| Reference | 5500 |
|---|---|
| Case | 34mm × 12mm, 904L stainless steel |
| Dial | Glossy black with applied baton markers |
The Air-King 5500 is the longest-running Air-King reference in Rolex history, produced from 1957 to 1989 with the Caliber 1520 movement and the smooth domed bezel that defined the original 34mm Oyster pilot tribute. This Air-King 5500 Super Clone holds the same case proportions, the same domed bezel profile, and the same applied-marker dial layout as the genuine vintage reference, priced at $1,299 against a pre-owned market that trades from $2,800 to $5,500 for clean black dial examples.
The Air-King 5500 Super Clone features a 34mm Oyster case measuring 12mm thick on a 904L stainless steel core with high-grade finishing. The 34mm diameter and 19mm lug width give the Air-King 5500 the classic mid-size profile that wears closer to a modern 36mm on the wrist. The case sits flat on wrist sizes from 6 inches to 7.5 inches without lug overhang, holding the slim vintage silhouette that pre-1990 Rolex Oyster collectors associate with the period.
The smooth domed bezel is the visual signature of the 5500 reference and separates it from the engine-turned variants of the same era. The bezel rises in a gentle dome from the case mid-line, polished to a mirror finish that frames the black dial without competing for visual attention. The dome edge catches light in a single soft arc, holding the dress-leaning silhouette the original Air-King 5500 was designed around.
A sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating sits over the dial in a domed vintage profile that matches the acrylic crown shape of the original 5500 without the scratch risk of period plexiglass. The screw-down caseback carries the Rolex coronet etching and seals the movement chamber against 100 meters of water pressure. The Twinlock-style screw-down crown holds the 10 ATM water resistance the genuine 5500 offered, with a Rolex coronet machined into the crown face.
The glossy black dial is the defining attribute of this Air-King 5500 Super Clone, finished by Clean Factory with the deep lacquer surface Rolex used on the rarer black-dial 5500 variants across the 1960s and 1970s. The black tone holds a wet-ink depth under direct light that reads cleaner than matte black dials of lower-tier clones. The lacquer finish carries no visible texture under 10x magnification, matching the catalogue-original black 5500 surface that period collectors value for its formal-wear versatility.
The dial features applied polished steel baton hour markers with cream-toned luminous fill at every hour position. The applied Rolex coronet sits at 12 o'clock above the printed "Rolex Oyster Perpetual" wordmark, with "AIR-KING" text below the center pinion at 6 o'clock. The baton markers and dauphine-style hands hold the dimensions of the genuine vintage reference within tight tolerance, preserving the no-date symmetry that separates the Air-King 5500 from the date-window Oyster Perpetual line.
The dial uses polished baton hands for hours and minutes and a slim sweeping seconds hand with a counterweight tail. The luminous compound on the hour and minute hands carries a cream-aged daytime tone that glows green for 4 to 5 hours after a single charge under ambient light. The high-contrast white-on-black layout gives the Air-King 5500 Super Clone the strongest legibility in the 5500 dial range, with the lume fill reading cleanly across the entire dial surface in low light.
The Air-King 5500 Super Clone runs on a Swiss-grade automatic clone movement engineered to match the autonomy and feel of the genuine Caliber 1520, modernized to a 28,800 vph beat rate for smoother sweep performance. The movement holds a 48-hour power reserve at full wind and drives a sweeping seconds hand without the stutter of lower-grade movements. The bidirectional rotor delivers a quiet wind cycle that matches the discipline of high-grade Rolex clone calibers.
Daily deviation holds within -10 to +15 seconds per day after factory regulation, exceeding the original Caliber 1520 tolerance of the vintage 5500. The bidirectional rotor winds quietly against the wrist without the audible swing-rotor rattle that signals a budget clone. The full balance bridge architecture gives the movement modern shock resistance that period 1520 calibers lacked, pairing vintage-spec case styling with reliable daily-wear performance inside the Air-King 5500 Super Clone.
