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Add new ref: 5502 Air-King — gold-capped 40-micron Cal 1530 Super Precision (1958-1964/65). Sister to 5506 (parallel production for US distribution channel). Cal 1530 SUPER PRECISION dial + alpha hands distinguish from later 5520. Kessi Freres SA case construction (KB tombstone hallmark)
 
Deep anti-slop and evidence audit: remove research-meta wording, tighten dating and auction caveats, canonicalize headings
 
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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 5502 / 5506 Air-King}}
{{#seo:
{{#seo:
|title=Rolex 5502 Air-King — Gold-Capped Super Precision Cal 1530 | BezelBase
|title=Rolex 5502 and 5506 Air-King reference guide | Rolexopedia
|description=The 5502 is the gold-capped 40-micron Air-King — c.1958 to 1965, Cal 1530 "Super Precision," alpha hands. Sister to the 5506 (parallel production for different distribution channels). Distinct from the solid-gold 5501 and from the later gold-capped 5520.
|description=References 5502 and 5506 are mid-century gold-finished Air-Kings with Cal. 1530 automatic movements and Super Precision dials. Auction records show differences in case finish, dial, hands, and bracelet.
|keywords=Rolex, 5502, Air-King, gold-capped, Cal 1530, Super Precision, Kessi Freres
|keywords=Rolex, 5502, 5506, Air-King, Cal 1530, Super Precision
|image=Ref 5502 hero.webp
|image=Ref 5502 hero.webp
|image_alt=Rolex 5502 Air-King gold-capped
|image_alt=Rolex Air-King 5502 with gold-finished case
|type=article
|type=Article
|og_type=article
|og_type=article
|published_time=2026-05-02T04:38:21Z
|modified_time=2026-09-22T00:00:00Z
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
}}
}}


<small>[[Reference:air-king|Air-King]] -> '''5502'''</small>
<small>[[Reference:air-king|Air-King]] › '''5502 / 5506'''</small>


The 5502 is one of two gold-capped Cal 1530 Super Precision Air-King references that ran in parallel from approximately 1958 through 1965 (the other is the [[Reference:5506|5506]]). 34mm Oyster case with 40 microns of yellow gold electroplate over a steel base, smooth gold-capped bezel, gold-capped Twinlock crown, acrylic plexiglass crystal. Cal 1530 Super Precision throughout — 25 jewels at 18,000 vph, "AIR-KING / SUPER PRECISION" dial text, alpha hands and applied yellow gold indices. The case construction is supplied by Kessi Frères SA in Biel with the characteristic KB tombstone hallmark inside the caseback.
<div class="rp-lead">
[[File:Ref 5502 hero.webp|thumb|center|640px|alt=Rolex Air-King 5502 with gold-finished case|Rolex Air-King 5502 with gold-finished case]]
</div>


The 5502 sits as one of three gold-toned Air-King references that run in or around the long-life 5500's catalog window. The solid-gold Rolesor [[Reference:5501|5501]] (1959–1986) carries solid 18k yellow gold for the bezel and crown — actual gold by mass. The 5502 and the [[Reference:5506|5506]] (both 1958–c.1965) carry 40-micron yellow gold electroplate over steel — gold by appearance only. The later [[Reference:5520|5520]] (1974–1986) carries the same 40-micron gold-cap construction but on the Cal 1520 "Precision" architecture rather than the Cal 1530 "Super Precision" the 5502 / 5506 ran on. The visual tell that distinguishes 5502 / 5506 from 5520 is the dial text ("Super Precision" vs "Precision") and the hand style (alpha hands vs baton).
References 5502 and 5506 are related mid-century Air-Kings with gold-finished Oyster cases and Cal. 1530 automatic movements. The public record places examples around 1958–1965, but the reference split and case finish are not documented consistently enough to call the two numbers identical. Surviving watches show silvered, champagne, and black dials, alpha or dauphine hands, and both bracelets and straps.


<span id="core-facts"></span>
<span id="core-facts"></span>
==Core facts==


[[File:Ref 5502 hero.webp|thumb|right|260px|alt=Rolex 5502 Air-King gold-capped|Rolex Air-King 5502, gold-capped 40-micron yellow gold over steel, c.1962]]
{| class="wikitable rp-facts"
 
