Question: do you think the Rolex Airking (116900) will be a future classic?

I don't believe it will be considered collectable in the same sense as the sub, dj, dd, ex, or even the op.   It's the entry level piece and as far as design goes, probably the lesser of the aforementioned.

Absolutely my least favorite Rolex version ever made. Have owned a AK from 1990 and it was a classic watch with engine turned bezel. 

The new AK, yeah, no. 

As a owner of an Air-King I have to say yes for sure ;)

as @aztecknight said, never like one of the other models. However it has a certain “I don’t look like other Rolex” look that could help to gain a status later on. This is also what brought me to this watch. It was my first Rolex, because it doesn’t look like a Rolex :)

I think an important factor is also: what is Rolex doing with it, is it just discontinued or will the Air-King line still be there in 20 years with very popular iterations. We have seen the under-appreciated old OP39 models going up in value due to the success of the new ones!

Yes, I think it will be future classic. Let’s see if it is only for a few collectors or for the whole crowd :)

I do not know much about the air-king. It seems to me from the outside a more useful variation (in terms of the dial) of the Explorer as a tool watch. Are there any technical/spec negatives or it is only a matter of brand recognition compared to its brothers?

I do not believe this watch will be a future classic. If I would describe a classic watch it will be a simple dial with at most 4 numbers (digits), very small date window (if any) a logo and almost no text on the dial = Rolex Explorer. But that is for me and for now. Maybe after some decades a classic watch will be something digital tatooed on our skin 😜 

This watch is, I think, a pilot watch but not "enough" pilot for me (bezel and "complicated" dial with 2-3 subdials is missing). If it is not a pilot watch, then sorry to all Rolex fans for my lack of education.  

Hard to say because, as cool as it looks, it’s not for me. 

I don‘t think the Air King will be as big of a future classic like other Rolex models. It‘s a beautiful watch but in my opinion there is a little bit too much going on the dial to consider it a classic in comparison to other Rolex classics that have a more timeless design. 

Its like the explorer,but uglier.

It might become a classic,who knows.

Its very hard to guess because most things dont really make sense after all, yet happened. 

Classic one, Say who would have thought that daytona is so hot nowadays when back then hardly anyone would want a cosmograph, they were half given away, sold along other rolex models. 

Explorer II 1655, due to its polarised dial design at the time, it was not loved. Now look at it, whats the becoming of it is beyond imagination of the people who could buy it new at the time. 

I personally have a OP36 369 black dial ref 116000 that rumoured to have only been made for about 600 pieces, would it be collectable in times to come? I dont know🤷🏻‍♂️ i just know that its special as i bought it during my honeymoon trip. 

There are a lot more examples like these within the rolex marquee... so whether this air king is collectable or not, it doesnt really matter if you d asked me as long as YOU ENJOY wearing it 😘

No

If you look at the history the Air King was launched after OPs and DJs. For me the „air“ topic is not the typical Rolex DNA here like you would expect from IWC or Breitling. That‘s why I do not see the future legacy of this piece. From value perspective it is still a Rolex and should at least save the inflation loss 🤣