Reference:5506: Difference between revisions

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[[Reference:air-king|Air-King]] -> '''5506'''

The 5506 is the parallel-production sister to the [[Reference:5502|5502]] — same architecture, same Cal 1530 Super Precision movement, same 40-micron gold-capped construction, distinct reference number tracking distribution channel rather than spec. Both run from approximately 1958 through 1964/65 with the 5506 typically routed to UK and Commonwealth retail channels. The 5506 surfaces at UK auction houses (Bonhams) more frequently than the 5502 in the ~~documented corpus~~; the 5502 surfaces more often in US dealer ~~corpus~~. Beyond the reference-number split and the geographic distribution, the two references are mechanically identical.

The 5506 is the parallel-production sister to the [[Reference:5502|5502]] — same architecture, same Cal 1530 Super Precision movement, same 40-micron gold-capped construction, distinct reference number tracking distribution channel rather than spec. Both run from approximately 1958 through 1964/65 with the 5506 typically routed to UK and Commonwealth retail channels. The 5506 surfaces at UK auction houses (Bonhams) more frequently than the 5502 in the auction record; the 5502 surfaces more often in the US dealer market. Beyond the reference-number split and the geographic distribution, the two references are mechanically identical.

Bonhams sold a c.1960 5506 (auction 29125 lot 51, May 2023, sunburst champagne dial with applied gilt dart markers and gilt dagger/dart hands) for USD 2,550 with premium — the strongest standalone 5506 auction-house anchor in the ~~documented corpus~~. Heritage Auctions catalogues a c.1959 5506 (lot 5294-54248) with silvered ground, applied gilt indices, and dauphine/alpha hands — the alternate dial configuration. Across both lots the 5506 architecture is consistent: Kessi Frères SA case construction with the KB tombstone hallmark, alpha hands, applied gilt indices on either silvered or champagne ground, and the period-correct 78351 gold-capped Oyster bracelet.

Bonhams sold a c.1960 5506 (auction 29125 lot 51, May 2023, sunburst champagne dial with applied gilt dart markers and gilt dagger/dart hands) for USD 2,550 with premium — the strongest standalone 5506 auction-house anchor in the auction record. Heritage Auctions catalogues a c.1959 5506 (lot 5294-54248) with silvered ground, applied gilt indices, and dauphine/alpha hands — the alternate dial configuration. Across both lots the 5506 architecture is consistent: Kessi Frères SA case construction with the KB tombstone hallmark, alpha hands, applied gilt indices on either silvered or champagne ground, and the period-correct 78351 gold-capped Oyster bracelet.

== Core facts ==

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|-

| case

| 34mm × ~12mm × 43mm L2L stainless steel base with 40 microns yellow gold electroplate (~~Goldammer /~~ Robb Report consensus; Monochrome reads 14 microns — captured as contradiction)

| 34mm × ~12mm × 43mm L2L stainless steel base with 40 microns yellow gold electroplate (Marcus Siems and Robb Report consensus; Monochrome reads 14 microns — captured as contradiction)

|-

| caseback

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== Where it sits in the line ==

The 5506 is functionally the 5502's twin. Both references launched in 1958 with identical Cal 1530 Super Precision movements, identical 40-micron gold-cap construction, identical Kessi Frères case supply, and identical 78351 gold-capped Oyster bracelet platforms. The reference-number split tracks distribution channel rather than functional spec — the 5506 is more commonly catalogued by UK auction houses (Bonhams), the 5502 surfaces more often in US dealer ~~corpus~~.

The 5506 is functionally the 5502's twin. Both references launched in 1958 with identical Cal 1530 Super Precision movements, identical 40-micron gold-cap construction, identical Kessi Frères case supply, and identical 78351 gold-capped Oyster bracelet platforms. The reference-number split tracks distribution channel rather than functional spec — the 5506 is more commonly catalogued by UK auction houses (Bonhams), the 5502 surfaces more often in the US dealer market.

Why Rolex split the gold-capped Air-King across two reference numbers in this period is undocumented in primary editorial. Possibilities include: separate import licensing for US vs UK / Commonwealth markets; separate dealer ordering channels with distinct reference codes; or a minor case-supply or bracelet-specification difference that the documented sources don't capture. Without primary attribution the practical reading is "two references, one watch" — collectors and dealers treat them interchangeably and pricing converges across the 5502 and 5506 in the secondary market.

