I am not sure of the exact model but he said he thinks it is early 80s. He is interested in a trade for one of my watches and I was hoping to get some input/opinions from the group. I have done some research on this model though I admit there is a ton I don't know.
I have a smallish wrist at 6.75" so a 34mm won't bother me. I'm looking for a nice piece to wear around the office, out on a date with my wife where a little dress up is required, etc.

A few things I was hoping to glean from the group:

-Does anyone have this model that can speak to its reliability and time keeping accuracy?
-From searching Chrono24 the value of these tends to vary from $2,200-$3,300 depending on condition and if it's on the steel bracelet. Does that sound about right?
-This is a stainless steel case but the dial is advertised as "gold". Is it just gold colored or is actual gold?
-Does anything odd or unoriginal stand out to you in the photos? I don't know enough about it to know if something is out of place.
-Does this piece look polished to you?
-General thoughts on the Airking as a starter piece?

Thank you in advance. I've learned a ton from this forum and from browsing the threads. There is a wealth of knowledge on these boards.

Paul








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Old 30 October 2016, 09:08 AM   #2
Lord
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Expert I'm not, and can't help on originality, but I *can* say that's a lovely looking piece!
I hope it checks out and falls into place for you!


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Old 30 October 2016, 02:10 PM   #3
drifter01
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Dial is only gold colored. The Air King is NOT a starter watch. It is just a smaller Rolex. Movement is the same as other Rolex models of the same era. I own 3 Air Kings and a 34mm OP Date and they are not starters for me. I've owned many Subs, GMTs and DJs yet I now only own 34mm Rolex models. As for accuracy, mine are non-hacking models due to age, but still keep to within military spec for the years made. My AKs run about 10 seconds slow and the Date about 15. Not bad for watches from 49 to 58 years old.
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Old 30 October 2016, 02:30 PM   #4
Portland
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Quote:
Originally Posted by drifter01 View Post
Dial is only gold colored. The Air King is NOT a starter watch. It is just a smaller Rolex. Movement is the same as other Rolex models of the same era. I own 3 Air Kings and a 34mm OP Date and they are not starters for me. I've owned many Subs, GMTs and DJs yet I now only own 34mm Rolex models. As for accuracy, mine are non-hacking models due to age, but still keep to within military spec for the years made. My AKs run about 10 seconds slow and the Date about 15. Not bad for watches from 49 to 58 years old.
Thank you for your input Dave. I should clarify my statement about it being a "starter watch". What I meant is that this watch would be my start/introduction to owning a Rolex since it would be my first Rolex. I was not implying that it is somehow inferior in design or movement other pieces.

From my research I read that the 70's/80's AKs were not chronometer certified by Rolex but that they are still capable of keeping within modern COSC standards. I am not sure if that is true.
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Old 30 October 2016, 08:46 PM   #5
mui.richard
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Portland View Post
Thank you for your input Dave. I should clarify my statement about it being a "starter watch". What I meant is that this watch would be my start/introduction to owning a Rolex since it would be my first Rolex. I was not implying that it is somehow inferior in design or movement other pieces.

From my research I read that the 70's/80's AKs were not chronometer certified by Rolex but that they are still capable of keeping within modern COSC standards. I am not sure if that is true.
I can't give you much on AirKings in particular but age has little to do with accuracy, nor the fact that they're not COSC certified. I recently acquired an '84 model 6694 and after service by RSC it's been running with incredible accuracy...gained only a total of 5 seconds in the last 1.5 month! That's 0.1 seconds a day average.

YMMV



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Old 30 October 2016, 10:24 PM   #6
powerfunk
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Looks like a nice honest 5500! A very reliable and comfortable watch. Since it doesn't have an Oyster bracelet its price shouldn't be much more than $2k. What watch are you trading?
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Old 30 October 2016, 10:34 PM   #7
drifter01
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Yes. Even though not COSC certified, Air Kings can and will run well within COSC standards if serviced properly and kept that way. For that matter, most good movements can keep time that good. I have a Hamilton Khaki (25j ETA 2824-2) that keeps to 1 second a day. I have many other ETA as well as some Seiko and even a couple of Chinese movements that run within 1-2 seconds per day.
The nicest thing about an Air King is it is so small and light you almost forget you are wearing it
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Old 30 October 2016, 11:39 PM   #8
Portland
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Quote:
Originally Posted by powerfunk View Post
Looks like a nice honest 5500! A very reliable and comfortable watch. Since it doesn't have an Oyster bracelet its price shouldn't be much more than $2k. What watch are you trading?

I am considering trading a lnib Nomos Orion 38 for it (pics below). It's s great watch with an in house movement, I just haven't bonded with it. The trade value for my watch is ~$2,300 so I would probably need to ask for a bit of cash to go with the watch if the trade happens. I'm bummed the AK doesn't come with the bracelet as that's what I'd want to wear it on.

Does anyone know where to find a period correct oyster or jubilee for this piece for a decent price? I believe the oyster it takes is a 78350 with #557 endlinks, but I am not sure about the model of the jubilee. I'm trying to factor in what the cost of acquiring a bracelet.





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Old 31 October 2016, 12:14 AM   #9
Kingface66
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Paul, there are often 78350 bracelets on eBay, ranging from around $500-$1000. Or, you can certainly check the subforum for Rolex parts for sale on this site.
I would absolutely trade that Nomos in heartbeat. Just my opinion, but that's one of the most boring, random, and uninspiring watches I've seen. The Air-King runs circles around it! And I love the example of the one you're considering buying. Absolutely beautiful.
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Old 31 October 2016, 12:48 AM   #10
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Ooh, tough call. Honestly I'm an Orion fan too. Super thin and low key. I picked up the "champagner" one not long ago. The Nomos would be tough for me to part with but the AK is probably a better everyday watch. Good luck with your decision!

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Old 31 October 2016, 01:07 AM   #11
Portland
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Quote:
Originally Posted by powerfunk View Post
Ooh, tough call. Honestly I'm an Orion fan too. Super thin and low key. I picked up the "champagner" one not long ago. The Nomos would be tough for me to part with but the AK is probably a better everyday watch. Good luck with your decision!

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I personally like Nomos as a brand. I'm just having a hard time bonding with this particular watch.

By the way, does this box look like an original box that the watch would have come in? Or is this a "service box" that the watch would have been returned in when it came back from a service?



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