Rolex Air King Super Precision Air-King Ref. 5504
Believe it or not, there are still some great, lesser-known finds in the world of vintage Rolex.
Vintage Air-Kings in particular offer a wide variety of dials and styles across a long production run, all of which do what Rolex does best: Timeless good looks, an Oyster case, and a robust movement. All of this, with a paired down 34mm case size - this is about a classic a Rolex as you can get.
The model was debuted in 1945, and as the name would imply, was honoring those pilots who participated in air combat over the UK in the now infamous Battle of Britain. This was part of a post-war lineup that included more obscure models like the Air-Lion, Air-Tiger, and Air-Giant. Naturally, many have faded into complete obscurity today. Even the likes of Pan Am gifted the Air King to its retiring pilots as a ‘thank you’ for service to the company. While the Air-King went through many iterations - including a stint as the case that housed the Explorer I dials - the Reference 5500 is the predominant reference of note. Like other iconic models (the 5513, and 1675) the reference ran for 37 years from 1957 to 1994, and used one of the incredibly robust 1500 series movements.
The Air-King that we have here, however, is something different.
The Reference 5504 that we have here features a 'full' 36mm case, similar to that of an Explorer or Datejust of the era. Inside, it has a crisp satin silver dial with oversized indices at the 3, 6, and 9 positions and an 'Alpha' handset.
In fantastic overall condition, this piece presents great value next to its more well-known siblings, and truly represents the essence of Rolex.
The Nitty Gritty
Manufacturer: Rolex
Model: Super Precision Air-King
Ref: 5504
Year: 1958
Case Diameter: 36mm
Lug Width: 20mm
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Case: Lightly polished showing light wear throughout. Caseback exhibits tooling marks.
Dial: Fantastic, well preserved condition with all lume plots intact.
Movement: Rolex Automatic Calibre
Bracelet: Pictured taupe Molequin leather strap with steel buckle.
*Some marks or spots on the dial are reflections or dust on the crystal and are due to high intensity strobe lighting used while photographing. They are not actually on the watch or visible in natural lighting.Rolex Air King Super Precision Air-King Ref. 5504
$
4,950
Basic Info
Listing code JKZP29
Brand Rolex
Model Air King
Year of production 1958
Condition Very good (Worn with little to no signs of wear)
Scope of delivery No original box, no original papers
Location United States of America, California, Los Angeles
Price $4,950 [Negotiable]
Availability Item is in stock
Believe it or not, there are still some great, lesser-known finds in the world of vintage Rolex.
Vintage Air-Kings in particular offer a wide variety of dials and styles across a long production run, all of which do what Rolex does best: Timeless good looks, an Oyster case, and a robust movement. All of this, with a paired down 34mm case size - this is about a classic a Rolex as you can get.
The model was debuted in 1945, and as the name would imply, was honoring those pilots who participated in air combat over the UK in the now infamous Battle of Britain. This was part of a post-war lineup that included more obscure models like the Air-Lion, Air-Tiger, and Air-Giant. Naturally, many have faded into complete obscurity today. Even the likes of Pan Am gifted the Air King to its retiring pilots as a ‘thank you’ for service to the company. While the Air-King went through many iterations - including a stint as the case that housed the Explorer I dials - the Reference 5500 is the predominant reference of note. Like other iconic models (the 5513, and 1675) the reference ran for 37 years from 1957 to 1994, and used one of the incredibly robust 1500 series movements.
The Air-King that we have here, however, is something different.
The Reference 5504 that we have here features a 'full' 36mm case, similar to that of an Explorer or Datejust of the era. Inside, it has a crisp satin silver dial with oversized indices at the 3, 6, and 9 positions and an 'Alpha' handset.
In fantastic overall condition, this piece presents great value next to its more well-known siblings, and truly represents the essence of Rolex.
The Nitty Gritty
Manufacturer: Rolex
Model: Super Precision Air-King
Ref: 5504
Year: 1958
Case Diameter: 36mm
Lug Width: 20mm
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Case: Lightly polished showing light wear throughout. Caseback exhibits tooling marks.
Dial: Fantastic, well preserved condition with all lume plots intact.
Movement: Rolex Automatic Calibre
Bracelet: Pictured taupe Molequin leather strap with steel buckle.
*Some marks or spots on the dial are reflections or dust on the crystal and are due to high intensity strobe lighting used while photographing. They are not actually on the watch or visible in natural lighting.