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== Production outline ==

The 1958 launch year and 1964 retirement come from Robb Report's Air-King guide, which dates the 5502 / 5506 / 5516 cluster as a parallel-production set across this window. RolexMagazine and Monochrome echo the 1958 introduction. Bonhams's c.1960 example (auction 29125 lot 51) sits in the middle of the catalog window. Heritage's c.1959 example (lot 5294-54248) is at the early end. No documented 5506 dated post-1964 has surfaced in the ~~documented corpus~~.

The 1958 launch year and 1964 retirement come from Robb Report's Air-King guide, which dates the 5502 / 5506 / 5516 cluster as a parallel-production set across this window. RolexMagazine and Monochrome echo the 1958 introduction. Bonhams's c.1960 example (auction 29125 lot 51) sits in the middle of the catalog window. Heritage's c.1959 example (lot 5294-54248) is at the early end. No documented 5506 dated post-1964 has surfaced in the auction record.

The 5506 retires alongside the broader Cal 1530 → Cal 1520 transition that ran across the Air-King line in approximately 1963. By 1964 the gold-capped 5506 production ends and Rolex does not transition the 5506 onto the Cal 1520 the way the 5500 was transitioned. The gold-capped Air-King line then sits dormant for roughly a decade until the 5520 picks it up in 1974.

The capping thickness specification is contested. '''~~Goldammer~~ and Robb Report both cite 40 microns''' — consistent with the 5502 sister reference and with the broader Rolex gold-capped catalog convention. '''Monochrome cites 14 microns''' for the 5506 specifically — a meaningful divergence from the 40-micron consensus. The 40-micron figure aligns with the broader 5502 / 5506 / 5520 documentation across multiple sources and is the more credible reading; the Monochrome 14-micron reading is captured as a contradiction worth flagging but is not the dominant attribution.

The capping thickness specification is contested. '''Marcus Siems and Robb Report both cite 40 microns''' — consistent with the 5502 sister reference and with the broader Rolex gold-capped catalog convention. '''Monochrome cites 14 microns''' for the 5506 specifically — a meaningful divergence from the 40-micron consensus. The 40-micron figure aligns with the broader 5502 / 5506 / 5520 documentation across multiple sources and is the more credible reading; the Monochrome 14-micron reading is captured as a contradiction worth flagging but is not the dominant attribution.

Total production output is not published. The 5506 is meaningfully scarcer than the 5500 in the secondary market — gold-capped pricing premium narrowed the buyer base, and the parallel 5502 reference split production. Direct 5506 lot essays at Phillips, Sotheby's, Christie's, and Antiquorum are scarce; Bonhams is the documented major-house anchor.

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== 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 (~~Goldammer~~ and Robb Report consensus; Monochrome reads 14 microns — flag as contradiction). The caseback remains stainless steel — same standard gold-cap construction as the 5502 sister and the later 5520.

34mm × approximately 12mm × 43mm L2L. Stainless steel base case with '''40 microns of yellow gold electroplated''' over the bezel, crown, and exterior surfaces (Marcus Siems and Robb Report consensus; Monochrome reads 14 microns — flag as contradiction). The caseback remains stainless steel — same standard gold-cap construction as the 5502 sister and the later 5520.

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. Water resistance is rated at 100m, period-standard.

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|}

The 5506 trades through dealer markets and via Bonhams at the USD 2,000–4,000 band depending on dial configuration and condition. Standard silvered Cal 1530 examples sit at the lower end (USD 2,000–3,000); sunburst champagne examples push into the USD 3,000–4,000 range with provenance. Phillips, Sotheby's, Christie's, and Antiquorum have no documented standalone 5506 essay-grade lots in the ~~corpus~~ through 2025; Bonhams and Heritage are the documented major-house anchors.

The 5506 trades through dealer markets and via Bonhams at the USD 2,000–4,000 band depending on dial configuration and condition. Standard silvered Cal 1530 examples sit at the lower end (USD 2,000–3,000); sunburst champagne examples push into the USD 3,000–4,000 range with provenance. Phillips, Sotheby's, Christie's, and Antiquorum have no documented standalone 5506 essay-grade lots in the auction record through 2025; Bonhams and Heritage are the documented major-house anchors.

