REPAIR & SERVICE
Rolex Air King Precision Ref. 5500
Gray & Sons Jewelers, located in Miami Beach, Florida is an independent watch service center, repairing Rolex Air King Precision Ref. 5500 watches since 1980.
Rolex Corroded Dial
Rolex Repair Services
Watch details - Ref 5500 Circa 1978 for a Repair
This piece was manufactured in late 1945 until its successor, the 14000, came along in 1989. The Rolex Air King’s desirability comes from its history and eternal appearance. The clean dial with hour, minutes and seconds hands cased in a classic stainless steel case and bracelet marks a timeless feel to be worn for generations to come.
During World War II it was used for its simplicity, easiness of reading, and precision. Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex, created Air models to commemorate the pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain. The Air-King model is the only one of those still being produced today.
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The Thompsons & their Rolex Air King Precision - Heirloom History
The Thompsons came into our boutique located in Surfside, FL one day to bring us their family heirloom. The watch was indeed a vintage Rolex Air King Precision ref. 5500 with a circa of 1978 according to the serial number. They mentioned how the watch belonged to their great grandfather who was from London, England.
The watch was passed on to their grandfather on his wedding day who eventually passed it on to his daughter. Lauren arrived with her mother and told us how she wanted to give this to her fiance to keep the tradition going but the watch had not been running for some years now. It had never been serviced and therefore, we were more than happy to restore this vintage watch to like-new condition.
Rolex movement and dial
Rolex movement rusted parts
Gray & Sons - Master Watchmaker Diagnosis
Our master watchmaker specialist saw discoloration and corrosion on the dial and hands which meant that at one point there was a water entrance in the watch. We informed Lauren that the dial would need to be replaced in order to have a like-new aspect but she decided to keep the same one the watch currently had. There was definitely a lot of sentimental value attached to this Rolex Air King. It was imperative that we start working on the watch immediately.
Our highly trained and experienced Rolex master watchmaker disassembled the watch immediately and began work. These cases take priority over other repairs in the department. The moment a watch with water damage is opened and exposed to oxygen, it begins to oxidize more and the rust eats at the metal. The Rolex watch expert performed a thorough examination to see what parts were salvageable and which had to be replaced.
Gray and Sons Overhaul and Detail Service
As soon as the watch is disassembled to its minimum components, it is manually cleaned. In this case, apart from the dial and hands, most of the wheels and screws were rusted. Fiberglass and metal brushes are used to turn the rust into removable particles.
Clean parts ready to be assembled
Then, the parts are placed in baskets that are used to separate the different sized parts but still keep them together. This basket is passed through three different cleaning solutions that assure all oils and particles built up through the decades are removed. This allows for room for new lubricants and parts to be put together correctly.
We had to find replacement parts and fabricate the ones that were not available. Our master watch specialists put in a completely new mainspring because after +40 years the old one was done. The plexiglass crystal was also replaced because of all the scratches it had endured through the year.
As per the customer’s request, the dial and hands were only cleaned not replaced. New gaskets were placed in to make the watch water resistant after so many years and ensure it will not rust again if treated with love and care. While the movement of this historical timepiece was restored, the stainless steel oyster band was also cleaned and polished with its classic satin look.
Rolex clean movement
The watch underwent a 10 day testing period to make sure that all the tests that were performed passed to swiss standards. Amplitude was measured through a special computer that shows how the “motor” is running. After everything was up to Swiss-Made standards, Lauren was notified her watch was ready for pick up.
Lauren came to pick up her watch right on time - a week before the wedding. She loved how we were able to bring her watch back to life while keeping the family heirloom sentimental value untouched.
Gray and Sons History
Being in business for almost as long as this Air King’s existence, we can prove the vast experience we have working in swiss made watches, specializing in Rolex with our watchmakers who have over 150 years of combined experience.
We are dedicated to excellence and that is why our Rolex repairs come with a two years warranty and like-new-for-life policy as long as the watch is serviced with us every 3-5 years. No one will take the dedication and skills to work on your timepiece the way that does.
Vintage Rolex Air King Precision Circa 1978
OUR EXPERIENCE
OVER 150 YEARS OF COMBINED WATCHMAKING AND JEWELRY/CASE AND BRACELET REPAIR EXPERIENCE!
How to Repair Your Watch with Gray & Sons Jewelers
We offer our watch repair services locally in South Florida (Miami, Miami Beach, Surfside, Bal Harbour, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach), nationally as well as internationally with our Easy Ship Box Option.
Local Repairs
Come visit our showroom and let us evaluate your watch. Our Master-trained watchmakers are among the best in the United States and we just happen to be located on Miami Beach. We will provide you an estimate before beginning any work.
National Repairs
To accommodate customers across the United States who complete repairs with us, we devised the Easy Ship Box as the fastest and most convenient way to send sensitive luxury items. This allows you to receive our state of the art services anywhere in the country, so you never compromise on the care your watch rightfully deserves.