First released in 1945 in honor of the British RAF following their efforts in WWII, the Air-King has become one of the longest-serving members of Rolex’s catalog, with its official debut as a standalone collection, as we know it today, tracing its origins a little bit more recently to 1958. Since then, the collection has become one of Rolex’s most unique collections, with its design and construction often used as a means to push aesthetic boundaries and experiment with design in a way that few other collections within the Rolex family could. As such, the Air-King collection has been found to sport a vast expanse of dial colors and set-ups, with different bezel configurations and a large variety of sizes.

The watch is in overall excellent condition. The steel case has some some scatches and markson the lugs and bezel, including a couple of tiny nicks, and the case back has light surface marks. The dial shows a couple of light marks on the surface and some aging around the very edge. Some of the lume plots have discoloured, as has the lume in the hands, which also show light scratches. The plastic crystal has a number of scuffs and scratches. The solid link Oyster bracelet has light marks and light play between the links. The bracelet currently fits a 7 1/2” wrist, and has 13 links, 3 of which are removable.

A Rolex true to the brand's ethos as a tool watchmaker, the Air-King ref. 5500 strips away needless design details in lieu of being supremely legible, intensely robust and simply timeless.