Today, almost every watch produced by Rolex is equipped with the brand’s water-resistant Oyster case, and Rolex no longer produces anything with a case size smaller than 28 mm. This was not always the case, however, and a quick look at Rolex’s vintage offerings reveals a number of small, extremely elegant timepieces that are unlike anything you will find in the brand’s contemporary catalog. Collectively known as copy watches, these exquisite models were originally designed specifically for women and often feature 14-carat gold cases with distinctive mesh bracelets.
Despite their solid gold construction and 17-jewel mechanical movements, these vintage women’s replica watches are among the absolute cheapest Rolex models available. A budget of just a few thousand dollars is enough to purchase a watch with a stunning diamond-set bezel, and if you want a simpler model with a standard bezel, you can expect to pay less than that. While these vintage cocktail watches don’t have the water-resistance or immediately recognizable styling that Rolex is known for today, they offer a highly refined and elegant aesthetic unlike anything in the brand’s modern catalog.
The Rolex Air-King was originally born when Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf heard that pilots in World War II were abandoning their cheap standard watches in favor of privately purchased Rolex watches due to their superior accuracy and reliability. Although the Air-King name appeared in the Rolex catalog as early as 1945, it did not become a separate collection until 1958. Like the fake watches favored by pilots during World War II, the Rolex Air-King has always been minimalist in function and affordable in price, which makes it one of the most affordable Rolex replica watches available on both the retail and pre-owned markets.
The Reference 5500 was the first Oyster Perpetual Air-King produced by Rolex when the line was introduced in 1958, and it had a very long production run, remaining part of the Rolex catalog until it was finally retired in the early 1990s. Because its movement did not have a chronograph function, the Ref. 5500 remained one of Rolex’s cheapest models during its production run, and the relatively large number of examples helped it maintain a very attractive price point after all these years. Celebrated by collectors for its timeless design and rock-solid reliability, the Rolex Air-King 5500 is a wonderful vintage model with an amazing history and is a great addition to any luxury watch collection.