ROLEX
Air-King
Ref. 5500c. 1981Goodsteel
$3,699
Available · Free Insured Shipping
SKUgtv-007
Reference5500
Year1981
ConditionGood
CaseStainless Steel
DialSilver Cream
StrapStainless Steel
We love how clean this vintage Air-King is — built without pretense, made simply to keep good time and last a lifetime. This Reference 5500 is from to 1981 and houses the rare "Pre-Precision" dial, found on earlier runs of the Air-King (later runs have the word Precision or Super Precision above the 6 marker).
At 34mm in all stainless steel and paired with a Jubilee bracelet, this is a watch that sits beautifully on the wrist — balanced, understated, and quietly elegant.
Beneath the surface beats the Rolex Caliber 1520, a workhorse long favored for its simplicity, durability, and ease of service. Decades on, it still does exactly what it was built to do.
Dial
- Original "Pre-Precision" dial
- Silver dial, untouched and beautifully preserved
- Original hands and crown
- Light, barely noticeable patina
Bracelet & Clasp
- Original Rolex stainless steel Jubilee bracelet
- Shows expected stretch consistent with age, wearable up to 7" wrist
- Original Rolex clasp
Case
- Stainless steel Oyster case in excellent vintage condition
- 34 mm (without crown) / ~40 mm lug-to-lug / 19 mm lug width / ~11 mm thick
Movement
- Rolex Automatic Caliber 1520
- 26 jewels, 19,800 A/h, non-chronometer
Condition Notes
Overall lovely condition. Shallow dent on clasp.