Reference:air-king: Difference between revisions
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Correct 5520 family-index summary against auction records |
Deep audit: Air-King family chronology, lead image and market prose |
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|title=Rolex Air-King — Reference Guide to Every Model & Year | Rolexopedia | |title=Rolex Air-King — Reference Guide to Every Model & Year | Rolexopedia | ||
|description=The Rolex Air-King | |description=The Rolex Air-King family spans the 1945 hand-wound references, the automatic 5500, and the later 14000 and 114200 sapphire-era watches. | ||
|keywords=Rolex, Air-King, family, history, references | |keywords=Rolex, Air-King, family, history, references | ||
|image=Air-King family hero.webp | |image=Air-King family hero.webp | ||
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|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large | |robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large | ||
}} | }} | ||
<small>[[Main Page]] › '''Air-King'''</small> | |||
<div class="rp-lead"> | |||
[[File:Air-King family hero.webp|thumb|center|640px|alt=Rolex Air-King family advertisement|Rolex Air-King family advertisement.]] | |||
</div> | |||
This index follows the early hand-wound Air-Kings, the long-running automatic 5500 and the later 34mm sapphire-crystal references. Case size, bezel and movement specification vary within the family; the 1142xx generation added chronometer certification. | This index follows the early hand-wound Air-Kings, the long-running automatic 5500 and the later 34mm sapphire-crystal references. Case size, bezel and movement specification vary within the family; the 1142xx generation added chronometer certification. | ||
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! Reference !! Production !! Movement !! Notes | ! Reference !! Production !! Movement !! Notes | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[Reference:4925|4925]] / [[Reference:4365|4365]] / [[Reference:4499|4499]] || 1945–1953 || cal 10½ Hunter hand-wound || Originating Air-King generation | | [[Reference:4925|4925]] / [[Reference:4365|4365]] / [[Reference:4499|4499]] || 1945–1953 || cal 10½ Hunter hand-wound || Originating Air-King generation, associated in published histories with a four-name Battle of Britain commemoration. 4925 = centre-seconds Air-King-only. 4365 = sub-seconds with four-name shared-case dial map (Air-King / Air-Lion / Air-Tiger / Air-Giant). 4499 = 1946+ centre-seconds running mate to 4925, 15j→17j running update (Bonhams 2012 documents 1946 15j sub-seconds variant) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[Reference:6552|6552]] || 1953–1957 || cal 1030 automatic || First automatic Air-King; Cal 1030 butterfly rotor stamped ROLEX PERPETUAL PATENTED. Caseback duality (6552 between lugs / 6565 inside) period-correct. "Super Precision" dial despite chronometer-grade movement adjustment | | [[Reference:6552|6552]] || 1953–1957 || cal 1030 automatic || First automatic Air-King; Cal 1030 butterfly rotor stamped ROLEX PERPETUAL PATENTED. Caseback duality (6552 between lugs / 6565 inside) period-correct. "Super Precision" dial despite chronometer-grade movement adjustment | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[Reference:5501|5501]] || 1959–1986 (late stock to 1987) || cal 1530 / 1520 || | | [[Reference:5501|5501]] || 1959–1986 (late stock to 1987) || cal 1530 / 1520 || Documented solid-gold-bezel Rolesor branch, with a steel case, 18k yellow-gold fluted bezel and gold crown. Distinct from gold-capped 5502/5506/5520 (40-micron plated). Cotton Bowl Classic 1967-1970 + Tiffany champagne marquee branches. Caseback 5501/1102 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[Reference:5502|5502]] || 1958–1965 || cal 1530 || Gold-capped 40-micron Super Precision Air-King | | [[Reference:5502|5502]] || 1958–1965 || cal 1530 || Gold-capped 40-micron Super Precision Air-King, documented in US-market examples. Alpha hands. Sister to 5506 (parallel-production Commonwealth-market). Distinct from solid-gold 5501 (5502 = electroplated, 5501 = solid 18k gold) and from later 5520 (5502 = Cal 1530 Super Precision alpha hands; 5520 = Cal 1520 Precision baton hands) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[Reference:5504|5504]] || 1957/58–1963/64 || cal 1530 || 36mm Explorer-case Super Precision; the connective tissue between 5500 (34mm Air-King) and 1016 Explorer (36mm EXPLORER text + COSC). Wears 1016 case but AIR-KING dial text and non-COSC Cal 1530. 