== Core facts ==
 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! detail
! detail
! value
! value
|-
|-
| reference
| references
| 5502 (sister 5506 = parallel production for different distribution channel)
| 5502 and 5506
|-
|-
| family
| family
| Air-King
| Air-King
|-
| common name
| "the gold-capped Super Precision Air-King," "the alpha-handed gold-capped Air-King"
|-
|-
| production
| production
| c.1958–1965; Robb Report and Goldammer narrow the catalog window to 1960–1965, with pre-catalog Commonwealth distribution suggested for 1958–1960
| Published examples and reference guides place the pair around 1958–1965; exact cutovers are unproved
|-
|-
| case
| case
| 34mm × ~12mm × 43mm L2L stainless steel base with 40 microns yellow gold electroplate
| About 33–35mm in published auction records; gold-finished steel Oyster case
|-
| caseback
| stainless steel (not gold-capped — standard gold-cap construction)
|-
|-
| bezel
| bezel
| smooth, gold-capped (40-micron electroplate over steel)
| Smooth bezel on documented examples
|-
| crown
| Twinlock screw-down, gold-capped to match
|-
|-
| crystal
| crown and crystal
| acrylic plexiglass, domed
| Screw-down Oyster crown and acrylic crystal
|-
|-
| movement
| movement
| Cal 1530 throughout — 25 jewels, 18,000 vph, ~44h reserve, butterfly rotor, Breguet overcoil
| Cal. 1530 automatic, 25 jewels and 18,000 vph in the cited Heritage record
|-
| chronometer
| no — "SUPER PRECISION" dial text (Cal 1530 era's marketing tier; the chronometer-rated Cal 1560 / 1570 sit on Submariner / Explorer references)
|-
|-
| dial text
| dial text
| "AIR-KING" + "SUPER PRECISION"
| “AIR-KING” and “SUPER PRECISION” on documented examples
|-
|-
| hands
| hands and markers
| alpha-style gold hands (the key visual tell distinguishing 5502/5506 from later 5520)
| Gold or gilt applied markers; alpha, lance, or dauphine hands depending on example
|-
|-
| hour markers
| case finish
| applied yellow gold faceted indices with luminous dots
| Described variously as gold plated, gold filled, or gold capped; inspect the case rather than relying on a listing term
|-
|-
| bracelet
| bracelet
| 78351 gold-capped Oyster (riveted transitioning to folded link); same bracelet reference fits 5502 / 5506 / 5520 across the gold-capped Air-King family
| Gold-finished Oyster bracelets are documented, but leather straps and replacements also occur
|-
| caseback supplier
| Kessi Frères SA, Biel — KB tombstone hallmark inside caseback
|-
| sister
| [[Reference:5506|5506]] (parallel-production gold-capped 1958-1964 distributed via different channel)
|-
| also-sister
| [[Reference:5500|5500]] (steel only), [[Reference:5501|5501]] (solid-gold Rolesor), [[Reference:5520|5520]] (later gold-capped Cal 1520 Precision)
|-
|-
| successor
| caseback marks
| no direct 5502 successor; the gold-capped Air-King line resumes a decade later with the 5520 in 1974
| KB markings are reported on some cases; their meaning and coverage need case-level evidence
|}
|}


<span id="where-it-sits-in-the-line"></span>
<span id="where-it-sits-in-the-line"></span>
== Where it sits in the line ==
==Where it sits in the line==
 
The 5502 opens the gold-capped Air-King chapter alongside the 5506 in 1958. Rolex catalogued two parallel gold-capped Air-King references — the 5502 and the 5506 — for what appears to have been a distribution-channel split rather than a functional spec difference. Both run the same Cal 1530 Super Precision architecture, both wear the same 40-micron yellow gold electroplate over steel, both ship on the same 78351 gold-capped Oyster bracelet. The reference-number split appears to track US and UK / Commonwealth retail channels respectively (per Robb Report's gold-capped framing), but no single source firmly attributes which reference went to which market. The 5502 is more commonly catalogued in US dealer corpus; the 5506 surfaces more often at UK auction houses.


The architectural relationship to the broader Air-King line is the cleanest framing. The 5500 (1957–1989) is the 32-year-running steel-only no-date workhorse. The 5502 / 5506 (both 1958–1964/65) are the gold-capped variants of the same case + movement at the same point in the Cal 1530 Super Precision era. The 5501 (1959–1986) is the solid-gold Rolesor variant — meaningfully more expensive in period and meaningfully more expensive on the secondary market today. The 5504 (1957/58–1963/64) is the 36mm Explorer-case Super Precision sister. The 5520 (1974–1986) is the gold-capped successor on the later Cal 1520 Precision architecture, separated from the 5502 / 5506 pair by a roughly decade-long gap in gold-capped Air-King production.
The 5502 and 5506 sit beside the steel 5500 in the Cal. 1530 Air-King generation. Reference 5504 is the larger Explorer-case relative, while 5520 belongs to a later gold-finished Air-King generation with a different movement and dial wording. The Air-King family index summarizes 5502 as a US-market reference and 5506 as a UK/Commonwealth reference. The direct lot sample does not establish that assignment as a universal rule, so it remains a distribution hypothesis rather than a factory statement.


