This vintage Rolex Air-King 5500 Oyster Perpetual Precision stainless steel wristwatch is in very good condition and keeping excellent time.
Featuring a 34mm case housing the silver dial with silver batons, this 5500 model is a classically stylish timepiece. The automatic movement has been thoroughly checked by our watchmaker and is in full working order.

Among these aviation-themed watches was the Air-King, which made its first official appearance in 1945 with the reference 4925. Several references followed as Rolex continued to refine the design; however, in 1957 (officially lunched in 1958), Rolex released a new version of the Air-King that would be known as the reference 5500.

Reference 5500 Air-King watches were fitted with both caliber 1520 and 1530 movements – a discrepancy that ultimately came down to the market in which the specific watch was originally sold. Due to the difference in movements, Air-King watches that were fitted with the caliber 1530 were often branded with “Super Precision” on the dial, while those with the caliber 1520 generally received the “Precision” branding – however, this rule is certainly not consistent for all reference 5500 watches.

At 34mm in diameter, and without any additional features such as a rotating bezel, chronograph registers, or even date complication, the Air-King ref. 5500 boasts one of the cleanest and most understated Rolex designs of all time.

As a testament to its rock-solid reliability and timeless good looks, the reference 5500 Air-King remained in production for 37 years, and stayed largely unchanged the entire time. While the Air-King has always been considered one of Rolex’s entry-level collections of watches, its classic design and top-notch build quality have made it a popular choice for celebrities and politicians alike.