3-6-9 Explorer-dial-with-AIR-KING-text is the marquee collector branch | | [[Reference:5504|5504]] || 1957/58–1963/64 || cal 1530 || 36mm Explorer-case Super Precision; the connective tissue between 5500 (34mm Air-King) and 1016 Explorer (36mm EXPLORER text + COSC). Wears 1016 case but AIR-KING dial text and non-COSC Cal 1530. 3-6-9 Explorer-dial-with-AIR-KING-text is the marquee collector branch | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[Reference:5506|5506]] || 1958–1964 || cal 1530 || Gold-capped 40-micron Super Precision Air-King | | [[Reference:5506|5506]] || 1958–1964 || cal 1530 || Gold-capped 40-micron Super Precision Air-King, documented in UK/Commonwealth-market examples. Alpha hands. Sister to 5502 (parallel-production US-market). Same Kessi Frères case + 78351 bracelet as 5502 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[Reference:5500|5500]] || 1957–1989 || cal 1530 then 1520 || The mainstay. 32-year run. Broadest documented dial map of any Air-King | | [[Reference:5500|5500]] || 1957–1989 || cal 1530 then 1520 || The mainstay. 32-year run. Broadest documented dial map of any Air-King | ||
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| [[Reference:14000|14000]] || 1989–2000 || cal 3000 || First sapphire-crystal Air-King; non-COSC ("Precision" dial), wider dial palette than any prior Air-King (salmon, blue, Roman, Arabic, 3-6-9 Explorer), Domino's second-generation tilted-logo + Tiffany retailer-signed branches | | [[Reference:14000|14000]] || 1989–2000 || cal 3000 || First sapphire-crystal Air-King; non-COSC ("Precision" dial), wider dial palette than any prior Air-King (salmon, blue, Roman, Arabic, 3-6-9 Explorer), Domino's second-generation tilted-logo + Tiffany retailer-signed branches | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[Reference:14000M|14000M]] || 2000–2006 || cal 3130 || The bridge Air-King | | [[Reference:14000M|14000M]] || 2000–2006 || cal 3130 || The bridge Air-King, using the same Cal 3130 the 114200 carries, but pre-COSC ("Precision" dial) and pre-engraved-rehaut (smooth rehaut throughout). Pre-Parachrom (hairspring adoption 2010, after 14000M production ended). Visually nearly identical to 14000 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[Reference:114200|114200]] || 2007–2014 || cal 3130 || First COSC-certified Air-King in line history. Engraved rehaut from launch. Concentric "wave" dial palette in silver/black/blue+orange-Arabic/salmon/green/Roman/3-6-9-Explorer/Arabic. Closes the 34mm Air-King chapter before the 2-year hiatus and 116900 40mm redesign | | [[Reference:114200|114200]] || 2007–2014 || cal 3130 || First COSC-certified Air-King in line history. Engraved rehaut from launch. Concentric "wave" dial palette in silver/black/blue+orange-Arabic/salmon/green/Roman/3-6-9-Explorer/Arabic. Closes the 34mm Air-King chapter before the 2-year hiatus and 116900 40mm redesign | ||
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=== Battle of Britain origins (1945) === | === Battle of Britain origins (1945) === | ||
Hans Wilsdorf was in London during the Battle of Britain in the autumn of 1940 and the years that followed. The Air-King and its three sister names | Hans Wilsdorf was in London during the Battle of Britain in the autumn of 1940 and the years that followed. The Air-King and its three sister names, Air-Lion, Air-Tiger and Air-Giant, emerged in 1945 as a commemorative gesture toward RAF pilots, who were already wearing Rolex Oysters as personal purchases (the official-issue military watches went elsewhere). The four names ran on different reference numbers across the late-1940s 4925 / 4365 / 4499 / 4499/2 hand-wound Bubbleback series. Many published histories repeat the commemoration story, but no primary Rolex document confirming it has surfaced. | ||
