Rolex Air King 5500 Review

Before we get to the explorer ref.

Rolex air king 5500 review.

The rolex air king 5500 is the real classic in our lineup. That model remained in production for the next 37 years. In 1957 rolex released the stainless steel air king ref. If you can get over the 34mm size it s a tremendous value.

Just to get this out of the way upfront both of these watches are vintage masterpieces. And the rolex air king soon became popular with pilots. 5500 for some context. The new air king reference 116900 is a different kind of timepiece and marketed as an entry level rolex.

The large for the time 34mm case and simple dial layout were a hit. And best of all the air king hasn t been sucked into the vintage rolex price bubble yet. It has a minimalist dial with bar markers simple hand design no numerals and little text. The design aesthetic was similar to the time only reference 5500 but it used rolex s caliber 1535 to add a date function.

Based on the popularity of the ref. Not to mention the rolex air king 5500 and 14000 are the most accessible ways to get into rolex. 5500 has all of the hallmark traits of a rolex without possessing a single superfluous feature. At the end of the war rolex created the air king as a tribute to the pilots who fought in the battle of britain.

Their clean and straightforward dials were clearly marked with the air king name under the rolex logo at 12 o clock. We have a review today that dates back to the 1970s. Of course for this rolex air king 5500 review we find out if this watch is worth the money. In 1989 rolex introduced the reference 14000 which provided an update to the ref.

The brand the quality the history the style. 5500 let s dig into the details of the air king ref. In 1957 rolex introduced the ref 5500 air king. I adore the quality and history of these watches so it is going to be a challenge to recommend which one is better.

Like the reference 5500 the air king date can be found with silver black or a blue dial. 5500 which at that point had seen few changes throughout its 37 year history in terms of design it represented a new approach for the air king collection as it had arabic numerals at the 3 6 9 hours with stick markers in between. 5500 with a 34mm case and time only functionality. 5500 rolex introduced the air king date in 1958 reference 5700.

This watch has it all. Its screw down case in house movement and oyster bracelet provide owners with all the defining characteristics of a rolex and they are wrapped up in possibly one of the most versatile packages that the company has ever put forward.