What Watch Is Sarah Knafo Wearing?

After having dissected Emmanuel Macron’s watches, that of Éric Zemmour and the highly publicized wrist of Jordan Bardella, it was logical to continue the tour of the new French right. This time, we are interested in the watch of the woman who, for a long time, was presented as the “shadow strategist”: Sarah Knafo.

The European MP, who worked at Sciences Po, the ENA and the Court of Auditors, right hand and then companion of Éric Zemmour, established herself as one of the rising figures of the Reconquest! party, before sitting in Strasbourg in the European Parliament. A woman of files, of public debt, of calibrated political blows. The detail that interests us here is what this thirty-year-old is wearing on her wrist.

No, it’s not a gold Daytona paved with diamonds. The watch we see on our wrist is a Rolex Oyster Air-King ref. 114200, blue dial with Arabic indexesa 34mm (I think), automatic steel model, considered “entry level” at Rolex. Entry level at €5,000–6,000 on the second-hand market, certainly, but at this level, in Swiss watchmaking, we are talking more about an entry ticket than extravagance.

In other words: a watch that says “I’m settled”, without screaming “I’m spending your money”. For someone whose hobby horse is to repeat that the State must save money, the message is consistent: yes, it’s a Rolex, but reasonable on the scale of this environment. And yes, when we preach the frugality of the State, every detail of style is dissected. In this game, theAir-King 114200 is a subtle option: a real Rolex, but in its most compact, most sober and – dare we say the oxymoron – most “economical” form.

Rolex Air-King: from a Spitfire cabin to Sarah Knafo’s wrist

Before zooming in on reference 114200, we must remember what, historically, a Rolex Air King. It is not, originally, the watch of TV sets, but that of cockpits.

The Air-King line was born in the mid-1940s. Hans Wilsdorf, founder of Rolex, paid tribute to the British RAF pilots engaged in the Battle of Britain by creating a series of “Air” watches (Air-Lion, Air-Giant, Air-Tiger, Air-King). The Air-King will be the only one to survive in the catalog to the present day.

In 1957, the reference 5500 set the model codes: 34 mm steel Oyster case, stripped-down dial, three hands, robust automatic movement, and a positioning a little below the big stars of the house (Submariner, Datejust, Explorer). It is the Rolex of the pilot, of the technician, of those who prefer precision to worldly brilliance.

Long considered “the discreet Rolex”, the Air-King has kept this identity: sporty without being ostentatious, closer to an instrument than a jewel. The 114200 version worn by Sarah Knafo is exactly in this line.

Rolex Oyster Air-King 114200: identity card

The reference 114200 appeared in the mid-2000s and remained in the catalog until the mid-2010s. Technically, it is a sort of link between theAir-King history andOyster Perpetual 34 modern: a 34 mm steel case, an in-house automatic movement, and all the contemporary Oyster architecture.

Case: 34 mm which assumes sobriety

• Diameter : 34 mm – an almost “vintage” format today, perfectly unisex. On a feminine wrist, it remains very present without tipping over into massiveness.
• Matter : Oystersteel stainless steel, polished and satin, renowned for its resistance to corrosion.
• Waterproofing : 100 m (10 ATM) thanks to the Twinlock screw-down crown and screw-down case back.
• Telescope : smooth, in steel, which reinforces the purity of the design.
• Glass : scratch-resistant sapphire, without Cyclops magnifying glass since the model is without date.

To the eye, it is the archetype of the sober Rolex: no fluted bezel, no gold, no diamonds. Just a very well proportioned round of steel. The watch of someone who likes expensive things, but who doesn’t need to shout it on every CNews set.

Dial: blue and Arabic numerals 3-6-9

• Dial : blue, sometimes called “concentric blue” on certain series, with a subtle play of circles and reflections. :
• Index : stick appliques and Arabic numerals 3-6-9, visual signature of many Air-Kings.
• Needles : hours, minutes, central seconds, luminescent treated for nighttime readability.

This blue 3-6-9 dial is a bit like the Explorer that would have shrunk in the wash: same readability, same typography, but in a more compact and stripped-down case.

Movement: Rolex caliber 3130

• Caliber : Rolex 3130, automatic bi-directional winding movement, entirely designed and produced in-house.
• Power reserve : approximately 48 hours.
• Number of rubies : 31.
• Frequency : 28,800 a/h, smooth seconds and chronometric precision.
• Functions : hours, minutes, central seconds – no date, so no superfluous complications or risk of incorrect time setting at the end of the month.

