ROLEX
Air-King
QUARLES DRILLING CORP

This iconic Air-King features a rarely seen co-branded dial with the Quarles Drilling Corp logo.

Rolex were well known for commissioning special dials for various military forces and select commercial companies around the world. The Oil Industry in particular having their various company logos added to the dial throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

Quarles Drilling Corporation were a Tulsa Oklahoma, USA based company with oil wells operating at various locations across the states of Texas and Louisiana until being acquired by UTI Energy in 1997 who would later merge with Patterson Energy (formerly Patterson Drilling Company) to form the second largest contract drilling firm in North America.

With the earliest incorporation date of Quarles Drilling Corp being November 1979 matching to the Rolex production year and so few being seen with this logo, it is highly likely that the Owner / Directors of the company rewarded themselves with these specially commissioned Rolex Air-Kings to celebrate the new company.

Case
Stainless Steel
34 mm diameter
Screw case back
Rolex screw lock crown
Polished steel bezel

Movement
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 1520 calibre Automatic self winding

Dial
Silver dial with baton markers and lume plots still intact (Slight patina around some markers).
Blue Q Oil Well logo with Quarles Drilling Corp writing.

Strap/Bracelet
New tan Goatskin leather strap with steel pin buckle

The watch is in overall very good condition with general wear and tear, minor marks to the bezel, case and lugs.

Case ref - 5500

Serial Number - 627XXXX
Dating production of the watch to late 1979

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