1964 Rolex Air-king 9ct Precision 5500

Make - Rolex

 

Model - Air-King Precision

 

Case: 34 mm

 

Reference - 5500

 

Movement: 1560

 

Year: 1960s

 

Bracelet - Gold plated Watch Gecko

 

Accessories - Company watch pouch

Up for sale is a truly charming and seldom-seen mid-1960s example of the iconic Rolex Air-King, dating to 1964 and featuring the ever-desirable 3-6-9 dial configuration.

 

Traditionally offered in stainless steel, the Air-King was Rolex’s understated everyday companion — clean, legible, and perfectly proportioned at 34mm (excluding crown). It has long been regarded as the sweet-spot vintage Rolex: versatile, wearable, and quietly confident on the wrist.

 

What elevates this particular example into truly uncommon territory is its 9-carat solid gold case, fully signed and hallmarked. Gold-cased Air-Kings of this era — especially reference 5500 examples — are rarely encountered, and 9ct cases were typically produced in small numbers for the UK market. In over a decade of handling vintage Rolex, we have seen only one other comparable example surface publicly.

 

The dial is simply beautiful — an elegant off-white tone with applied gilt 3-6-9 Arabic numerals and matching gold furniture, offering a warm contrast against the yellow gold case. The simplicity of the layout gives it a restrained Explorer-esque charm, yet with a softer, dressier personality befitting the Air-King line.

 

The proportions remain spot on: slim, comfortable, and ideal as a daily wearer — the kind of vintage Rolex that feels just as appropriate with tailoring as it does with knitwear. It is currently paired on a gold-tone WatchGecko mesh bracelet, which complements the warmth of the case beautifully.

 

An uncommon configuration of a much-loved reference — refined, wearable, and quietly special. Pieces like this seldom appear, and when they do, they rarely linger.