Rolex Explorer 5500 Gilt Double "T < 25" Dial Box and Paper Set piaget giving the watch a subtle

giving the watch a subtle character all of its own

but was also used in dress watches including this very cool Datejust with white matte dial

- Seriennummer 349xxxx aus dem Jahr 1973

with the typical Cartier blue cabochon crown

Rolex Explorer 5500 Gilt Double "T < 25" Dial Box and Paper Set piaget giving the watch a subtleWhile reference 5500 is best known as the Air King, Rolex made a fascinating exception between the late 1950s and the late 1960s. During this period, the brand fitted the 34mm Oyster case with the iconic black 3 6 9 Explorer dial and scaled down Mercedes hands normally reserved for the 36mm Explorer reference 1016. Today, these Explorer signed reference 5500s rank among the rarest and most sought after vintage Rolex models. And that is exactly what we