The names did not all survive. Air-Lion, Air-Tiger, and Air-Giant were retired by the early 1950s. Air-King continued, settling onto the 6552 (the first automatic Air-King, 1953–1957) and then onto the 5500 mainstay (1957–1989). | The names did not all survive. Air-Lion, Air-Tiger, and Air-Giant were retired by the early 1950s. Air-King continued, settling onto the 6552 (the first automatic Air-King, 1953–1957) and then onto the 5500 mainstay (1957–1989). | ||
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Across 32 years the 5500 carried the line, a long production span covering several movement and dial changes. Cal 1530 (1957–c.1963) gave way to Cal 1520 (c.1963–1989); both are non-chronometer 1500-family movements. The dial text alternates between AIR-KING / SUPER PRECISION (Cal 1530 era) and AIR-KING / PRECISION (Cal 1520 era), and a minority of 5500s left the factory without AIR-KING text at all. The 5500 shared its case middle with the 1002 Oyster Perpetual, so casebacks across the 1970s-onward run carry an inside "1002" stamp that is period-correct rather than a service replacement. | Across 32 years the 5500 carried the line, a long production span covering several movement and dial changes. Cal 1530 (1957–c.1963) gave way to Cal 1520 (c.1963–1989); both are non-chronometer 1500-family movements. The dial text alternates between AIR-KING / SUPER PRECISION (Cal 1530 era) and AIR-KING / PRECISION (Cal 1520 era), and a minority of 5500s left the factory without AIR-KING text at all. The 5500 shared its case middle with the 1002 Oyster Perpetual, so casebacks across the 1970s-onward run carry an inside "1002" stamp that is period-correct rather than a service replacement. | ||
The 5500 appeared in corporate-gift programs (Domino's Pizza, Pool Intairdril, Circle Bar Drilling, Winn-Dixie, Levi's) and for Middle-East government-crest commissions (Saudi Armed Forces, UAE, Bahrain Al Khalifa, Kuwait Al-Sabah). | The 5500 appeared in corporate-gift programs (Domino's Pizza, Pool Intairdril, Circle Bar Drilling, Winn-Dixie, Levi's) and for Middle-East government-crest commissions (Saudi Armed Forces, UAE, Bahrain Al Khalifa, Kuwait Al-Sabah). Phillips catalogued Joyería Riviera retailer-signed gilt Explorer 3-6-9 5500 examples in its 2017 and 2019 sales; those lots document the signature and dial configuration, not a general value ranking. | ||
=== The sapphire era (1989+) === | === The sapphire era (1989+) === | ||
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== Related families == | == Related families == | ||
* [[Reference:explorer|Explorer]] | * [[Reference:explorer|Explorer]], the close cousin. Compare the 34mm 5500 Explorer-dial watches with the 36mm chronometer Explorer references. | ||
* [[Reference:bubbleback|Bubbleback]] | * [[Reference:bubbleback|Bubbleback]], the founding line. The 1945 4925 / 4365 / 4499 origination references sit in the same early-Oyster-Perpetual lineage the Bubbleback established. | ||
* [[Reference:milgauss|Milgauss]] | * [[Reference:milgauss|Milgauss]], the magnetic-resistant line developed for work near strong magnetic fields. | ||
== Shared references == | == Shared references == | ||
* [[Reference:Serial-numbers|Serial numbers by year]] | * [[Reference:Serial-numbers|Serial numbers by year]], serial ranges and the limits of dating | ||
* [[Reference:Movements|Movement reference]] | * [[Reference:Movements|Movement reference]], the calibers used across the Air-King line | ||
* [[Reference:Bracelets|Bracelet & clasp guide]] | * [[Reference:Bracelets|Bracelet & clasp guide]], bracelet types, end-links, and clasp date codes | ||
== Sources == | == Sources == | ||