Gave a thumbs-up and subscribed because of this honest purchase

TLDW: get your Rolex serviced by Rolex. They will issue a new two year warranty on watches serviced by them.

Love that airking! I reckon it's now time to send it to Rolex for a full service and would also recommend their case and bracelet re-finishing. Like most watch nerds was always anti polishing but just got my sub back from the Rolex spa and I'm so impressed with how sharp it is.

As much as I've invested in relatively expensive Swiss automatic watches in the past, as enjoyable as they are, I've recently realized that for me affordable solar quartz watches are the easiest to manage, no hassle. Love your channel, please continue to make great videos, always thumbs up, cheers from Japan

Where in the hell did you find a 98 air king for 1600$

I purchased my 1984 Air King Date off Ebay about five years ago BIN for £1500 (with box and papers). It was running five minutes slow per day even though the auction description stated it was working properly. I took it to an authorised Rolex repairman and paid £385 for the service. Apparently quite a few parts needed replacing, including the acrylic crystal. It has been on my wrist every day since and I must say I'm really happy with it.

HI. This is an interesting experience getting the real watch on the cheap and then spent time and money to have it fixed. The watch looks great on your wrist anyway so I believe you think it's worth all the while. I bought an Air King 14000 Black Dial from an AD back in 1997 in Hong Kong. (exactly the same model in this video). Got it serviced once when I found it didn't wind up very well. The local Rolex service center replaced a spring, oiled the movement and sent back to me just like brand new. I think they charged my HK$500 for the workmanship. Until now I am still wearing it day in day out. Just sharing.

Great video, shame you had issues. Love the setting, reminds me of a lovely home I stayed in a few weeks ago in Wiscasset, ME.

Great, honest information. Anyone looking at pre owned Rolex and other high end watches should view this. Thank you for sharing.

I just picked up my 1996 air king 14000 with the silver dial for about $2050. I was hesitant at first thinking it might be too small but I think the dimensions are great as the bracelet tapers a bit. Sorry to hear about your experience but at the end of the day you still got a fantastic watch that you can wear daily and not stress too much about. I wear this one for almost any occasions followed by my 39mm Explorer and the watch I baby is the HULK which I really should wear more often, but being it's the most recent purchase.

Thanks for the video! Reminds me of what they say, "There is nothing more expensive than a cheap Porsche." (or boat, airplane, house, and now Rolex)! I've tried to keep that in mind after my similar experience owning a used boat. It's so easy to get drawn in to a "good deal" on an expensive item.

I own a white face Air-King of this model,and at first I thought it was a wee bit too small for me...but once I got used to it...I LOVE it as my daily wear watch. I had scared wrist syndrome with my Submariner,and hardly ever wore it...then I thought..."Why did I buy it? Just to sit in a box,and look at it from time to time?" Now I rotate the two watches weekly. GREAT VIDEO!

Hey guys had to repost this after 20 minutes of being live when I realized that I had first posted an unedited version of this accidentally. LOL.

Bought a 1983 seiko 7123 quartz that was broken, absolutely loved the orange candied dial and smaller size. Blew a good chunk of money to get it going again. 2 years later and I’m still enjoying it. That’s all that matters.

I have Seiko automatics from the 70's and 80's that have never been serviced and still keep perfect time. Go figure....

Good Video Andrew. Yeah they can be finicky sometimes , like any other mechanical device of that age hopefully it gets ironed out soon and then its pure enjoyment. Its a beauty of a piece

Thanks for a great video! I’m about to buy my first vintage watch, and this one is 70 years old! This very well could be adventure, though I’m hoping it works OK. You’re great attitude about this is the most important part. 👍

I haven't had any fixed yet but my three watches that are eta or eta clone all have the hand wind spinning rotor issue and I'm not sure what it's going cost to fix.

It is a really nice watch after all. The only 20 year old watch that I have is a Rado DiaStar (I know what a great comparison) but still, I treasure it because of the memories. When I buy watches though I usually go with new ones so that I can be sure that all is well. I salute you for takeing the risk.

