Various Rolex Version Ultimate Buying Guide

Luxury watch enthusiasts would say that part of the fun of collecting vintage replica Rolex watches is paying more attention to the unusual in their archives. While today’s Rolex collections are very totally differentiated, each with its own special selling points and plenty of marketing material to explain all the ins and outs, it wasn’t so clear-cut more than 50 years ago. The Rolex 5500 series is an example of this. While the Ref. 5500 was technically Rolex’s Air-King, the brand also offered the Ref. 5500 with a Rolex Explorer dial and handset at the same time for about a few years.
This kind of thing wouldn’t happen today, but it’s definitely a fascinating slice of Rolex history and proves that sometimes things don’t always make so much sense when it comes to vintage watches. So today we took a closer look at two versions of the Rolex Model 5500, the Pair Air-King ref. 5500 and the Explorer ref. 5500, to provide some insight into this somewhat mysterious vintage Rolex watch.  
While it receives far less attention than the Submariner, Day-Date, or GMT-Master, the Rolex Air-King is one of Rolex’s oldest watch lines, with an interesting history spanning seven decades of near-continuous production. And the Air-King 5500 is one of the longest-running iterations in the collection. Among these aviation-themed watches, the Air-King made its official debut in 1945 with the model number 4925, and as Rolex replica continued to refine the design, several more models followed; however, in 1957, Rolex released a new version of the Air-King, the so-called 5500 model.
The reference 5500 Air-King watch was made with both the 1520 and 1530 movements – a difference that ultimately came down to the market in which the particular watch was originally sold. While the Air-King has long been considered one of Rolex’s entry-level watch lines, its classic design and top-notch build quality have made it a popular option among celebrities and politicians alike. the Air-King ref. 5500 has all of Rolex’s signature features without any of the extras.
The Air-King’s modest size makes it great for both men and women. Moreover, its minimalist look ensures that it will never really go out of style. It may never be as iconic and instantly recognizable as a Daytona or Submariner, but the fake Rolex Air-King has become the go-to for purists seeking a classic Rolex watch that can easily fly under the radar.