The 5502 / 5506 references run on the Cal 1530 era's Super Precision marketing tier — the same Cal 1530 that powers the early 5500, the early 5504, and the early 5512 / 5513 Submariner. The chronometer-rated equivalent in this generation is the Cal 1560 (Submariner / Explorer chronometer), not a gold-capped Air-King. The 5502 / 5506 stay on the Air-King's sub-COSC tier despite the gold-capped trim's price premium; the chronometer paperwork sits with the Datejust line in this era.
[[File:Ref 5502 crown.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Rolex 5502 case flank and crown|Rolex 5502 case flank and crown]]
The watches are time-only Air-Kings with center seconds. Their gold-finished cases and “SUPER PRECISION” dials distinguish them from many steel or later “PRECISION” Air-Kings, but those features do not prove the original delivery configuration of an individual watch.


<span id="production-outline"></span>
<span id="production-outline"></span>
== Production outline ==
==Production outline==
 
The introduction year is contested. RolexMagazine and Monochrome push the 5502's introduction back to approximately 1958, consistent with pre-catalog distribution to Commonwealth retailers in advance of formal catalog entry. Robb Report and Goldammer narrow the formal catalog window to 1960–1965. The most defensible reading: pre-catalog Commonwealth distribution from approximately 1958, formal catalog presence from 1960 onward, retirement around 1965. Treat 1958–1965 as the active window with the 1958–1960 segment as pre-catalog distribution.


The retirement is firmer at approximately 1965. No documented 5502 dated post-1965 has surfaced in the corpus. The Cal 1530 Super Precision movement begins phasing out across the broader Air-King line around 1963; by 1965 the 5500 is firmly on Cal 1520, and the 5502 / 5506 references retire alongside the broader Cal 1530 era retirement rather than continuing onto the Cal 1520. The gold-capped Air-King line then sits dormant for approximately a decade until the 5520 picks it up in 1974.
The Vintage Rolex Field Manual lists 5502 and 5506 with Cal. 1530 and a 1958 date. Other modern histories place formal catalogue coverage nearer 1960–1965. The evidence supports a late-1950s to mid-1960s range; the exact start and end depend on the source and on each watch's case and movement.


Total production output is not published. The 5502 is meaningfully scarcer at major-house auction than the contemporary 5500 or the later 5520. The gold-capped catalog-tier positioning narrowed the buyer base in period, and the parallel 5506 reference split production further. Direct 5502 lot essays at Phillips, Sotheby's, Christie's, Bonhams, and Antiquorum are scarce in the documented corpus through 2025. Antiquorum's 5516 lot 240-49 (Super Precision gold-capped, NY 15 September 2010, hammered USD 1,250 against estimate USD 1,000–1,500) is the closest sister-reference price proxy for 5502 valuation context.
No published source reviewed gives a factory production total. The auction sample is much smaller than the 5500 record, but that does not establish a scarcity percentage or a complete serial range. Case numbers, movement numbers, and dial details should be recorded per watch.


<span id="movement-notes"></span>
<span id="movement-notes"></span>
== Movement notes ==
==Movement notes==
 
The 5502 runs '''Cal 1530 throughout''' — no Cal 1520 era on this reference. The 1530 is the early generation of the 1500-family base architecture: '''25 jewels, 18,000 vph (2.5 Hz), approximately 44 hour power reserve, butterfly rotor, Breguet overcoil hairspring, Microstella regulation from 1959'''. Same caliber that powers the early 5500, the early 5504, the early 5512 / 5513 Submariner, and the early 1016 Explorer.


The dial reads '''"AIR-KING" + "SUPER PRECISION"''' — the Cal 1530 era's marketing-tier text, sub-chronometer. Same convention as the 5500 era and the 5504 wear in their early Cal 1530 production. The 5502 is '''not COSC chronometer rated'''. The chronometer-rated equivalent in the 1500-family generation is the Cal 1560 / 1570, which sits on the Submariner and Explorer references rather than on the Air-King line.
Heritage’s circa-1959 5506 records Cal. 1530, automatic winding, rhodium plating, and 25 jewels. The movement family is consistent with the “SUPER PRECISION” Air-King generation, but that dial wording should be checked against the movement because service replacements occur.


The 5502's catalog window does not extend into the Cal 1520 era. Rolex retired the 5502 around 1965 rather than transitioning it onto Cal 1520 the way the 5500 was transitioned. The gold-capped Air-King line then sits dormant until the 5520 picks it up in 1974 with the Cal 1520 Precision architecture and baton hands.
Cal. 1530 is not the same as the later Cal. 1520 used in many “PRECISION” Air-Kings. The 5502/5506 page should not promise a fixed reserve, regulator, rotor detail, or shock-protection configuration without inspecting the movement. Later service work can change visible parts.