Thumbs up. Appreciate the honesty. This video gives you a great idea of what to expect when you get an old or vintage watch.

Strongly advise getting it serviced now. When an auto stops winding outside of hand winding it is only a matter of time before the hand winding stops working too.

Thanks for sharing your experience! I'm looking forward to finally buying my first Rolex and needed something like this to ground my expectations. Hope I don't get a dog, even from a reputable dealer.

Great honest video 😊👍

Been there as well. Love the design of the watch. I bought a Date new way back which I think is 34mm. Might be small by today's standard but still love to ware it.

@555 Gear Have you opened it up? I’ve had a couple watches with the same problem. I opened the back and found the loud rotor, was just a loose rotor. A couple times it worked and a couple times it didn’t, but I found most of the time the screw holding the rotor was just loose... I tightened it back up and good to go. Just a thought Good luck

Old school Rolex bracelets are... yeah

I agree with you on not taking it too seriously and still enjoy the watch. I have a hand me down 70s Omega Constellation. I've had it serviced twice and it runs reasonably well, but the power reserve is no where near what it should be...with that said, it is still a joy to own.

I had a similar problem with an Air-King here in the UK. Spent bad money after good. That's why I now wear my peerless IWC Flieger Chrono - a perfect runner with no probs at all.

I like old watches; I don't go for the expensive ones though. I have a Certina Certidate circa 1962, just 4 sec slow a day. And a Seiko Skyliner (1968), less accurate at 20 seconds off per day. Smaller cases at around 34 and 36 mm respectively. Well maintained, in my watch rotation. I'm very pleased with them.

2024, just bought my first Rolex I was dreaming about many years. It is Air Kim 5500 from 1973 (for 2500$) and it works VERY well. Love it! ❤

New to your channel.I watch no pun alot but love the honesty and reality of this video.Had similar issues with a very old Seiko recently.Never ever again! Luckily I don't take myself too seriously .Good stuff ,cheers,Len.

Cool video!i have the same watch!one year ago I was divided between this and the Tudor bb36..and your instagram posts helped a lot in the decision

Spending dollars to save pennies isn’t the way to go! Send it to Rolex. They don’t supply oem parts to watchmakers anymore. Your guy probably put random parts in it. This story is a bummer but your honesty is refreshing. Best of luck man 👍🏼

Really appreciate you sharing the lessons learned on this one!

Buying my first Rolex tomorrow and will be here by Wed. A black dial explorer ii from 05 it's near mint and couldn't pass up the deal. Stoked about it's the classic 40 mm size to .

How would i go about finding a watch maker. I have 2 watches i need fixed

About a year ago I got my 34mm Date factory Rolex serviced which I purchased new in the 90's. It was returned like new (except patina on dial) for $1100. Rarely will it gain or lose more than 30 seconds in a month (that's when it gets magnetized somehow) and one month it was absolutely perfect not gain or lose one second. Keeping for life than pass down to family.

Still wearing my Oyster Perpetual Chronometer grade from 1977. It is a time only model that I have had since my navy days. It still runs within specs.

Great titling on this one, keying off the “I bought the cheapest .... on wherever” meme. It is also great story, reminding everyone that every now and then even a well considered , well thought out decision might not be correct. Thanks for sharing.

*I know how you feel. BEEN THERE... DONE THAT!!!* *Greatly SIMPLIFIED MY LIFE and my relationships.* *I just wear a simple analog TIMEX... and my SUPER DUPER SOLAR G-SHOCK.... (also love my first generation Seiko Black Monster Diver...)* *Life is too short, to be overly concerned with watches...* *However, as evidenced by my visit to your EXCELLENT CHANNEL, old habits die hard... 😂😂😂LOL*

I had a similar experience with my Omega Seamaster 2531.80. Bought it used and it was perfect for a year until it wouldn't run. Had it serviced (not by Omega) and all was well for a bit. Now it doesn't seem to wind very well when wearing it. Manual wind works just fine though. Which means if I dont wind it by the crown the power reserve is only like 24 hours after wearing it for 10 hours during the day.

