Dr. N.
In this article, we go to the discovery of a watch that divides fans of Rolex: This is the Rolex Air King 116900. This model is a tribute to the golden age of commercial aviation. Some find the dial design unpleasant, others appreciate the originality and technique that differentiate this watch from the range Rolex more traditional.
Let's find out more about this Rolex very particular.
Rolex Air-King: the predecessors
The first Rolex Air King, introduced after World War II, it is a model not particularly distinguished on an aesthetic level. It looks like the many Rolex hand-wound of the time.
Il Rolex Air King which becomes famous is the reference 5500, introduced in 1957 and characterized by a self-winding movement and case Oyster. It is a simple timepiece, small in diameter - 34 millimeters - with an indication of hours, minutes and seconds, with no date windows to disturb legibility. For three decades it remains one of the brand's most affordable offerings Rolex. With this model, the particular character of the writing "Air King”Which characterizes the entire range of the same name from here on.
La reference 14000, introduced in 1989, features a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal and a new dial with numerical markers at 3, 6 and 9 o'clock.
He Rolex Air-King 116900
The history of Rolex Air King current begins with the collaboration between Rolex and the Bloodhound Land Speed Record Project, in 2006.
The Bloodhound LSR is a land vehicle designed to break the sound barrier without ever leaving the ground: to this end, it was chosen to power it with none other than the jet engine of a Eurofighter Typhoon. In 2006, Rolex draws the on-board instruments of this very high-performance vehicle: the minute numbers on the dial and the green and white elements on a black background are found in the modern Air King.
Il Rolex Air King 116900 however it does not differ from the rest of the range Rolex for aesthetic details only. This watch also boasts resistance to magnetic fields equal to that of the Rolex Milgauss, whose movement, the Rolex 3131.
Il Rolex Air King, as the Rolex Milgauss, therefore, it integrates an internal soft iron outer casing and a movement with antimagnetic components.
What is the reason for this technical choice? The crews of the planes circling the Poles often encounter variations in the Earth's magnetic field, which can affect the regular functioning of a mechanical clock. Furthermore, the presence of electronic on-board instruments in the cockpit is in turn a source of interference electromagnetic fields: for this reason, equipping an aviator's watch with anti-magnetic protection appears to be a sensible choice.
The Rolex Air-King: an unconventional choice
The Rolex Air-King is a rather divisive watch. There are those who appreciate its technical qualities such as anti-magnetic properties, and those who consider its dial too crowded. We have given you the elements to evaluate; you, of Rolex Air King, what do you think?
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