ROLEx

HEaD in THE cLOUDs

Sharmila Bertin

Nowadays, jumping onto a plane is just as easy as hopping onto a bus, when the pandemic’s not around of course. With a snap of your fingers or almost, from the comfort of your own home, you just need to log on to the right platform and book a flight in just one click to head off the next day, in a fortnight or three months’ time. Flexibility that changes the world that was once so vast into a weekend getaway, unforgettable holidays and even a can’t-miss job interview. Once onboard, belt attached and luggage soundly stowed away in the hold, you can drift off and imagine your arrival as you glance at the clouds floating by. A century ago, no-one could ever have foreseen the tremendous, fast progress that civil aviation would make or just how popular long-haul journeys would become. Yet, the gateway to

a new world was thrown open by foolhardy pilots, who beat records and occasionally lost their lives during their sky-high peregrinations. Some boasted Rolex watches on their wrists or in their flying machine cockpits, objects that were unwavering companions for these exploration trailblazers. The Genevabased firm’s Air-King model, created in 1958, celebrates the courage of those who, one day, chose to fly off and observe the world from up high, and its Oyster was key to ensuring they reached their destination.

Although this timepiece has changed over its various versions yet has kept the three Arabic numerals on its dial conjuring up its visual identity, it took on its classical-sporty look, which we all recognize it by, in 2016: dusky face

THE nEw OYsTER PERPETUaL aiR-king UnVEiLs an assERTiVE PERsOnaLiTY anD REVamPED siLHOUETTE.

THE LOgO THaT was cREaTED FOR THE FiRsT aiR-king, OVER 60 YEaRs agO, REigns aT THE bOTTOm OF THE DiaL.

to create a contrast with the large hour markers and white minute tracker emphasized to read navigation time. However, the 2022 model showcased during Watches and Wonders unveils a slightly different, rather more assertive personality as well as a revamped silhouette. This time round, the 40 mmdiameter Oystersteel case features two armatures to protect the Twinlock screwed crown and, along with the hermetic caseback, helps ensure waterproofness to depths of 100 metres. The case middle’s profile is now more apparent, as such boosting this new AirKing’s sporty identity, and the ensemble merges perfectly with the Oystersteel bracelet attached by a folding buckle with an Oysterlock clasp and an Easylink extension system.

When it comes to time data, the displays on the black-lacquered dial are all in Chromalight optimized with a highlyeffective blue-glowing luminescent material that adorns the white gold of the famous oversized 3-6-9 numerals, the triangular marker at 12 o’clock, the central hour and minute hands and the dot that sets off the Rolex greenvarnished direct-drive. Other novelty, a 0 sits alongside the 5 at 1 o’clock on the white tampography minute tracker. All the features including the stop-second are driven by the recent automatic 3230 calibre that delivers a considerable power reserve of 70 hours. Ready for take-off!