THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: ROLEX
MODEL: 5500
YEAR: 1964
BOX/PAPERS: NO/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 34mm
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC

Traditionally, the 5500 reference relates to an Air-King, but in Rolex’s wisdom, between 1958 and 1967, they fitted a small number of them with Explorer dials, dials that were almost identical to their bigger 36mm counterpart, the 1016. These 34mm delights are now extremely scarce, most now have serviced dials or have had later Air-King dials put back in.

 This dial from our research is the rarest iteration. A Super Precision with underline and double Swiss T<25 written on either side of the 6. The Super Precision denoted the use of the 1530 cal movement, the underline signified that Tritium was used as the luminous paint and not a higher radioactive material , this was seen between late 62 and 64, this mark really does increase the desirability and rarity of this watch.

The dial has some mottling between the 10, 12 and 1 markers with some light spotting throughout, common on these gilt dials. The original hands still remain including the long hour hand, so many have been replaced with the shorter serviced variant. The watch was owned by Wing Commander Chris Harris who purchased the watch when he left the RAF in 1965.

Commissioned into the R.A.F. on a short service commission in 1935, Harris was Posted to the North-West Frontier in 1938 to an Army Co-Op Squadron. He Returned to the UK in 1942 to fly Spitfires supporting attacks on German coastal shipping in the North Sea. He was Station Commander at Drem, Scotland. The picture at the end is of him in 1942 resting against  a Spitfire. So cool. 

The watch was left to his son and now Grandson after he passed away nearly 20 years ago. Its been sat sedentary for that time.

We have just had the movement serviced and the mainspring replaced. The movement is running at +5 s/d, 270 amps with a beat error of 0.3.

 As 34mm watches go, this has to be up there with the rarest.