<span id="case-and-construction"></span>
<span id="case-and-construction"></span>
== Case and construction ==
==Case and construction==
 
34mm × approximately 12mm × 43mm L2L. Stainless steel base case with '''40 microns of yellow gold electroplated''' over the bezel, crown, and exterior surfaces. The caseback remains stainless steel — same standard gold-cap construction as the later 5520 inherits. The bezel is fixed and smooth, gold-capped to match. Lugs are 19mm with drilled spring-bar holes. The crown is Twinlock screw-down, gold-capped.
 
The case is supplied by '''Kessi Frères SA in Biel'''. The KB tombstone hallmark inside the caseback is the supplier mark and is consistent across documented 5502 examples per Goldammer's case-supplier research. The hallmark is a useful authentication anchor — counterfeit 5502 cases are unlikely to carry the period-correct KB stamp.


The 40-micron specification is documented across Goldammer, Robb Report, and Beckertime for the gold-capped Air-King line. Monochrome cites a 14-micron figure for the 5506 sister, contradicting the 40-micron consensus. The 40-micron figure is the canonical specification across the documented corpus; the Monochrome 14-micron reading is a contradiction worth flagging but is not the dominant reading. The 40-micron thickness is meaningful: thicker than standard gold plating (typically a few microns), thin enough to wear through over decades of service, and the standard for Rolex's gold-capped catalog line.
Auction records describe steel cases with gold on the upper surfaces, around 33–34mm wide, screw-down backs, and acrylic crystals. The terms “gold plated,” “gold filled,” and “gold capped” are used inconsistently in dealer and editorial sources. They are not interchangeable technical descriptions, so record the metal test, wear pattern, and case construction for each watch.


The crystal is acrylic plexiglass, domed. Sapphire arrives on the Air-King line only with the 14000 in 1989, well after the 5502's retirement.
The KB tombstone marking is reported on some cases and may identify a case supplier, but the reviewed sources do not establish that every 5502 and 5506 case carries the same stamp. A missing or unclear mark deserves inspection; it is not by itself proof of a counterfeit or a genuine case.


<span id="bracelets-end-links-and-clasps"></span>
<span id="bracelets-end-links-and-clasps"></span>
== Bracelets, end-links, and clasps ==
==Bracelets, end links, and clasps==


19mm Oyster across the production. The standard delivery configuration is the '''78351 gold-capped Oyster''' bracelet — riveted construction on early production transitioning to folded-link on later examples. Same bracelet reference fits the 5506 sister, the later 5520, and (across the production gap) the gold-capped Air-King line as a whole. Rolex's gold-capped 19mm Oyster bracelet platform stayed consistent across the references and the production gaps.
Gold-finished Oyster bracelets appear in the period record. Heritage’s 5506 lot was fitted to a black leather strap, and the Bonhams 5502 records describe both a gold-finished bracelet and a leather strap. Those examples show why bracelet originality must be established from the clasp, end links, and case fit rather than from the reference number.


Gold-capped expansion bracelets surface on a small subset of early 5502 examples (parallel to Antiquorum's 5516 lot description), but the standard period-correct configuration is the matching gold-capped Oyster. The expansion-bracelet examples are uncommon enough to be worth flagging at sale.
A bracelet or clasp date dates that component. It does not date the watch head or prove original delivery. Record later replacements separately from period-correct parts.


<span id="dial-map"></span>
<span id="dial-map"></span>
== Dial map ==
==Dial map==


The 5502's dial palette is narrow. Three documented configurations:
Documented examples include silvered dials with applied gold markers, sunburst champagne dials with dart markers, black gilt dials, and at least one silvered 5506 with dauphine hands. These are observed configurations, not a complete factory catalogue.


<span id="silvered-superprecision-5502"></span>
[[File:Ref 5506 hero.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Rolex 5506 Air-King champagne dial|Rolex 5506 Air-King champagne dial]]
=== Silvered AIR-KING SUPER PRECISION ===
Heritage’s circa-1959 5506 has a silvered dial, applied gold markers, outer luminous dots, and gold luminous lance hands. The lot was not sold. Bonhams catalogues a champagne 5506 and black and champagne 5502 examples; those lots remain individual case and movement records.


The production-volume dial. Silvered or matte-grey ground, applied yellow gold faceted hour indices with luminous dots, alpha gold hands. "AIR-KING" + "SUPER PRECISION" text. The standard 5502 across the run.
[[File:Ref 5502 dial-variant-black-gilt.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Rolex 5502 black gilt dial|Rolex 5502 black gilt dial]]
Black gilt, champagne, and dauphine-hand examples should be judged from the dial printing, marker feet, hands, lume, and movement together. A rare-looking colour or hand set is a lead for inspection, not proof of a separate reference branch.