Dope Airking! One of my favorite for sure.

This illustrate how powerful branding is, if it was any other brand you would have sold it ages ago....

What a great and honest review! Thumbs-up, subscribed PLUS hit the bell button!!!

Thanks for sharing the story of your Rolex, Andrew. I was somewhat surprised to learn that you’d bought it on eBay. Given that Rolex is one of the most counterfeited brands, I would be wary of purchasing a Rolex from an online source. Is there a good way to authenticate a Rolex from afar?

Nice to hear all that you went through. It is unfortunate that it was not fixed the first time but you gambled and you lost. Sometimes you gamble and you win. It is only money though. They way I see it is that there is a cost in terms of time that I am willing to pay to avoid going back and forth with servicing issues but if you are patient than it is worth saving the money. There is a balance and it is cool that you figured out the market in a way. Lots of people do not and simply just buy a new one with a warranty and deal with the dealer when things go wrong. Hopefully the watch is not cursed and gives you more trouble in the future. I must say it looks classic and timeless on your wrist and lots of people that are not into watches would think it is a new Rolex anyways.

Thanks- lesson for me is to stay within my budget... yes, I’ll buy used to stretch that budget, but “new used”. But will stay away from more vintage pieces ( Except a birth year Timex)

I’m watching this and I value this experience from your perspective thank you...

Very pretty watch for an every day watch. I had a white face air king with Roman numeral hands. After I sold,my explorer 2.

Thanks for your honest tale of getting this watch, and sorry you’ve had the hassles along the way. For me, watches at this price level just aren’t worth it, regardless of brand. Too expensive to begin with and too expensive to look after. But each to their own of course. Hope you get yours properly sorted soon so you can then enjoy it for years to come.

For those who love the look of this watch but don’t have the budget to support purchasing it, there are several Seiko 5 models with a very similar look (SNXS, SNX, etc). Can be had for around $100 and have similar dimensions. They look great.

We've all tried to save some money (which is a good thing) and had it go pear shaped. It happens sometimes, but a lot of times it works. (and it evens out in the long run) Enjoy your watch!

same problems with my Oyster... oiling by myself and a bit of playin with regulator- it runs smoothly. good luck and enjoy

Good honest watch forum on advise on buying, your intent was was good & in the long run you will have life long buddy on your wrist. Thanx. P.S. T .

Bummer, Andrew ! Thanks for sharing and I hope the next service is successful.

This is good to know. I just started becoming enamored with mechanical watches via a fascination with classic clothing style. I know a bunch of mistakes are ahead of me. Videos like these can help those who are new to the culture.

If the watch runs much too fast, it is the hairspring whose windings stick together. This was caused a hundred years ago by magnetism, but never on a modern watch from the 70 latest years. The reason is a very tiny excess of oil on hairspring, making the turns sticking together. The hairspring just needs to be cleaned carefully, sometimes ten times in a row, until it's completely oil-free.

I love vintage watch but I never meet a vintage collector who don't have sad stories to tell... I always tell them to go for re issue, recrafted etc. As long as you will keep buying old Rolexes the new Rolexes will keep rising in prices, because people will be still buying them cause of their resell value and we all know they make more then a fair profit already. Secondly it's never a good idea for using vintage Mercedes for buying grocery and dropping kids to school. You collect them and keep them safe and buy some other affordable NEW car for every day use. There is alot more to it in my opinion. You make great videos and this video tells me alot about you as you discussed your experience and how you feel, usually it's all about products that's why I am commenting for the first time on your channel. You are a cool guy And it's just my opinion I am not offended with others opinion and I am sorry if I make you feel that

Good video and a great looking watch...Thanks.

Awesome watch dude!!

I love these older Air-Kings. And I just hate what Rolex have done with the current model (i.e. the one with the clunky oversized case and the messed up dial.) I hope they'll go back to the classic minimalist approach sooner rather than later!

