Rolex Air-King 5500 'UAE Armed Forces'

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Until some years ago, Rolex allowed sovereign and corporate clients to commission special order watches. Some of the most collectible among these are the ones bearing crest dials from the various Arab monarchies in the Persian Gulf.This ref. 5500 Air-King from 1989 features the seal of the United Arab Emirates’ armed forces. The dial is executed in a pale champagne color together with 18k yellow-gold applied hour markers and matching 18k gold hands. This dial configuration is unusual on regular production Air-Kings as yellow-gold markers and hands are usually reserved for full-gold and two-tone models, but are characteristic of Arab crest dials.The 34 mm stainless steel case features a crisp smooth bezel and comes on a matching steel Oyster bracelet. The case is in great condition and the bracelet shows only a minimal amount of stretch. The watch sports a vintage plexi crystal and runs on the workhorse caliber 1520 automatic movement.

Introduction

Rolex Air-KingRolex and the military have enjoyed a close relationship for a long time. During World War II, Rolex even provided its watches free of charge to British soldiers that were held as prisoners of war by the Germans. After the war had ended, Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf named a series of Oyster watches in honor of Royal Air Force pilots. The Air-Lion, Air-Giant, and Air-Tiger might not sound familiar as they were discontinued shortly after their introduction. But, one model has been going strong for over 70 years: the Air-King.The Air-King has been refined throughout the years and has received new references. However, all executions have something in common: a simple and classic design, executed in steel, with a reliable no-nonsense movement. The Rolex Air-King is loved by many watch enthusiasts and is truly one of the best deals in town.

Specifications

Shipping

Packages are generally dispatched within 2 days after receipt of payment and are shipped within the Netherlands by Registered Mail through the Dutch carrier PostNL and for other countries by Fedex. Consult us if you prefer another method of shipping. For most destinations tracking is available.