Description

Rolex Oyster Air-King Ref. 4499 circa 1946 | Steel
A steel manually wound centre seconds vintage wristwatch

no. 353159

Surely one of the most charismatic vintage Oyster models, the reference 4499 is an early Air-King, believed to have been launched in 1946. This version stands out for its distinctive numeral configuration, featuring raised Art Deco-style Arabic indexes. Before the Second World War, Rolex actively promoted its watches as being endorsed by pilots, and their popularity among service personnel during the war, coupled with founder Hans Wilsdorf’s deep respect for RAF pilots, is thought to have inspired the release of the first ‘Air-King’ models in the mid-1940s. The manually wound Ref. 4499 Air-King was produced for a relatively short time and was replaced by the first automatic Air-King, Ref. 6552, in 1953. The Air-King line later moved toward standardisation with the launch of the Ref. 5500 in 1957. A similar example of the Ref. 4499 is illustrated in my book The Watch: A Twentieth-Century Style History, p.120.

In lovely vintage condition, this watch retains a dial with a rich lustre and light oxidation spotting, while the case remains unpolished, showing light scuffs and scratches. The movement has been fully serviced by SHWR in London, specialists in vintage Rolex restoration.

Specifications

[M] Rolex manually wound 10.5”’ hunter movement, lever escapement, 17 jewels, patented Rolex Superbalance
[D] silvered dial, raised Art Deco Arabic numerals, gilded feuille hands, blued steel centre seconds, gilded pearled outer minute/seconds track
[C] steel Oyster case, chamfered bezel, screw-down Rolex crown, satin finished screw-down case back
[S] case, dial, movement and crown signed

Measurements

34mm diameter excluding winding crown
40mm length including lugs
11.5mm depth to centre of crystal
19mm strap width/lug gauge

Accompaniments

One Year guarantee – this watch has been serviced by SHWR in London
Black Bough leather watch pouch & Black Bough certificate

£3200.00 [sold]