Exclusive Timepieces & Jewels 17 –⁠ 18 July 2019 | Monaco

Auction Details

A Selection of Pure Vintage/Contemporary Timepieces and Rare Jewels. Our first auction with Davide Parmegiani.

Session 1 starting at 3 p.m.
Session 2 starting at 6 p.m.

9 Rolex A fine and gorgeous Rolex Air King reference 5500 in stainless steel made for Petroleum Oil

Estimate: € 2,000 –⁠ 4,000

Sold € 2,600

Model: Air-King
Material: Stainless Steel
Reference N°: 5500
Year: 1978
Case N°: 5523542
Caliber: 1520
Bracelet: Stainless Steel
Dimensions: 34
Signed: Dial, Case and movement

The Air King became famous during the Second War when the RAF pilots decided to use it as their watch for equipment. To pay tribute to this choice by the British Royal Air Force, Hans Wilsdorf decided to create a special collection and after having examined several names like Air Tiger, Air Giant and even Air Lion, the choice fell precisely on Air-King which was then officially launched in the late ’40s. This 1979 Rolex Air-King ref. 5500 bears a special dial that shows the partnership with the Pool Intairdril Company, an oil company that supplied labor, machinery and equipment to large oil companies such as Oxy, Agip or NOC in Libya in the 1970s. Pool Intairdril watches are quite rare as they were produced by Rolex in the late 1970s in the early 1980s. Security was a huge problem, every installation was proud of its series of uneventful days and it happened that managers and other security managers received a Rolex Air-King with their names engraved on the back and a certificate of praise like the present which bears the inscription Security Award Tony R. Smith 11-26-79 on the back. Kept in excellent condition, this lot is part of that small circle of watches with dials dedicated to famous brands that Rolex used to produce and increasingly difficult to find. For a similar model please see the lot number 197.