What We Know
We’ve been watching the Rolex teaser video for the past few days trying to figure out the “skywards” theme. Well, now we know what it was all about: An update to the brand’s most esoteric steel sports top replica watches, the Air-King. Today, the Crown has unveiled what looks to be the exact same model as it’s been over the last six years. Look closer, though, and key differences abound.
It comes housed in the same 40mm stainless steel case as it always has, with the satin brushed Oyster bracelet, and EasyLink Oyster clasp. It has the same black dial, with yellow and green flourishes for the logo and wordmarks, and the same aviation-inspired numerals. It even has the same three, six, and nine applied numeral-set a la the Rolex Explorer. So that begs the question, what’s changed?
Two words: Crown guards. This thing has ’em, giving it a much sportier feel in the same vein as cheap Rolex replica watches like the Submariner and the GMT-Master II. However, this watch does not have a functional bezel. So that means this watch has a smooth polished bezel and crown guards. Wild.
The next difference is in those applied numerals. They’re now filled with luminescent Chromalight material (much like Rolex did when it updated the 39mm Explorer model, years back), making the high quality replica Rolex watches much more legible than its previous incarnation. Air-King fans will also notice that the numeral 5 is now an 05, another easy tell between this model and its predecessor.
Rolex has also gone and equipped this watch with its in-house caliber 3230 movement, first released in 2020. It features the brand’s patented Chronergy escapement and 70 hours of power reserve.
What We Think
Other than Marlon Brando’s GMT-Master II (which is a watch with a missing bezel), I cannot think of a single Rolex model, in the brand’s history, that had crown guards and a non-functional bezel. This sounds like a tiny detail, but it’s very apparent when you look at the fake Rolex watches for sale. Over the past six years or so, you could compare this to the 39mm Explorer or even the 40mm Milgauss in terms of the overall look and case design. Those models were always able to straddle between dress and sport.
The inclusion of the crown guards elevates this watch into full-on Rolex sports watch status. But there’s more to get excited about. I have never been one to like the applied white gold, non-lumed Arabic numerals Rolex employed on the last iteration of the AAA fake Rolex Air-King watches. It definitely added an air of “fancy” to perfect clone Rolex watches that should be toolishly charming. There’s also no functioning to shiny numerals that disappear against a black dial.
By adding lume to these numerals, they immediately become more functional because you can read them in the dark. I have to hand it to Rolex on this one – they made a conscious decision to move this model range into complete usable sport 1:1 copy Rolex watches, which is the Rolex way.
Now, if you didn’t like the general design of the modern Swiss replica Rolex Air-King watches before, this will likely do nothing for you. But I kind of think this might just be the sleeper release of the Rolex lineup. All of the attention will be squarely on the destro GMT-Master II. So maybe, just maybe, these will be available? One can dream.
The Basics
Brand: Rolex
Model: Air-King
Reference Number: 126900
Diameter: 40mm
Thickness:
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Dial Color: Black
Indexes: Applied
Lume: Yes
Water Resistance: 100m
Strap/Bracelet: Bracelet
The Movement
Caliber: 3230
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds
Power Reserve: 70 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 4Hz
Jewels: 31
Chronometer Certified: Yes
Pricing & Availability
Price: CHF 7,000
Availability: Immediately
Limited Edition: No