<span id="black-gilt-5502"></span>
The reviewed sources do not document retailer-signed, Domino’s, or government-crest 5502/5506 examples. Absence from this small sample is not proof that none existed.
=== Black gilt with applied gilt indices ===


Black ground with applied gilt indices and "Air-King" in large script above six (Monochrome). The black-gilt 5502 is rarer than the silvered configuration and trades at a premium to the standard.
<span id="auction-record"></span>
==Auction record==


<span id="champagne-5502"></span>
The direct auction sample is small and mixed. The Heritage record provides the clearest movement and case data in the cited set; the Bonhams entries remain catalogue leads until their lot text and images are checked against the watches.
=== Champagne ===


Champagne or warm gold-tone ground with applied gold markers — pairs naturally with the gold-capped trim. Less commonly encountered than silvered or black on the 5502 but documented.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Venue
! Lot
! Date
! Reference
! Documented configuration
! Result
|-
| Bonhams New York
| 30
| 2023
| 5502, circa 1959
| Case 478525; champagne dial; Cal. 1530; gold-finished bracelet
| USD 3,520 (catalogue record)
|-
| Bonhams London
| 101
| 2024
| 5502, circa 1959
| Case 478779; black dial; Cal. 1530; leather strap
| GBP 3,072 (catalogue record)
|-
| Bonhams
| 51
| 2023
| 5506, circa 1960
| Case 634350; champagne dial; Cal. 1530; leather strap
| USD 2,550 (catalogue record)
|-
| Heritage Auctions
| 54248
| June 2017
| 5506, circa 1959
| Case 506405; silvered dial; Cal. 1530, 25 jewels; leather strap
| Not sold
|-
| Antiquorum New York
| 240-49
| September 2010
| 5516, related reference
| Gold-finished Super Precision Air-King, included only as context
| Hammered USD 1,250
|}


The 3-6-9 Explorer, Roman, Arabic, and tropical dial configurations that surface elsewhere on the Air-King line are not documented on the 5502.
The Heritage lot directly supports a circa-1959 5506, 33mm case, Cal. 1530, 25 jewels, silvered dial, and leather strap. The Bonhams entries remain catalogue leads until the lot descriptions and images can be checked again. The 5516 is a separate reference and should not be used as a 5502/5506 price equivalent.


<span id="special-branches"></span>
The sample does not support a market band, average, or ranking of dial variants. Keep the result, currency, condition, and bracelet configuration with each lot.
== Special branches ==


The 5502 carries no documented retailer-signed (Tiffany / Cartier / Beyer), corporate-gift (Domino's), or government-crest configurations in the surfaced corpus through 2025. The Domino's program (1977 onward) post-dates the 5502's production window entirely. The Tiffany retailer-signed program existed across 1958–1965 but no Tiffany 5502 has surfaced. The 5502's narrow catalog visibility plus the gold-capped pricing premium kept it outside most of the corporate-gift and retailer-signing programs that defined other Air-King references.
<span id="authentication"></span>
==Authentication==


The 5506 sister reference is the closest "branch" the 5502 has — same architecture, parallel production, distinct reference number tracking distribution channel rather than spec.
Start with the case reference, case number, movement, dial printing, hands, and metal construction. A Cal. 1530 and “SUPER PRECISION” dial fit the documented generation, but either part can be replaced.


<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>
Check the gold finish at worn edges and on the underside of the case, the crown, and the bezel. A case described as gold capped, gold filled, or plated should be tested and photographed rather than identified from seller language. Steel showing through wear can be consistent with a gold-finished case; it is not enough on its own to authenticate the watch.
== Historical market and auction record ==


Direct 5502 auction-house lots are scarce in the documented corpus. Antiquorum's 5516 Super Precision gold-capped (NY 15 September 2010, lot 240-49, hammered USD 1,250 against estimate USD 1,000–1,500) is the closest sister-reference price proxy. Bonhams's 5506 lot 51 (auction 29125, May 2023, c.1960, sold USD 2,550 with premium) anchors the parallel 5506 reference and serves as the cleanest 5502 valuation guide.
Check the dial for refinishing, moved text, loose markers, and relumed dots. Alpha, lance, and dauphine hands are all reported in the sample, while a later “PRECISION” dial or Cal. 1520 needs an explanation as a service replacement or a misidentification.


