The Replica Rolex Air-King is one of the oldest names in the history of the brand, made during World War II and has remained in almost continuous production ever since. It's a watch with a more poignant backstory than most. Rolex already had an enviable reputation for making capable pilot models before the start of the war, and achieved an early victory by supplying timepieces to the Houston Expedition in 1933, the first time an aircraft managed above the summit of Mount Everest to fly.

While now certainly part of the professional collection of Rolex tool watches replica, the Air-King has always remained on the edge, more of a cult favorite than any of the regular big hitters. However, during its time it has given us a number of classics, including some truly great examples of modest elegance and stylish sophistication. Below we take a closer look at four of the most important references from the Rolex Air-King collection.

Rolex Air-King Ref. 5500

Released in 1957, ref. The 5500 was the fourth generation of the Rolex Air-King and the reason is that there aren't as many different versions of the watch as expected. The reference 5500 was only replaced in the late 1980s and remained in production for no less than 37 years. Due to its extreme longevity, the ref. 5500 is the model most people associate with the archetypal Air-King look; 34 mm, with a strong austere dial, clear hands and not so much a date display to divert attention.

Rolex Air-King Ref. 14000

By the time the replacement for the ref. 5500 came along in the form of ref. In 14000, the different Rolex collections became much more consistent and standardized. Launched in 1989, it followed many of the design elements of its predecessor, with a 34mm stainless steel case, while maintaining the same overall modestly simple styling.

A number of options were also available, with different dial colors, including black, white, blue, and salmon pink. A choice of bezel was also offered, either the traditional smooth-polished type or a motor-turned version like the one on the ref. 14010. But even the Cal. 3000 did not have a COSC rating, which means that the watch still bore the "Precision" label on the dial, instead of the "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" label that we are used to seeing.