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 <small>[[Reference:air-king|Air-King]] -> '''5506'''</small>
-The 5506 is the parallel-production sister to the [[Reference:5502|5502]] — same architecture, same Cal 1530 Super Precision movement, same 40-micron gold-capped construction, distinct reference number tracking distribution channel rather than spec. Both run from approximately 1958 through 1964/65 with the 5506 typically routed to UK and Commonwealth retail channels. The 5506 surfaces at UK auction houses (Bonhams) more frequently than the 5502 in the documented corpus; the 5502 surfaces more often in US dealer corpus. Beyond the reference-number split and the geographic distribution, the two references are mechanically identical.
+The 5506 is the parallel-production sister to the [[Reference:5502|5502]] — same architecture, same Cal 1530 Super Precision movement, same 40-micron gold-capped construction, distinct reference number tracking distribution channel rather than spec. Both run from approximately 1958 through 1964/65 with the 5506 typically routed to UK and Commonwealth retail channels. The 5506 surfaces at UK auction houses (Bonhams) more frequently than the 5502 in the auction record; the 5502 surfaces more often in the US dealer market. Beyond the reference-number split and the geographic distribution, the two references are mechanically identical.
-Bonhams sold a c.1960 5506 (auction 29125 lot 51, May 2023, sunburst champagne dial with applied gilt dart markers and gilt dagger/dart hands) for USD 2,550 with premium — the strongest standalone 5506 auction-house anchor in the documented corpus. Heritage Auctions catalogues a c.1959 5506 (lot 5294-54248) with silvered ground, applied gilt indices, and dauphine/alpha hands — the alternate dial configuration. Across both lots the 5506 architecture is consistent: Kessi Frères SA case construction with the KB tombstone hallmark, alpha hands, applied gilt indices on either silvered or champagne ground, and the period-correct 78351 gold-capped Oyster bracelet.
+Bonhams sold a c.1960 5506 (auction 29125 lot 51, May 2023, sunburst champagne dial with applied gilt dart markers and gilt dagger/dart hands) for USD 2,550 with premium — the strongest standalone 5506 auction-house anchor in the auction record. Heritage Auctions catalogues a c.1959 5506 (lot 5294-54248) with silvered ground, applied gilt indices, and dauphine/alpha hands — the alternate dial configuration. Across both lots the 5506 architecture is consistent: Kessi Frères SA case construction with the KB tombstone hallmark, alpha hands, applied gilt indices on either silvered or champagne ground, and the period-correct 78351 gold-capped Oyster bracelet.
 <span id="core-facts"></span>
-[[File:Ref 5506 hero.webp|thumb|right|260px|alt=Rolex 5506 Air-King gold-capped|Rolex Air-King 5506, gold-capped sunburst champagne dial, c.1960]]
+[[File:Ref 5506 hero.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Rolex 5506 Air-King gold-capped|Rolex Air-King 5506, gold-capped sunburst champagne dial, c.1960]]
 == Core facts ==
@@ Line 40: / Line 40: @@
 |-
 | case
-| 34mm × ~12mm × 43mm L2L stainless steel base with 40 microns yellow gold electroplate (Goldammer / Robb Report consensus; Monochrome reads 14 microns — captured as contradiction)
+| 34mm × ~12mm × 43mm L2L stainless steel base with 40 microns yellow gold electroplate (Marcus Siems and Robb Report consensus; Monochrome reads 14 microns — captured as contradiction)
 |-
 | caseback
@@ Line 88: / Line 88: @@
 == Where it sits in the line ==
-The 5506 is functionally the 5502's twin. Both references launched in 1958 with identical Cal 1530 Super Precision movements, identical 40-micron gold-cap construction, identical Kessi Frères case supply, and identical 78351 gold-capped Oyster bracelet platforms. The reference-number split tracks distribution channel rather than functional spec — the 5506 is more commonly catalogued by UK auction houses (Bonhams), the 5502 surfaces more often in US dealer corpus.
+The 5506 is functionally the 5502's twin. Both references launched in 1958 with identical Cal 1530 Super Precision movements, identical 40-micron gold-cap construction, identical Kessi Frères case supply, and identical 78351 gold-capped Oyster bracelet platforms. The reference-number split tracks distribution channel rather than functional spec — the 5506 is more commonly catalogued by UK auction houses (Bonhams), the 5502 surfaces more often in the US dealer market.
 Why Rolex split the gold-capped Air-King across two reference numbers in this period is undocumented in primary editorial. Possibilities include: separate import licensing for US vs UK / Commonwealth markets; separate dealer ordering channels with distinct reference codes; or a minor case-supply or bracelet-specification difference that the documented sources don't capture. Without primary attribution the practical reading is "two references, one watch" — collectors and dealers treat them interchangeably and pricing converges across the 5502 and 5506 in the secondary market.