I have a vintage Tudor where the rotor is held with these crazy little clips and they came loose. It also ended up needing a new case clamp. I bought it from an independent watch shop as restored with a warranty so I didn't pay a penny more for any of the fixes.

Thanks, Andrew for sharing this lessons learned story. I have always enjoyed your commentary on watches. I used to buy vintage watches years back and felt it was just too risky (financially & time) of a proposition. There are just too many mysteries involved... does it have all original parts, has it been serviced, does it work or partially work, does it require a lot of money to resolve the issues, do I know who to send it to for a repair? The only time I would go for a vintage watch is if I saw one for really cheap at a yard sale or somehow inherited one from a family member or friend... even then I know I would have to put out some money and time... but in this case, it would probably be worth it. The only vintage watch I have now is a Seiko 6309 (1978) which I found at a used jewelry store in my city's Chinatown. It was in excellent condition and working, but I still sent it to my Seiko guy and he did a great job in the overhaul, which cost more than twice the amount I paid for it :) , but because we are talking relatively low dollars, I was still very satisfied with the outcome. Perhaps in the end, if one really wants to go vintage, they should just bite the bullet and buy from a reputable seller of vintage watches. Below is a list from watch reviewer Teddy Baldassarre... Hodinkee: @t Theo & Harris: @t Analog Shift:@t Vintage Caliber: @t Vision Vintage: @t Vintage Concept: @t Omega Enthusiast: @t Second Time Around: @t Bob’s Watches: @t 10 Past Ten: @t

Can u change the lighting to normal light.

I got a previously owned submariner for High school graduation..it had issues & the local AD Rolex dealer ( Dallas) wanted $100. to fix it ( a lot$$ in 1969) so i returned it & got a Hamilton diver which i wore for decades .still wish i had the Rolex repaired

Quite apart from all the technical difficulties, that slack end link at 6 o'clock would irritate me. 😬

Interesting. I've had good experience with crown and caliber. A bit more expensive but warrantied, still reasonable prices, and no issues. The used speedy on my wrist has been issue free since purchased more than a year ago

same thing happened to me with an Omega triple date although I opened it up and broke the parts myself.

5:07 before the first problem is discussed. fast forward.

No horror story for me. I dug out my rarely worn, 25 year old, GMT II. I decided to get it serviced. Flew to LAX and dropped it at the Service Center and four weeks later I picked it up. They replaced the crystal, insert, crown, and gave light polish. Looks like new and runs perfect with a two year warranty. It was a great experience. Thanks for your honest review.

Great purchase!

I just got my 34mm oyster perpetual in green and I love it

Great video and good lessons for collectors. I like that Air King reference. Have you considered a Seiko SARB033? A close comparison video would get a lot of clicks. Both have sapphire crystal, both have black dials. The SARB has solid end links, signed crown, and milled steel clasp extensions. Cheers.

Great video Andrew ! But it sounds like you simply hit it to hard and the rotor screw came loose. This can happen at any point of a watch’s life, most likely after the 2nd service it was in perfect order. I but it sounds like you’ve been winding it and wearing it and it’s running fine witch makes me assume it’s the screw in the rotor. If you continue to wear it the screw is loose and can scratch up your movement and cause other issues, I recommend taking it to get opened and checked even just by your local watchmaker just the find out. This is just an educated guess I would love to see an update video!

Similar watch don't show luminous effect any news why ?

How’s this holding up mate?

Hay man when are you gonna fix the strap cant you see its loose ?

