Feature: Rolex Unveils Its Updated Air-King At W&W
The Air-King was—unsurprisingly when looking at the name—created with pilots in mind, with Rolex itself saying the watch “celebrates the pioneers of aviation”. Well, to continue to celebrate these exceptional pioneers, Rolex has made some changes to the Air-King, with what they call its “new-generation Oyster Perpetual Air-King”.
So, what’s new? The new Air-King features a completely redesigned case with a crown guard and straight sides. The proportions of the bracelet have been revised too—notably, the centre link which has been broadened. Plus, it is equipped with an Oysterlock safety clasp—a first for the model.
In a small but satisfying move, Rolex has refreshed the watch’s display making it perfectly balanced, thanks to the addition of a 0 before the 5 on the minutes scale. Meaning every five-minute interval is now marked by two digits—and we certainly appreciate the symmetry. It also benefits from an improved Chromalight display, ensuring maximum legibility in dark conditions.
Powering the new-generation Air-King, then, is the calibre 3230, a movement at the forefront of watchmaking technology—even if it was released back in 2020. The calibre enables the Air-King to display the hours, minutes and seconds and gives this piece an impressive 70-hour power reserve, which is as good as it gets for Rolex watches, give or take a couple of hours.
Although the updated Air-King may not look drastically different to previous models, it’s received its fair share of revisions making this a watch we’re excited to get our hands on!
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