This Watch

We have here one of Rolex's longest running models - the Air King.  A fine, rare and all-original Rolex Air King with the most stunning silvered dial and a cool twist!  

This is an exceptionally clean and rare iteration of the legendary Rolex Air-King, a model that remained in production for over 30 years due to its timeless design. This 1965 (2nd Quarter) example hails from a fascinating transitional period for Rolex, featuring several distinct characteristics that set it apart from the standard production models of the era.

The most striking feature is the factory "Non-Luminous" (NL) setup. Unlike most Air-Kings of the period, this dial was produced without tritium lume plots at the hour markers, and the "Alpha" style hands are solid steel rather than being cut out for luminous paint. This configuration was often specifically designated for the Japanese market, where strict import regulations regarding radioactive materials were in place during the 1960s.

The dial also features the rare "- T SWISS T -" signature at 6 o'clock. The dashes (or hyphens) flanking the Swiss signature were used by Rolex for a brief window in 1963/65 to signify a shift to lower-radiation tritium. To see this signature on a non-lume dial is a wonderful "purist" quirk, indicating that Rolex used their most up-to-date dial blanks of the year for this special order. Some age spotting on the dial as to be expected but nothing which detracts in our opinion.

Having been fully serviced and treated to a light, sympathetic polish and a fresh crystal, this Air-King is ready for another lifetime of wear.

The 34.5mm, stainless steel, three-piece, Oyster case is a comfortable wear for both men and women.  The watch has the signature Rolex Oyster, screw-down crown as well as a domed crystal and polished bezel, drawing your eyes into that amazing dial.  Inside is the automatic Rolex caliber 1520, fully serviced by us and running strongly. We have paired this watch on a modernistic suede blue 19mm strap but we can offer some more traditional options too.

Extra Points 

Hans Wilsdorf founded Rolex in 1905 at the age of 24, along with Alfred Davis in London. In 1919 they moved their operation to Geneva, Switzerland. This move was brought about by high wartime taxes on Gold and Silver in the UK after the Great war 1914-1918. They were now closer to their suppliers in Bienne. The Rolex Oyster case was released in 1926. Marketed as the world's first “waterproof” watch. The notches on the bezel and case back meant they could be screwed down to the middle case with a special tool invented and manufactured by Rolex to hermetically seal the case. In 1927 a young swimmer Miss Mercedes Gleitz swam the English channel wearing the “Oyster”. Later in 1933 the team of the first expedition to fly over Everest wore them. It was also famously worn by Sir Malcolm Campbell, “King Of Speed”, on the 4th September 1935. An advert of the time made a big splash with him saying “The Rolex watch is still keeping perfect time- I was wearing it yesterday when Bluebird exceeded 300 mph.” He broke the world land speed record 9 times between 1924 and 1936. 1931 saw the debut of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual, their first self-winding watch that was also water-resistant and dustproof.

The "Air" models were produced immediately after the Second World War for the British Royal Air Force.  The first "Air King" (reference 4925) was released in 1945 and the 34mm case was considered large at the time, hence the name "King."  These first models are now very rare but have many of the same features as other Rolex Bubblebacks of the same era and housed manually wound Hunter movements.  Other watches in the original Air collection included the Air Lion, Air Tiger and Air Giant.  

This watch has been fully serviced with our on-site workshop and comes with our extended 24 month, non-waterproof service cover for total peace of mind

What we think

The Air-King 5500 is often called the "perfect" vintage Rolex because of its understated elegance, but this specific piece adds a layer of rarity that is hard to find. The Alpha hands give it a much sharper, more mid-century aesthetic compared to the later baton hands. Because it lacks luminous material, the dial has aged beautifully without the common "burn" or crumbling often seen on 60-year-old watches. It is presented on a modern blue suede strap that makes the silvered dial pop, though we have many leather options if you prefer a more traditional look. The inclusion of our extended 24-month service cover makes this an incredibly "safe" investment into the world of vintage Rolex.

Spec Stuff