Getting my Air King, purchased 19 year ago, serviced by Rolex this week. Never had any problem until this past weekend and was instructed at time of purchase by Ben Bridge (sales person) not to service or have the case opened until it stops working. Rolex takes pride in its product and services, whereas independent watch makers take pride in return customers. Always send a Rolex to Rolex for servicing. Just my thoughts

Excellent telling of a watch saga. Every step seemed like the way to go....from one side. ....and it's hard to resist a low price for exactly what you have been hunting for too. After the fact ....not so much. Such is life. Only thing I would have done differently is demag it myself...if only to avoid risk of repeat magnetisation when reshipped...and the hassle of packing and shipping....and fetching. Sucks to smash your shiny new toy on the door....but it sounds like a new rotor bearing and possible straightening the rotor are all that is between you and happiness. Rotor bearing swaps are usually a 15 minute straight ahead job....if you have the right tools. If you can't stand the ongoing hassle....and you catch me with cash on hand....I'd be willing to get it out of your sight for cheap!😁

Please do the lionsteel roundhead. Its been to long since the last knife review. Video was good. The same is true for vintage bicycles.

You bent or broke the isolating shaft. A knock will do that every time. I just had my 1993 date just serviced for the first time with no issues. Had full service and pins replaced on the jubilee band. Come out perfect for 350 and got back in 2 weeks. Good video.

Hey mate. Just started watching this video. Before I completely watch it to the end, I wanted to give you one tip from a videographer perspective. If that is OK. The lighting is pretty contrasty in the shot in which we can see you. A simple and cost effective solution is some white cardboard or plate of Styrofoam to give a bit of light fill from the bottom. That way the shadows underneath your eyes aren't that deep. It's a really cost efficient and easy way to get a shot slightly better. OK now I will continue watching the video. 😉

Think I will stick with my Seiko and Citizen watches... mkay.

Best compromise is to pay extra for a vintage model that's been freshly serviced. I did this with my birth-year Seiko Turtle (if you want vintage horror stories, dip into vintage Seiko. Countless junkers, out of production parts, and 2-3 people ON EARTH who are specialized in servicing)

I have been searching for a Rolex off and on for years now, but have yet to pull the trigger on anything. Also, not sure about 36 mm or smaller watches. Lastly, I have not had to send in any of my watches for service yet, so have not had the pleasure of experiencing that.

Damn. Your camera is goood :o

Timex...15 dollars...Wal-Mart I wear it fearlessly! 😆

I would 9/10 always take the watch to the manufacture to get serviced, at least then your have peace of mind that watch has been serviced with correct parts by someone who was trained to work on that specific brand it’s just not worth the risk to save a bit of money. I would prefer to buy a 15 year old watch with that has never been serviced, than one that’s been serviced by some random watchmaker I have never met.

This makes me think that Rolex isn't all that good quality, my grandpa's watch is over 50 years old and still works fine probably never serviced as well

Thanks for the info. Ebay is just getting lucky. I bought a old 1960's era oyster perpetual (1005 model) on ebay in 2007 for $1650 winning bid. It was basic with an after market leather band but, has the fluted gold bezel and crown. It runs great no problem, even though the service history is unknown. However it has the acrylic crystal. The crystal was perfect when I bought it but, it now has a few very faint scratches. I guess when you wear a watch sometimes that happens. I would like to have the crystal upgraded to the sapphire type.

Is it just me or sarb033 looks almost EXACTLY like this rolex model?

Now you make me searching for 20 year old Air Kings with a black dial... 😉

Is that the 34mm?

I got the same kind of Air King from a reputable e-tailer(just tired of big and heavy watches), not from ebay for almost twice what you paid but it looks new. The watch is gaining only 4 secs a day.

Great video, gave thumbs up. Don't give up on the little guy, it's worth taking to a more professional watchmaker. Sorry form my terrible english.

What does triple five mean?

Only send to Rolex factory or drop off at a Rolex boutique watchmaker. 👍 Cool watch!

Looks like you took a bit of inspiration from Tyler Hoover for the title of this video! Wear the watch in good health. AP.

Rather pricey for a crystal, gears and mainspring. I wonder why it was so damaged internally on the movement. After the service a demangnetise is not a big issue to resolve. It could have also been a sticky hairspring. Again not a big issue to resolve. I feel you just had a bit of bad luck. By all means send it to Rolex but the turn around time will be many months before you see your watch back. Good luck in the future though. Enjoying your stories😀

Sounds like a headache. I bought a 1999 Omega Seamaster and it works perfectly!