The 3130 is a tractor: reliable, precise, capable of withstanding decades of service with regular maintenance. This is the kind of mechanics that we offer to a watch that we want to keep for a long time, not to a seasonal gadget.

Bracelet: Steel Oyster

• Kind : Oyster bracelet in steel, three solid links, alternating brushed and polished surfaces.
• Clasp : Oysterclasp folding clasp, with solid links and solid end-links.

This bracelet is half of the Rolex DNA: comfortable, robust, immediately identifiable. It pushes the Air-King 114200 into the category of “everyday” watches – the one you put on in the morning with a suit, that you keep for meetings, travel, votes in Parliament… and interviews on the public debt.

Price and positioning: an “austerity” Rolex?

Reference 114200 is no longer produced. It is today on the second-hand market around €4,500 to a little over €6,000 depending on the condition, the year, the presence of box and papers, and the color of the dial.

For ordinary people, this is obviously a very serious sum. But in the Rolex ecosystem, it is a gateway: we are far from professional steel watches which skyrocket in list prices and explode on second hand. Here, no wild speculation, just a solid, discreet Rolex, which we buy more to wear than to return on Chrono24.

For Sarah Knafo, the signal is twofold:

• Yes, it’s a Rolex : obvious social symbol, which says “I play in the big leagues”.
• But it’s a 34mm Air-King : the most modest model in the catalog at the time, without gold, without complications, without flashy shine.

We could summarize as follows: his watch is more consensual than his political positions.

What this Air-King says about Knafo style

By observing the wrists of this small political galaxy, a pattern emerges: the watch is never completely neutral. At Sarah Knafo, this Rolex Air-King 114200 tells several things:

• A desire for seriousness : simple blue dial, three hands, no frills. We are on the side of instruments, not flashy jewelry.
• An assumed status : Rolex remains, for the general public, the totem brand. She has taken the social elevator and the watch is an obvious marker.
• A certain consistency with his speech : in the camp of those who repeat that the State must stop burning taxpayers’ money, a 34 mm Air-King is less disruptive than a gold Day-Date on a President bracelet.
• A generational choice : at the age of 30, choosing a diameter of 34 mm at a time when everyone wants 41 mm, it’s a nod to vintage proportions – those that are precisely the kind of enthusiasts of contemporary watchmaking who are a little informed.

In the end, this Air-King is neither a scandal nor a manifesto, but a revelation. It shows a simple thing: the new radical right does not despise the codes of luxury – it handles them, but with caution, choosing the right amount of ostentation to be taken seriously, and the right amount of restraint to avoid being crucified on X (ex-Twitter).

FAQ – Sarah Knafo’s watch

What model of watch does Sarah Knafo wear?

Recent photos show Sarah Knafo wearing a Rolex Oyster Air-King ref. 114200 in steel, with blue dial and Arabic numerals 3-6-9, diameter 34 mm, on steel Oyster bracelet.

How much does a Rolex Air-King 114200 cost?

Reference 114200 is no longer produced. On the second-hand market, prices are around €4,500 to €6,000 depending on the condition, year, accessories (box, papers) and dial configuration.

Is this Air-King an “entry-level” at Rolex?

Yes. At the time of its production, the Air-King (then the Oyster Perpetual 34) was one of the most affordable models in the catalog. This does not detract from the quality of the Oyster case, the steel bracelet or the 3130 automatic movement, which remain fully “Rolex”.

Does the Rolex Air-King have a special history?

Yes. Created in 1945 to pay tribute to British RAF pilots engaged in the Second World War, the Air-King is the last vestige of a series of “Air” watches (Air-Lion, Air-Giant, Air-Tiger, Air-King). It has long remained the simplest and most accessible Rolex, designed as a precision instrument above all.

Is Sarah Knafo’s watch consistent with her speech on state economies?

Everyone will judge. From a pure watchmaking point of view, she chose a real Rolex, but in its most sober and compact version: steel, 34 mm, three hands, no ostentatious complications. On the scale of power watches, its Air-King remains a relatively reasonable piece – especially in a world where certain elected officials display chronographs worth several years of salary.