Specification Grid:
The Air-King 5500 Super Clone ships on an Oyster 3-link bracelet built in 904L stainless steel, tapering from 19mm at the lugs to 16mm at the clasp. The center link uses a polished finish framed by satin-brushed outer links, matching the late-production solid-link Oyster bracelet Rolex fitted to the 5500 through the 1980s. The end links sit flush against the case with no daylight gap between the lug and the bracelet termination.
The folding Oyster clasp closes with the standard fold-over double-blade security the genuine 5500 offered in its later production years. The clasp tucks flat against the wrist underside without protrusion against the skin. The bracelet adjusts to wrist sizes from 6 inches to 7.75 inches through removable solid links, and the Air-King 5500 Super Clone sits at a balanced 105-gram weight that matches the wrist feel of the genuine vintage reference within a 5-gram margin.
The Air-King 5500 Super Clone features a 34mm Oyster case measuring 12mm thick on a 904L stainless steel core with high-grade finishing. The 34mm diameter and 19mm lug width give the Air-King 5500 the classic mid-size profile that wears closer to a modern 36mm on the wrist. The case sits flat on wrist sizes from 6 inches to 7.5 inches without lug overhang, holding the slim vintage silhouette that pre-1990 Rolex Oyster collectors associate with the period.
The smooth domed bezel is the visual signature of the 5500 reference and separates it from the engine-turned variants of the same era. The bezel rises in a gentle dome from the case mid-line, polished to a mirror finish that frames the black dial without competing for visual attention. The dome edge catches light in a single soft arc, holding the dress-leaning silhouette the original Air-King 5500 was designed around.
A sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating sits over the dial in a domed vintage profile that matches the acrylic crown shape of the original 5500 without the scratch risk of period plexiglass. The screw-down caseback carries the Rolex coronet etching and seals the movement chamber against 100 meters of water pressure. The Twinlock-style screw-down crown holds the 10 ATM water resistance the genuine 5500 offered, with a Rolex coronet machined into the crown face.
The glossy black dial is the defining attribute of this Air-King 5500 Super Clone, finished by Clean Factory with the deep lacquer surface Rolex used on the rarer black-dial 5500 variants across the 1960s and 1970s. The black tone holds a wet-ink depth under direct light that reads cleaner than matte black dials of lower-tier clones. The lacquer finish carries no visible texture under 10x magnification, matching the catalogue-original black 5500 surface that period collectors value for its formal-wear versatility.
The dial features applied polished steel baton hour markers with cream-toned luminous fill at every hour position. The applied Rolex coronet sits at 12 o'clock above the printed "Rolex Oyster Perpetual" wordmark, with "AIR-KING" text below the center pinion at 6 o'clock. The baton markers and dauphine-style hands hold the dimensions of the genuine vintage reference within tight tolerance, preserving the no-date symmetry that separates the Air-King 5500 from the date-window Oyster Perpetual line.
The dial uses polished baton hands for hours and minutes and a slim sweeping seconds hand with a counterweight tail. The luminous compound on the hour and minute hands carries a cream-aged daytime tone that glows green for 4 to 5 hours after a single charge under ambient light. The high-contrast white-on-black layout gives the Air-King 5500 Super Clone the strongest legibility in the 5500 dial range, with the lume fill reading cleanly across the entire dial surface in low light.
The Air-King 5500 Super Clone runs on a Swiss-grade automatic clone movement engineered to match the autonomy and feel of the genuine Caliber 1520, modernized to a 28,800 vph beat rate for smoother sweep performance. The movement holds a 48-hour power reserve at full wind and drives a sweeping seconds hand without the stutter of lower-grade movements. The bidirectional rotor delivers a quiet wind cycle that matches the discipline of high-grade Rolex clone calibers.