The 5502 trades primarily through dealer markets at the USD 2,000–4,500 band depending on dial configuration and condition. Standard silvered Cal 1530 examples in clean condition sit at the lower end (USD 2,000–3,000); black-gilt examples push into the USD 3,500–4,500 range with provenance. Major-house auction visibility is light — Phillips, Sotheby's, Christie's have no documented standalone 5502 essay-grade lots through 2025.
Bracelet and clasp evidence belongs to the bracelet. A leather strap or later Oyster bracelet does not, by itself, disprove a 5502 or 5506 head.


<span id="authentication"></span>
==Related references==
== Authentication ==
 
The 5502 is 60–65 years old. The dial restoration question applies the standard Air-King-era restoration window (1980s–2000s); original dials with even minor period patina are the originality positive.
 
The case-trim authentication is the cleanest single anchor. The bezel and crown should be '''40-micron gold electroplate over steel''' — not solid gold (which would put the watch on the 5501 reference). Hallmark stamping on the underside of the bezel (where accessible) confirms gold-cap construction. Gold-cap wear-through on heavily-worn 5502s reveals the steel base underneath at the bezel edges and crown — a service-or-restoration consideration but not a counterfeit flag.


The KB tombstone hallmark inside the caseback is a strong authentication anchor — Kessi Frères SA case construction is documented across the 5502 production. A 5502 caseback without the KB stamp is unusual and worth examining.
* [[Reference:4365|Air-King 4365]]
* [[Reference:4499|Air-King 4499]]
* [[Reference:4925|Air-King 4925]]
* [[Reference:5500|Air-King 5500]]
* [[Reference:5501|Air-King 5501]]
* [[Reference:5504|Air-King 5504]]
* [[Reference:5520|Air-King 5520]]


The dial text should match the caliber: "SUPER PRECISION" on the Cal 1530 era is correct. A 5502 with "PRECISION" dial text (no "Super") is service-replacement (likely a 5520 dial swap applied during service) or a misattribution; a 5502 with "OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED CHRONOMETER" text is service-replacement and is not original.
See also the [[Reference:air-king|Air-King family index]], [[Reference:Movements|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets|bracelet and clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers|serial numbers by year]].


The hands should be alpha — distinct from the 5520's baton/stick hands. A 5502 with baton/stick hands is service-era replacement. The applied yellow gold faceted indices should sit flat against the dial without lift; refinished dials sometimes betray themselves at the index baseplates.
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
 
Ref 5502 hero.webp|5502 Air-King
The movement should be Cal 1530 with 25 jewels at 18,000 vph. A 5502 with Cal 1520 (5520-era variant) is service-replacement and is not original-delivery. The Cal 1530's butterfly rotor and Breguet overcoil are visible inside the case and provide cleaner architectural authentication than the dial-text reading alone.
Ref 5502 crown.webp|5502 crown and case
 
Ref 5506 hero.webp|5506 champagne dial
The bracelet should be 78351 gold-capped Oyster. All-steel bracelets on a 5502 are service-era refits; the original retail configuration was always gold-capped Oyster matching the case construction.
Ref 5502 dial-variant-black-gilt.webp|5502 black gilt dial
</gallery>


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* [https://jewelry.ha.com/itm/timepieces/wristwatch/rolex-air-king-ref-5506-oyster-perpetual-super-precision-automatic-wristwatch-circa-1959/a/5294-54248.s Heritage Auctions, ref. 5506, lot 54248]
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/29125/lot/51/rolex-a-gold-plated-automatic-wristwatch-air-king-ref-5506-c1960/ Bonhams, ref. 5506, lot 51]
* [https://images1.bonhams.com/original?src=Images/live/2014-04/30/S-21663-0-1.pdf Bonhams catalogue, ref. 5506, circa 1961, 25-jewel Cal. 1530]
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/28398/lot/30/rolex-a-gold-plated-automatic-bracelet-watch-air-king-ref-5502-c1959/ Bonhams New York, ref. 5502, lot 30]
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/29887/lot/101/rolex-a-gold-plated-stainless-steel-automatic-wristwatch-air-king-ref-5502-circa-1959/ Bonhams London, ref. 5502, lot 101]
* [https://www.rolexmagazine.com/2013/07/the-complete-history-of-rolex-air-king.html Rolex Magazine, Air-King history]
* [https://robbreport.com/style/watch-collector/lists/complete-guide-to-the-rolex-air-king-1945-to-present-1235881849/ Robb Report, Air-King guide]
* [https://goldammer.me/blogs/articles/rolex-airking-origin-history-and-design-evolution Marcus Siems, Air-King history]
* [https://www.watch-wiki.net/doku.php?id=rolex_air-king Watch-Wiki, Air-King reference notes]
* ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra
* ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra
* [https://www.rescapement.com/blog/rolex-air-king-history Tony Traina, "Rolex Air-King History: The Forgotten King", Rescapement]
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/history-of-the-rolex-air-king-the-underrated-pilots-watch/ Erik Slaven, "History of the Rolex Air-King, the underrated pilots watch", Monochrome Watches, 2025]
* [https://goldammer.me/blogs/articles/rolex-airking-origin-history-and-design-evolution Marcus Siems, "Rolex Air-King Origin History and Design Evolution", Goldammer]
* [https://robbreport.com/style/watch-collector/lists/complete-guide-to-the-rolex-air-king-1945-to-present-1235881849/ "The Complete Guide to Rolex Air-King Watches From 1945 to Present", Robb Report]
* [https://www.rolexmagazine.com/2013/07/the-complete-history-of-rolex-air-king.html Jake Ehrlich, "The Complete History Of The Rolex Air-King", Rolex Magazine, 2013]
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/29125/lot/51/rolex-a-gold-plated-automatic-wristwatch-air-king-ref-5506-c1960/ "Rolex Air-King Ref 5506 Gold-Plated c.1960 Bonhams", Bonhams, 2023]
* [https://jewelry.ha.com/itm/timepieces/wristwatch/rolex-air-king-ref-5506-oyster-perpetual-super-precision-automatic-wristwatch-circa-1959/a/5294-54248.s "Rolex Air-King Ref 5506 Oyster Perpetual Super Precision c.1959 Heritage", Heritage Auctions]
* [https://www.watch-wiki.net/doku.php?id=rolex_air-king "Rolex Air-King", Watch-Wiki]