@@ Line 97: / Line 97: @@
 == Production outline ==
-The 1958 launch year and 1964 retirement come from Robb Report's Air-King guide, which dates the 5502 / 5506 / 5516 cluster as a parallel-production set across this window. RolexMagazine and Monochrome echo the 1958 introduction. Bonhams's c.1960 example (auction 29125 lot 51) sits in the middle of the catalog window. Heritage's c.1959 example (lot 5294-54248) is at the early end. No documented 5506 dated post-1964 has surfaced in the documented corpus.
+The 1958 launch year and 1964 retirement come from Robb Report's Air-King guide, which dates the 5502 / 5506 / 5516 cluster as a parallel-production set across this window. RolexMagazine and Monochrome echo the 1958 introduction. Bonhams's c.1960 example (auction 29125 lot 51) sits in the middle of the catalog window. Heritage's c.1959 example (lot 5294-54248) is at the early end. No documented 5506 dated post-1964 has surfaced in the auction record.
 The 5506 retires alongside the broader Cal 1530 → Cal 1520 transition that ran across the Air-King line in approximately 1963. By 1964 the gold-capped 5506 production ends and Rolex does not transition the 5506 onto the Cal 1520 the way the 5500 was transitioned. The gold-capped Air-King line then sits dormant for roughly a decade until the 5520 picks it up in 1974.
-The capping thickness specification is contested. '''Goldammer and Robb Report both cite 40 microns''' — consistent with the 5502 sister reference and with the broader Rolex gold-capped catalog convention. '''Monochrome cites 14 microns''' for the 5506 specifically — a meaningful divergence from the 40-micron consensus. The 40-micron figure aligns with the broader 5502 / 5506 / 5520 documentation across multiple sources and is the more credible reading; the Monochrome 14-micron reading is captured as a contradiction worth flagging but is not the dominant attribution.
+The capping thickness specification is contested. '''Marcus Siems and Robb Report both cite 40 microns''' — consistent with the 5502 sister reference and with the broader Rolex gold-capped catalog convention. '''Monochrome cites 14 microns''' for the 5506 specifically — a meaningful divergence from the 40-micron consensus. The 40-micron figure aligns with the broader 5502 / 5506 / 5520 documentation across multiple sources and is the more credible reading; the Monochrome 14-micron reading is captured as a contradiction worth flagging but is not the dominant attribution.
 Total production output is not published. The 5506 is meaningfully scarcer than the 5500 in the secondary market — gold-capped pricing premium narrowed the buyer base, and the parallel 5502 reference split production. Direct 5506 lot essays at Phillips, Sotheby's, Christie's, and Antiquorum are scarce; Bonhams is the documented major-house anchor.
@@ Line 115: / Line 115: @@
 == Case and construction ==
-mm × approximately 12mm × 43mm L2L. Stainless steel base case with '''40 microns of yellow gold electroplated''' over the bezel, crown, and exterior surfaces (Goldammer and Robb Report consensus; Monochrome reads 14 microns — flag as contradiction). The caseback remains stainless steel — same standard gold-cap construction as the 5502 sister and the later 5520.
+mm × approximately 12mm × 43mm L2L. Stainless steel base case with '''40 microns of yellow gold electroplated''' over the bezel, crown, and exterior surfaces (Marcus Siems and Robb Report consensus; Monochrome reads 14 microns — flag as contradiction). The caseback remains stainless steel — same standard gold-cap construction as the 5502 sister and the later 5520.
 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. Water resistance is rated at 100m, period-standard.
@@ Line 171: / Line 171: @@
 |}
-The 5506 trades through dealer markets and via Bonhams at the USD 2,000–4,000 band depending on dial configuration and condition. Standard silvered Cal 1530 examples sit at the lower end (USD 2,000–3,000); sunburst champagne examples push into the USD 3,000–4,000 range with provenance. Phillips, Sotheby's, Christie's, and Antiquorum have no documented standalone 5506 essay-grade lots in the corpus through 2025; Bonhams and Heritage are the documented major-house anchors.
+The 5506 trades through dealer markets and via Bonhams at the USD 2,000–4,000 band depending on dial configuration and condition. Standard silvered Cal 1530 examples sit at the lower end (USD 2,000–3,000); sunburst champagne examples push into the USD 3,000–4,000 range with provenance. Phillips, Sotheby's, Christie's, and Antiquorum have no documented standalone 5506 essay-grade lots in the auction record through 2025; Bonhams and Heritage are the documented major-house anchors.
 <span id="authentication"></span>