Rolex 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.
This Reference 5504 features a 'full size' 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.
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Shipping & Returns
At Oliver & Clarke, domestic shipping is on us! If you are international and require a quote – please feel free to reach out to us at info@oliverandclarke.com so we can get you squared away.
Returns (accepted within 3 days of initial delivery of your purchase) must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. For payments via Credit Card, a 5% restocking fee will be in place for any returns or cancellations in order to cover our processing fee. Of course, watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.
If you happen to trade a watch with us, which we welcome, trades are final, except of course if the watch is grossly misdescribed or misrepresented.
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From Rolex & Patek Philippe, to Cartier & Audemars Piguet. As collectors first, we love the small details that separate the Submariner from Daytona and Calatrava from Royal Oak. This is why you'll find our curated assortment spans decades of generations of models and brands. We believe that watches don't just tell time, they tell history - and life is too short to wear a boring watch.
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