[[Category:Air-King]]
[[Category:Air-King]]
[[Category:Working Draft]]

Latest revision as of 08:04, 29 September 2026


Air-King › 5502 / 5506

Rolex Air-King 5502 with gold-finished case
Rolex Air-King 5502 with gold-finished case

References 5502 and 5506 are related mid-century Air-Kings with gold-finished Oyster cases and Cal. 1530 automatic movements. The public record places examples around 1958–1965, but the reference split and case finish are not documented consistently enough to call the two numbers identical. Surviving watches show silvered, champagne, and black dials, alpha or dauphine hands, and both bracelets and straps.

Core facts

detail value
references 5502 and 5506
family Air-King
production Published examples and reference guides place the pair around 1958–1965; exact cutovers are unproved
case About 33–35mm in published auction records; gold-finished steel Oyster case
bezel Smooth bezel on documented examples
crown and crystal Screw-down Oyster crown and acrylic crystal
movement Cal. 1530 automatic, 25 jewels and 18,000 vph in the cited Heritage record
dial text “AIR-KING” and “SUPER PRECISION” on documented examples
hands and markers Gold or gilt applied markers; alpha, lance, or dauphine hands depending on example
case finish Described variously as gold plated, gold filled, or gold capped; inspect the case rather than relying on a listing term
bracelet Gold-finished Oyster bracelets are documented, but leather straps and replacements also occur
caseback marks KB markings are reported on some cases; their meaning and coverage need case-level evidence

Where it sits in the line

The 5502 and 5506 sit beside the steel 5500 in the Cal. 1530 Air-King generation. Reference 5504 is the larger Explorer-case relative, while 5520 belongs to a later gold-finished Air-King generation with a different movement and dial wording. The Air-King family index summarizes 5502 as a US-market reference and 5506 as a UK/Commonwealth reference. The direct lot sample does not establish that assignment as a universal rule, so it remains a distribution hypothesis rather than a factory statement.

Rolex 5502 case flank and crown
Rolex 5502 case flank and crown

The watches are time-only Air-Kings with center seconds. Their gold-finished cases and “SUPER PRECISION” dials distinguish them from many steel or later “PRECISION” Air-Kings, but those features do not prove the original delivery configuration of an individual watch.

Production outline

The Vintage Rolex Field Manual lists 5502 and 5506 with Cal. 1530 and a 1958 date. Other modern histories place formal catalogue coverage nearer 1960–1965. The evidence supports a late-1950s to mid-1960s range; the exact start and end depend on the source and on each watch's case and movement.

No published source reviewed gives a factory production total. The auction sample is much smaller than the 5500 record, but that does not establish a scarcity percentage or a complete serial range. Case numbers, movement numbers, and dial details should be recorded per watch.

Movement notes

Heritage’s circa-1959 5506 records Cal. 1530, automatic winding, rhodium plating, and 25 jewels. The movement family is consistent with the “SUPER PRECISION” Air-King generation, but that dial wording should be checked against the movement because service replacements occur.

Cal. 1530 is not the same as the later Cal. 1520 used in many “PRECISION” Air-Kings. The 5502/5506 page should not promise a fixed reserve, regulator, rotor detail, or shock-protection configuration without inspecting the movement. Later service work can change visible parts.