Daily deviation holds within -10 to +15 seconds per day after factory regulation, exceeding the original Caliber 1520 tolerance of the vintage 5500. The bidirectional rotor winds quietly against the wrist without the audible swing-rotor rattle that signals a budget clone. The full balance bridge architecture gives the movement modern shock resistance that period 1520 calibers lacked, pairing vintage-spec case styling with reliable daily-wear performance inside the Air-King 5500 Super Clone.
Specification Grid:
The Air-King 5500 Super Clone ships on an Oyster 3-link bracelet built in 904L stainless steel, tapering from 19mm at the lugs to 16mm at the clasp. The center link uses a polished finish framed by satin-brushed outer links, matching the late-production solid-link Oyster bracelet Rolex fitted to the 5500 through the 1980s. The end links sit flush against the case with no daylight gap between the lug and the bracelet termination.
The folding Oyster clasp closes with the standard fold-over double-blade security the genuine 5500 offered in its later production years. The clasp tucks flat against the wrist underside without protrusion against the skin. The bracelet adjusts to wrist sizes from 6 inches to 7.75 inches through removable solid links, and the Air-King 5500 Super Clone sits at a balanced 105-gram weight that matches the wrist feel of the genuine vintage reference within a 5-gram margin.
The 34mm Air-King line offers 3 close-in-spec references across 4 decades, and the 5500 holds the vintage-original position against the modern 14000 and 14010 generations. The comparison of the 3 references is listed below.
| Reference | Bezel | Movement | Production Years | Super Clone Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5500 (this reference) | Smooth domed | Caliber 1520 clone (modernized) | 1957 to 1989 | $1,299 |
| 14000 | Smooth flat | Caliber 3000/3130 clone | 1989 to 2007 | $1,299 |
| 14010 | Engine-turned | Caliber 3000/3130 clone | 1989 to 2007 | $1,299 |
Buyers select the Air-King 5500 black dial for the high-contrast wrist presence the glossy lacquer surface delivers, the scarcity that black-dial 5500s carry against the more common silver and grey variants, and the period-correct vintage Rolex silhouette the domed bezel and slim case profile provide. Smooth-bezel buyers seeking a modern flat profile lean toward the 14000. The 14010 buyers prioritize the textured visual interest the engine-turned bezel adds across the 14000-generation case.
The Air-King has its roots in the Second World War, when Hans Wilsdorf created the model as a tribute to RAF pilots, many of whom wore Rolex Oyster watches of their own choosing during the Battle of Britain. The Air-King 5500 launched in 1957 as the long-running successor to the early 4925 and 5504 references, anchoring the line with the 34mm Oyster case and the Caliber 1520 movement. The 5500 stayed in continuous production for 32 years until 1989, the longest single-reference production run in Rolex history. The black dial appeared less frequently than the silver and grey configurations across the 5500 catalogue, giving the black variant rarity that vintage collectors value at the secondary market. This Air-King 5500 Super Clone sits in the black-dial chapter of that 32-year arc, carrying the smooth domed bezel and applied baton markers that define the period-correct Air-King 5500.
Every Air-King 5500 Super Clone passes a 4-stage quality control sequence before shipping. The 4 QC steps are listed below.
The Air-King 5500 Super Clone ships with the complete owner package. The 6 items included with every order are listed below.
The Air-King 5500 Super Clone ships within 24 hours of order confirmation via DHL Express or FedEx Priority with full insurance and discreet packaging. Worldwide delivery lands in 5 to 10 business days across the USA, UK, UAE, India, and Europe. Every Air-King 5500 Super Clone carries a 1-year limited warranty covering movement defects, with replacement-parts support and servicing guidance provided through WhatsApp and email post-purchase.
The Air-King 5500 Super Clone owners receive 4 support channels for pre-sale and post-sale questions. The 4 available support channels are listed below.
Real owners of the Air-King 5500 Super Clone share the wrist-side verdict. Ratings average 4.9 / 5 across 112 verified orders of the black dial variant.
