The Air King - some reflections, thoughts and watch shots two years on

[pomelowatches]

Hey guys,



Conscious this watch has had its fair share of controversy since its launch during Basel 2016, but, two years after living with it, I thought it was worth looking back on the Air King, where it came from and how it looks and feels today. Click on the link here for more thoughts and watch shots!

With thanks to everyone on TRF for their views over the years, has been interesting to hear other people's opinions on this piece as time has gone on.

Enjoy!
Daniel

[Fire bloke]

Great write up Daniel thank you
I am of course in the I love the air-king camp
The Air-king, a watch which one day will become a classic

[pomelowatches]

Originally Posted by Fire bloke

Great write up Daniel thank you
I am of course in the I love the air-king camp
The Air-king, a watch which one day will become a classic

Thanks! And thanks to everyone else for the compliments - glad you guys enjoyed it.

[escobar144]

There is alot about this watch that I like and alot that I dont. I wish they had taken out the 3,6,9 and added 15,30,45. I also wish they had made the font alittle smaller on the numbers. So much potential on this watch I feel was wasted

[pomelowatches]

Originally Posted by escobar144

There is alot about this watch that I like and alot that I dont. I wish they had taken out the 3,6,9 and added 15,30,45. I also wish they had made the font alittle smaller on the numbers. So much potential on this watch I feel was wasted

Weirdly, I also felt this way when I first saw it online - but after a while I actually started enjoying the 3, 6, 9!

[brucethemanlee]

Originally Posted by escobar144

There is alot about this watch that I like and alot that I dont. I wish they had taken out the 3,6,9 and added 15,30,45. I also wish they had made the font alittle smaller on the numbers. So much potential on this watch I feel was wasted

+1

Looks Rolex used leftover spare parts from Exolorer 1 after it got lumed 3,6,9. So they stuck the non-lumed markers on dial of Airking added some colors


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[In-Cog-Neeto]

Originally Posted by escobar144

There is alot about this watch that I like and alot that I dont. I wish they had taken out the 3,6,9 and added 15,30,45. I also wish they had made the font alittle smaller on the numbers. So much potential on this watch I feel was wasted

Agree with this

15, 30, 45 would have been sweet

[MSchu]

Love it!

[brandrea]

Nice review Daniel. It looks right at home on your wrist

[pomelowatches]

Originally Posted by brandrea

Nice review Daniel. It looks right at home on your wrist

Thanks Brandrea! That's my friend in the photo, I'm the one behind the camera :D

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by pomelowatches

Thanks Brandrea! That's my friend in the photo, I'm the one behind the camera :D

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[daveo5]

The Air-King. This model has frequently been sneered at, scorned as not a “real” Rolex. Well Rolex addresses that by putting it’s name on every Air-King dial. I can’t quote current production figures, but past figures would show it was the best selling model, excluding the women’s 26 mm. If Rolex questioned it’s marketability it would have dropped it from their playbook years ago.



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[AJMarcus]

Originally Posted by daveo5

The Air-King. This model has frequently been sneered at, scorned as not a “real” Rolex. Well Rolex addresses that by putting it’s name on every Air-King dial. I can’t quote current production figures, but past figures would show it was the best selling model, excluding the women’s 26 mm. If Rolex questioned it’s marketability it would have dropped it from their playbook years ago.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I honestly never heard anyone saying the AirKing was not a real Rolex. But I completely agree with your comment otherwise. It’s one of the more iconic watches with true tool watch DNA in the current line up

[Nikrnic]

What a great piece this is. A fun design mix for sure. I loved mine for a daily for a year only trading it for a Polar. Im not OCD or a nitpicker but after noticing on mine the one thing I would change if I could would be to make the 5 marker an 05 to balance the dial to perfection. Maybe I was a little OCD about that. I am more happy with my Zblue and that one isn't going anywhere.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[JoseR]

My first and only Rolex and I love it...

[askdanny]

As one who's worn the Air-King in the cockpit and across the oceans, I loved your review (and the Air-King is my avatar). I could never decide between wearing a vintage watch or a modern one. As much as I love the GMT, I feel the new Air-King gives me that aviation-vintage feel in a brand new watch. I might be flying a state-of-the-art airliner for a living. But my eyes always turn towards a DC-3 or a P-51 Mustang parked on the ramp. I love the black high-contrast, military minute dial, the brushed steel, the heft, the green lollipop hand.

I love that it doesn't have the typical Submariner design that makes the watch scream "Rolex!" Most won't recognize the brand until they look closely at the dial. Then they see the coronet and the color and say, "I love that watch!"