Case and construction

Auction records describe steel cases with gold on the upper surfaces, around 33–34mm wide, screw-down backs, and acrylic crystals. The terms “gold plated,” “gold filled,” and “gold capped” are used inconsistently in dealer and editorial sources. They are not interchangeable technical descriptions, so record the metal test, wear pattern, and case construction for each watch.

The KB tombstone marking is reported on some cases and may identify a case supplier, but the reviewed sources do not establish that every 5502 and 5506 case carries the same stamp. A missing or unclear mark deserves inspection; it is not by itself proof of a counterfeit or a genuine case.

Bracelets, end links, and clasps

Gold-finished Oyster bracelets appear in the period record. Heritage’s 5506 lot was fitted to a black leather strap, and the Bonhams 5502 records describe both a gold-finished bracelet and a leather strap. Those examples show why bracelet originality must be established from the clasp, end links, and case fit rather than from the reference number.

A bracelet or clasp date dates that component. It does not date the watch head or prove original delivery. Record later replacements separately from period-correct parts.

Dial map

Documented examples include silvered dials with applied gold markers, sunburst champagne dials with dart markers, black gilt dials, and at least one silvered 5506 with dauphine hands. These are observed configurations, not a complete factory catalogue.

Rolex 5506 Air-King champagne dial
Rolex 5506 Air-King champagne dial

Heritage’s circa-1959 5506 has a silvered dial, applied gold markers, outer luminous dots, and gold luminous lance hands. The lot was not sold. Bonhams catalogues a champagne 5506 and black and champagne 5502 examples; those lots remain individual case and movement records.

Rolex 5502 black gilt dial
Rolex 5502 black gilt dial

Black gilt, champagne, and dauphine-hand examples should be judged from the dial printing, marker feet, hands, lume, and movement together. A rare-looking colour or hand set is a lead for inspection, not proof of a separate reference branch.

The reviewed sources do not document retailer-signed, Domino’s, or government-crest 5502/5506 examples. Absence from this small sample is not proof that none existed.

Auction record

The direct auction sample is small and mixed. The Heritage record provides the clearest movement and case data in the cited set; the Bonhams entries remain catalogue leads until their lot text and images are checked against the watches.

Venue Lot Date Reference Documented configuration Result
Bonhams New York 30 2023 5502, circa 1959 Case 478525; champagne dial; Cal. 1530; gold-finished bracelet USD 3,520 (catalogue record)
Bonhams London 101 2024 5502, circa 1959 Case 478779; black dial; Cal. 1530; leather strap GBP 3,072 (catalogue record)
Bonhams 51 2023 5506, circa 1960 Case 634350; champagne dial; Cal. 1530; leather strap USD 2,550 (catalogue record)
Heritage Auctions 54248 June 2017 5506, circa 1959 Case 506405; silvered dial; Cal. 1530, 25 jewels; leather strap Not sold
Antiquorum New York 240-49 September 2010 5516, related reference Gold-finished Super Precision Air-King, included only as context Hammered USD 1,250

The Heritage lot directly supports a circa-1959 5506, 33mm case, Cal. 1530, 25 jewels, silvered dial, and leather strap. The Bonhams entries remain catalogue leads until the lot descriptions and images can be checked again. The 5516 is a separate reference and should not be used as a 5502/5506 price equivalent.

The sample does not support a market band, average, or ranking of dial variants. Keep the result, currency, condition, and bracelet configuration with each lot.

Authentication

Start with the case reference, case number, movement, dial printing, hands, and metal construction. A Cal. 1530 and “SUPER PRECISION” dial fit the documented generation, but either part can be replaced.

Check the gold finish at worn edges and on the underside of the case, the crown, and the bezel. A case described as gold capped, gold filled, or plated should be tested and photographed rather than identified from seller language. Steel showing through wear can be consistent with a gold-finished case; it is not enough on its own to authenticate the watch.

Check the dial for refinishing, moved text, loose markers, and relumed dots. Alpha, lance, and dauphine hands are all reported in the sample, while a later “PRECISION” dial or Cal. 1520 needs an explanation as a service replacement or a misidentification.

Bracelet and clasp evidence belongs to the bracelet. A leather strap or later Oyster bracelet does not, by itself, disprove a 5502 or 5506 head.

Related references

See also the Air-King family index, movement reference, bracelet and clasp guide, and serial numbers by year.

  • 5502 Air-King
    5502 Air-King
  • 5502 crown and case
    5502 crown and case
  • 5506 champagne dial
    5506 champagne dial
  • 5502 black gilt dial
    5502 black gilt dial

Sources

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