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GenTLe

Short review of the Rolex 116900 Air-King 40mm 2016

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GenTLe

Some time ago a colleague of mine (similar role, another Company) saw my 35mm BP Air-King, this one:

34976902901_c0ce760a05_h.jpg

 

And being him a Rolex lover (he has a tris of vintage genuine ones, a DJ, a SUB tritium dial and a 35mm gold Oyster date) he got interested in it and started to ask and admire... He was shocked when I told him it was a rep, and queried me to help him to get one.

So I told him about the price and a couple of sites to look at (one was Silix, where my 35mm Air-King is at 228$, another one was Toro to show him something newer).

 

SO he started with "Ok, get me one like yours", the day after then "No no, get me the new one, with Green rolex" (pointing me at this one: http://www.tb-688.co...product_id=2079) then, the day after again "No, I changed my mind, I want this one: http://www.tb-688.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=75_143&product_id=2334" (the Noob Factory one)...

 

Ok then, he sent me the bank transfer and I routed it through WU (yes, keeping for me the 10% discount for the hassle to be the intermediary and for the time checking it when it would have arrived), and now it's here.

 

So, since I don't think I've seen any review, let's write one. Sorry if I'm not that precise in the minutiae of the gen-VS-rep, but I still don't have the eagle eye for that.

 

A bit of story about this model.

It has been presented at Baselworld 2016 and it has instantly appeared "controversial": the mix of colors, graphics and styles is far from the normal "cleanliness" of normal Rolex models.

It's a matter of taste in the end (and it's not exactly matching mine...). The case is exactly the same of the Milgauss one, and effectively it also has the internal second case closure to make it magnetic field resistant like the Milgauss.

Citing the site Fratellowatches (https://www.fratello...ir-king-116900/), "The dial of the new Rolex Air-King 116900 is what confused a lot of people, including me. Not only did Rolex move the Air-King logo to the lower part of the dial (the original Air-King in 1945 also had it at 6 o’clock), but they added a lot of Arabic numerals to the dial. Not only the typical ‘Explorer’ lay-out with Arabic 3, 6 and 9’clock markers are on there, the remaining hour markers go from ‘5’ to ’55’. A 60-minute scale, with interruption of the ‘Explorer’ markers. This remarkable dial lay-out is based on a pair of cockpit instruments that Rolex made in 2006 for a special project (Bloodhound SSC project). An engineering project to get a super sonic car to reach a speed of 1000mp/h on land. One of the board instruments had a similar lay-out."

 

The instruments are these ones:

ROLEX-Bloodhound-SSC-twentyone.jpg

 

 

And this is the GEN one:

Rolex-Air-King-116900-1942.jpg

Rolex-Air-King-116900-1945.jpg

P7050081.jpg

 

 

Let's come to the rep.

The Rep is, in my view, VERY well made.

The bracelet is "creamy" or "mushy", meaning that it is not rattly nor too easy to move. And I love that feeling (while I hate bracelets which are too free or have too much play). The engraving is good and it has the Oysterclasp with Easylink quick extender as the gen.

35513475916_95ff51436e_k.jpg

35513475976_a5fc8f400c_k.jpg

35513478806_2d94ac77bc_k.jpg

34711156724_5f22359d77_k.jpg

 

Coming to the case, it is also very well made. The SEL have a perfect fit against the lugs:

35512896126_9f05e92a51_k.jpg

 

And the coronet in the rehaut engraving is well placed too:

35512895356_02c8ff143f_k.jpg

 

Also to note that the rehaut is not a "two line engraving" like the SUB so that's ok in the rep too.

 

The NF one, differently from the 3AF version (but like the JF one) has an internal caseback that mimic the antimagnetic internal cover, which has a gasket on it that contribute in the water resistance, together with the standard gasket on the external caseback and the 2 of the twinlock crown:

35512890756_5117c30841_k.jpg

35512892096_b0ca8b1e7c_b.jpg

35551534665_76bb7f7f5e_b.jpg

 

In fact, when I tested the water resistance after I greased the gaskets, it passed the 5.5 ATM with flying colors! Here while it was waiting the 15 mins in the air before the immersion and real test:

35384106302_c7b79a3f85_k.jpg

 

Last but not least, the movement is performing EXTREMELY well. It is rare that a new movement, not yet "broken-it", is so stable in the various positions and has such good amplitude (let's remember this is an Asian 2836):

35384109082_afe86ec9e5_k.jpg

I can assure that even crown up, crown left etc, the max diversion from this line was 1s/d, so well made!

 

Finally, the only improvable detail, in my view, is the color of the second hand. It's a minor thing, but it is not exactly the same color of the "ROLEX" on the dial, but as I wrote, it's a minor detail in my view.

 

Cheers,

GenTLe

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NCRich

Nice review! Don't like the watch, but nice review. :lol:

 

Tastes vary, and that is what makes it interesting.

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GenTLe

Nice review! Don't like the watch, but nice review. :lol:

 

Tastes vary, and that is what makes it interesting.

 

Me neither (I don't like it), but as you wrote, tastes vary :D

Thanks mate!

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wdev

Nice review. Abomination of a watch but a nice review still :D

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nathtommo_9

Thanks for the review. As you say tastes vary and I'm quite interested in this watch...

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LightGeek

Nice looking piece. I passed because of the terribly cluttered dial.

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ScotchSoda

Looks pretty damn similar! I have a gen 2017 Air-King and I'd say the main tell from your pics is the gen has a slightly more matt black dial - Almost as if it has an AR coating on the dial.

Thanks for post :beer3:

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