Rolex Oyster Perpetual Air King Super Precision ‘1959’ Rare Vintage Watch 34mm

Description: A rare circa ‘1959’ Rolex Air - King Super Precision is a vintage timepiece that holds significant historical and collectible value. Reference 5506 is powered by the much sought after caliber 1530. Housed in a factory 40 microns gold plated case retaining the original sunburst champagne dial with beautiful patina. This watch has benefited from a inspection and fully tested by a Rolex Specialist Watchmaker, in good running order keeping accurate time - Ready to enjoy! Although it receives far less attention than the Submariner, Day-Date, or GMT-Master, the Rolex Air-King is one of Rolex’s oldest collections of watches, with an interesting history that spans over seventy years of near-continuous production. And the Air-King 5500 is one of the collection’s longest-running iterations. A History Dating Back To World War II The Rolex Air-King lacks any specific features or complications that make it specially tailored to one type of sport or environment; however, this minimalist collection of watches has become a cult favorite among purists due to its simple time-only display and clean, all-stainless steel construction. After hearing stories of World War II British pilots discarding their standard-issued field watches in favor of personally-purchased Oyster Perpetual timepieces, Rolex co-founder, Hans Wilsdorf decided to release a series of aviation-themed watches, intended to honor the brave RAF pilots who flew in the Battle of Britain. 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 sold to the public in 1958), Rolex released a new version of the Air-King that would be known as the reference 5500 series. The Rolex Air King 5500 history covers 37 years and For the majority of these years, the Rolex Air King 5500 series was left untouched and was considered to be a classic and very coveted model. For sure a collectors time piece that would be a great addition to any watch collection today. Popular for its tough and simple design people often forget that it was originally designed for the demanding conditions faced by the RAF pilots during the 2nd world war. Original Dial: Signed Rolex Oyster Perpetual Air King Super Precision Swiss. Rare champagne sunburst dial with wonderful patina. Raised gold concave baton indexes with aged lume plots which have turned creamy over time sitting behind, lume filled ‘dauphine’ hands with a tapered gilt seconds sweep hand. Outer chapter ring with minute indices. Dial has micro marks commensurate with age and wear not noticeable to the naked eye only under magnification overall good condition for the age. Please observe photos carefully. Original movement: Signed Rolex Geneva 25 Jewels Swiss 1530. Ask any watchmaker today what in their opinion is the best movements Rolex ever produced, and many will still say the Cal. 1500 series. The Rolex Calibre 1530 is a historically significant movement, known for being one of Rolex’s earliest self-winding (automatic) calibres. It played a foundational role in the evolution of Rolex’s modern automatic movements. The Calibre 1530 was introduced in the -1950s and was used in a variety of Rolex models, including the Air-King, Explorer, and Submariner. It is a self-winding movement featuring a bi-directional rotor, a hallmark of Rolex’s innovation in automatic winding. The movement operates at 18,000 vibrations per hour (vph), which was standard at the time but lower than modern Rolex calibres. Known for its robustness and reliability, the Calibre 1530 set a new standard for durability in Rolex movements. It features a full balance bridge for stability and shock resistance, a design element still used in Rolex movements today. While many Calibre 1530 movements met the standards for chronometer certification, not all examples received official certification. Some were marked “Super Precision” instead. The Calibre 1530 is a key milestone in Rolex’s history, marking the transition from manual-wind to automatic movements. It’s reliability and simple. Has been tested by a Rolex specialist master watchmaker with no issues to report - Ready to enjoy! Original Case: Rolex Oyster case factory stamped 40 microns gold plated with polished finish, lugs and centre of case satin finish, smooth chamfered bezel. Serial numbered between lugs at 6 is 629**** dating the watch to 1959 on the Rolex date register, furthermore bearing 40 micron marking. Numbered 5506 between lugs at 12. Case has surface scratches associated with gold plated metals commensurate with age and everyday wear. Please observe photos carefully. Original Crown/Winder: Signed Rolex logo with the dash in relief, screw down crown in good condition. Original Case Back Cover Inner: Signed Montres Rolex S.A Geneva Switzerland Patented CARRURE LUNETTE PLAQUÉ OR LAMINÉ 40 MICRONS SWISS MADE FOND ACIER INOXYDABLE STAINLESS STEEL BACK 5506. In good condition. Original Case Back Cover Outer: Milled edge beveled brushed steel cover screws perfectly flush with case. Has surface hairline scratches associated with stainless steel commensurate with age and wear. Original Crystal: Good condition. Aftermarket Leather Strap/Band Buckle: Fitted with a new good quality leather strap band and gold plated buckle. *Please observe photos carefully as they form part of the description* Shipping with DHL fully insured registered post World wide. Buyer responsible for any taxes or duties due which may delay or hold up your shipment at destination port. (170)

Price: 3150 GBP

Location: Birmingham

End Time: 2025-01-22T23:36:35.000Z

Shipping Cost: 61.71 GBP