Rolex Air-King 116900

“Air-King 2016”

A+

Grade A+: strong buy-and-holdToday's call · Wait for a dip

Short termunder 1 yearStrongMid term1 to 3 yearsStrongLong term3+ yearsStrong

Rank #16 of 113 rated pieces in the Rolex Vault

US retail (2020)$6,450

Typical sale today$7,400Typical range $7,000 to $7,800

Vs retail+15%

1-year+4%

Market range: the middle half of 116 recorded eBay sales in the last 12 months.

Open in the interactive VaultLive eBay listings ↗︎

Market price history

Median recorded eBay sale price for each quarter with 3 or more sales. Dashed line marks the us retail (2020).

Investment scorecard

Momentum60Measured price direction: the median recorded sale of the last 4 months against the median of 8 to 12 months ago. 50 means flat; small samples are pulled toward 50.

Liquidity87How easily it sells: recorded sales in the last 12 months (300 or more scores 100) and eBay's 90-day sell-through rate.

Scarcity74Demand against supply. For modern pieces, how far the market sits above or below current retail, plus a lift if production has ended. For vintage, how rarely one comes up for sale.

Value entry20Where the latest quarter's median sale sits inside its own 3-year range. Buying near the low scores high; buying at the high scores low.

Condition safety90How safe a typical example is: the age of the design, plus how tightly sale prices cluster (a wide spread means condition and originality swing the price).

The story

The divisive 2016 Air-King, born from the Bloodhound land-speed project, now discontinued in its original no-crown-guard form.

Weird Rolex models have a habit of becoming cult pieces a decade after everyone mocked them.

The 2016 Air-King reboot in the Milgauss's antimagnetic case: dashboard-instrument dial, green ROLEX signature, crown logo in yellow. Committee-designed oddness that aged into cult appeal.

Discontinued in 2022 after just six years, a short run by Rolex standards. Short runs plus weird details is the recipe every discontinued cult Rolex shares; this one is still in its 'too recent to be cool' phase, which is when you buy.

Our verdict: Cheap cult-classic lottery ticket. Low entry, discontinued, and genuinely odd.

Configurations

Sizes	40mm
Case & bracelet	Oystersteel (stainless)
Factory bracelet	Oyster
Factory bezels	Smooth steel
Notable dials	Black, no crown guard case, 'Bloodhound' lineage
Caliber	3131
Production	2016 to 2022 (discontinued)

Recent recorded sales

Sold	Example	Price
Nov 3, 2026	Pre-owned · eBay sale ↗︎	$7,300
Nov 3, 2026	Pre-owned · eBay sale ↗︎	$7,495
Oct 29, 2026	Pre-owned · eBay sale ↗︎	$7,800
Oct 11, 2026	Pre-owned · eBay sale ↗︎	$7,718
Oct 10, 2026	Pre-owned · eBay sale ↗︎	$8,200
Oct 3, 2026	Pre-owned · eBay sale ↗︎	$7,495

Recorded eBay completed sales, logged at our last data refresh.

If you like this one

Air-King126900 · Grade B Neo-Vintage Air-King14000 · Grade B Vintage Air-King5500 · Grade B

See the Air-King 2016 in the Vault Browse all references

Quick answers

How much is a Rolex Air-King 116900 worth?

Recorded eBay sales from the last 12 months put the typical Rolex Air-King 116900 at $7,400, with the middle half selling between $7,000 and $7,800 (115 sales). Condition, box and papers move the price within that range.

Does the Rolex Air-King 116900 sell above retail?

Yes. The typical sale of $7,400 is about 15% above the $6,450 retail (2020).

Is the Rolex Air-King 116900 a good investment?

The Crown Index grades it A+ (88/100) from real resale data, and today's call is wait for a dip. It holds its value well, but the market price is steep right now. Past prices are not a forecast.