"I have handled 4 vintage 5500 black dial examples over the past 18 months and this Air-King 5500 Super Clone holds the same wet-ink depth in the lacquer without the period dial aging spots. The applied coronet at 12 sits at the right height. The crown screws down with proper resistance. The bracelet end links sit flush against the case."
"The white-on-black layout is the reason I picked the black dial over the silver. The cream lume on the baton markers glows clean green for 4 to 5 hours after charging. Sapphire instead of acrylic was the right modern upgrade for daily wear. WhatsApp support walked me through the bracelet sizing before I ordered."
"This is my second Air-King super clone and the 5500 black dial holds the closest applied-marker work I have seen on a vintage-spec Rolex clone. The baton markers sit with the right depth and the lacquer surface holds the deep gloss the genuine reference shows. Shipped DHL to Birmingham in 6 days."
Yes, the Rolex Air-King 5500 Super Clone sold on Super Clone Watches is a 1:1 super clone matching the genuine vintage Rolex reference at 98% visual and dimensional accuracy. Clean Factory finishing techniques deliver glossy black lacquer dial depth, smooth domed bezel curvature, and 34mm Oyster case geometry within tight tolerance to the original. The price of $1,299 compares to $2,800 to $5,500 for a pre-owned genuine 5500 with a clean black dial on the secondary market.
A Swiss-grade automatic clone movement powers the Air-King 5500 Super Clone, engineered to match the autonomy and feel of the original Caliber 1520. The movement runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour, holds a 48-hour power reserve at full wind, and drives a smooth sweeping seconds hand without date complication. The modernized 4 Hz beat rate gives the Air-King 5500 Super Clone a quieter sweep than the period 19,800 vph caliber while preserving the no-date dial layout.
The glossy black dial reaches 98% accuracy to the genuine 5500 black dial through Clean Factory's deep-lacquer process. The dial holds a wet-ink gloss under direct light that matches the catalogue-original black variant Rolex produced across the 5500 line from the 1960s through the 1980s. Applied baton markers, the applied Rolex coronet at 12 o'clock, and the printed "Air-King" wordmark hold dimensional accuracy under 10x magnification.
Yes, the case on the Air-King 5500 Super Clone uses 904L stainless steel with high-grade finishing across the brushed lugs and polished case sides. The 904L grade upgrades the original 316L vintage steel for stronger corrosion resistance and longer polish retention. The case measures 34mm in diameter and 12mm in thickness, with a 19mm lug width that holds the original Oyster bracelet geometry of the genuine 5500.
The 34mm case on the Air-King 5500 Super Clone wears closer to a modern 36mm on the wrist because of the slim 12mm thickness and the 42mm lug-to-lug measurement. The case sits flat on wrist sizes from 6 inches to 7.75 inches without lug overhang. The mid-size profile suits buyers who want a vintage-spec Rolex that does not read as undersized against current 40mm sport-watch trends, with the smooth domed bezel adding visual height that balances the small case diameter.
The difference between the black dial 5500 and the silver dial 5500 is the dial color, the production frequency, and the wrist presence, while the case, bezel, movement, and bracelet specifications remain shared. The glossy black dial appeared less often in the 5500 production catalogue, giving it scarcity value at the vintage market against the catalogue-standard silver dial. The black dial pairs with both formal and tool-watch outfits through high-contrast legibility, and buyers select it for the strongest white-on-black baton-marker reading the 5500 dial range offers.
The Air-King 5500 Super Clone ships via DHL Express or FedEx Priority with full insurance, discreet packaging, and tracked signature-required delivery. Transit time runs 5 to 10 business days to the USA, UK, UAE, India, and Europe. Shipping cost is included in the $1,299 price, and customs handling guidance comes with every order confirmation email.
A 1-year limited warranty covers the Air-King 5500 Super Clone against movement defects and manufacturing faults. Replacement-parts sourcing runs through the originating specialist factory via Super Clone Watches support at sales@superclonewatches.com. Movement servicing guidance is provided through WhatsApp and email for the lifetime of the watch.