Many brands like Breitling, Fortis, IWC, etc., are going heavy for the vintage pilot design.

I love my Air-King.

https://www.rolexmagazine.com/2019/0...-air-king.html

[JoseR]

Originally Posted by askdanny

As one who worn the Air-King in the cockpit and across the oceans, I loved your review (and the Air-King is my avatar). I could never decide between wearing a vintage watch or a modern one. As much as I love the GMT, I feel the new Air-King gives me that aviation-vintage feel in a brand new watch. I might be flying a state-of-the-art airliner for a living. But my eyes always turn towards a DC-3 or a P-51 Mustang parked on the ramp. I love the black high-contrast, military minute dial, the brushed steel, the heft, the green lollipop hand.

I love that it doesn't have the typical Submariner design that makes the watch scream "Rolex!" Most won't recognize the brand until they look closely at the dial. Then they see the coronet and the color and say, "I love that watch!"

Many brands like Breitling, Fortis, IWC, etc., are going heavy for the vintage pilot design.

I love my Air-King.

https://www.rolexmagazine.com/2019/0...-air-king.html

I agree with you 100%. I wear mines and nobody really notices it. It doesn't scream ROLEX... I like that, undercover..

[pomelowatches]

Originally Posted by askdanny

As one who's worn the Air-King in the cockpit and across the oceans, I loved your review (and the Air-King is my avatar). I could never decide between wearing a vintage watch or a modern one. As much as I love the GMT, I feel the new Air-King gives me that aviation-vintage feel in a brand new watch. I might be flying a state-of-the-art airliner for a living. But my eyes always turn towards a DC-3 or a P-51 Mustang parked on the ramp. I love the black high-contrast, military minute dial, the brushed steel, the heft, the green lollipop hand.

I love that it doesn't have the typical Submariner design that makes the watch scream "Rolex!" Most won't recognize the brand until they look closely at the dial. Then they see the coronet and the color and say, "I love that watch!"

Many brands like Breitling, Fortis, IWC, etc., are going heavy for the vintage pilot design.

I love my Air-King.

https://www.rolexmagazine.com/2019/0...-air-king.html

Thanks! Nice write up too! The contrasting green, yellow and black colours really work for me.

[Montremoi]

Originally Posted by askdanny

https://www.rolexmagazine.com/2019/0...-air-king.html

Great on-the-job feedback, now I understand how valuable this "weird" dial arrangement can be

I guess this Air King could be improved by having, say, green lume on the minutes numbers and blue lume on the hours numbers.

[JoseR]

[QUOTE=askdanny;10017858]As one who's worn the Air-King in the cockpit and across the oceans, I loved your review (and the Air-King is my avatar). I could never decide between wearing a vintage watch or a modern one. As much as I love the GMT, I feel the new Air-King gives me that aviation-vintage feel in a brand new watch. I might be flying a state-of-the-art airliner for a living. But my eyes always turn towards a DC-3 or a P-51 Mustang parked on the ramp. I love the black high-contrast, military minute dial, the brushed steel, the heft, the green lollipop hand.

I love that it doesn't have the typical Submariner design that makes the watch scream "Rolex!" Most won't recognize the brand until they look closely at the dial. Then they see the coronet and the color and say, "I love that watch!"

Many brands like Breitling, Fortis, IWC, etc., are going heavy for the vintage pilot design.

I love my Air-King.

https://www.rolexmagazine.com/2019/0...-air-king.html[

Nice link. Enjoy your AK and safe flying.

[Subterranean]

Like it..think it's a winner

[abozz]

Very nice review and pictures.

Enviado desde mi SM-G975F mediante Tapatalk

[CashGap]

Your photo makes me want one.

What more can you ask from a post!

[HORNBLOWER]

I'm a very recent convert. I like it, it's an Explorer Milgauss hybrid.

[MSchu]

Would anyone here wear an Airking GMT?

[pomelowatches]

Originally Posted by MSchu

Would anyone here wear an Airking GMT?

Hmmm. Interesting idea - but it'd need a 24 hour bezel for this to work for me - which could be a step too far given the 3, 6, 9 already on there!

[askdanny]

Originally Posted by MSchu

Would anyone here wear an Airking GMT?

If it had an hour-jump hand (jump hour without hacking the movement) it would be a great tool for travel. But then we’re talking a different movement than the 3131 which is shared by the Milgauss.

[Xamy]

It's cool

[1William]

When introduced the Air King was not my favorite but over time the watch has grown on me. I get the appeal now and while I do not want to own one I do like the dial better now.

[Heu]

Very nice!