Which watch is Sarah Knafo wearing?

After dissecting Emmanuel Macron’s watches, that of Éric Zemmour and the much-publicised wrist of Jordan Bardella, it was only logical to continue our round-table of France’s new right. This time, we’re looking at the watch worn by the woman who, for a long time, was presented as the “strategist in the shadows”: Sarah Knafo.

The Member of the European Parliament—who studied at Sciences Po, ENA and the Cour des comptes, first Éric Zemmour’s right-hand woman and later his partner—has established herself as one of the rising figures of the Reconquête! party, before taking her seat in Strasbourg at the European Parliament. A woman of briefs, public debt, and carefully calibrated political strikes. The detail that interests us here is what this thirty-something wears on her wrist.

No, it’s not a diamond-paved yellow-gold Daytona. The watch we can see on her wrist is a Rolex Oyster Air-King ref. 114200, blue dial with Arabic numerals—a 34 mm steel model (I believe), automatic, considered an “entry-level” Rolex. Entry-level at €5,000–€6,000 on the pre-owned market, granted, but at this level in Swiss watchmaking, we’re talking more about a ticket of admission than extravagance.

In other words: a watch that says “I’m established,” without screaming “I’m spending your money.” For someone whose hobbyhorse is repeating that the state must cut spending, the message is consistent: yes, it’s a Rolex, but reasonable by the standards of this world. And yes, when you preach state frugality, every style detail gets scrutinised. In that game, the Air-King 114200 is a subtle option: a real Rolex, but in its most compact, most understated and—dare we say the oxymoron—most “economical” form.

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

Before zooming in on reference 114200, it’s worth remembering what a Rolex Air-King is, historically. It wasn’t originally a watch for TV studios, but for cockpits.

The Air-King line was born in the mid-1940s. Hans Wilsdorf, Rolex’s founder, paid tribute to 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 would be the only one to survive in the catalogue to this day.

In 1957, reference 5500 set the model’s codes: a 34 mm steel Oyster case, a pared-back dial, three hands, a robust automatic movement, and positioning slightly below the brand’s biggest stars (Submariner, Datejust, Explorer). It’s the Rolex of the pilot, the technician, the person who prefers precision to worldly shine.

Long regarded as “the discreet Rolex,” the Air-King has kept that identity: sporty without being ostentatious, closer to an instrument than a piece of jewellery. The 114200 worn by Sarah Knafo fits squarely within that lineage.

Rolex Oyster Air-King 114200: ID card

Reference 114200 appeared in the mid-2000s and remained in the catalogue until the mid-2010s. Technically, it’s something of a link between the historic Air-King and the modern Oyster Perpetual 34: a 34 mm steel case, an in-house automatic movement, and the full contemporary Oyster architecture.

Case: 34 mm that embraces understatement

• Diameter: 34 mm—today an almost “vintage” size, perfectly unisex. On a woman’s wrist, it still has real presence without tipping into bulky.
• Material: Oystersteel stainless steel, polished and satin-finished, renowned for its corrosion resistance.
• Water resistance: 100 m (10 ATM) thanks to the Twinlock screw-down crown and screw-down caseback.
• Bezel: smooth, in steel, reinforcing the purity of the design.
• Crystal: scratch-resistant sapphire, with no Cyclops magnifier since the model has no date.

To the eye, it’s the archetype of the understated Rolex: no fluted bezel, no gold, no diamonds. Just a beautifully proportioned circle of steel. The watch of someone who likes expensive things, but doesn’t need to shout it across every CNews set.

Dial: blue with 3-6-9 Arabic numerals

• Dial: blue, sometimes referred to as “concentric blue” on certain series, with a subtle play of circles and reflections. :
• Markers: applied batons and 3-6-9 Arabic numerals, a visual signature of many Air-Kings.
• Hands: hours, minutes, central seconds, with luminous treatment for night-time legibility.

This blue 3-6-9 dial is a bit like an Explorer that shrank in the wash: the same legibility, the same typography, but in a more compact, stripped-back case.

Movement: Rolex calibre 3130

• Calibre: Rolex 3130, an automatic movement with bidirectional winding, entirely designed and produced in-house.
• Power reserve: around 48 hours.
• Number of jewels: 31.
• Frequency: 28,800 vph, smooth seconds and chronometric precision.
• Functions: hours, minutes, central seconds—no date, so no superfluous complication and no risk of setting it wrong at the end of the month.

The 3130 is a workhorse: reliable, accurate, capable of taking decades of service with regular maintenance. It’s the kind of mechanism you put in a watch you want to keep for a long time, not a seasonal gadget.

Bracelet: steel Oyster

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

This bracelet is half of Rolex’s DNA: comfortable, robust, instantly recognisable. It places the Air-King 114200 in the “everyday watch” category—the one you put on in the morning with a tailored suit, keep on for meetings, travel, votes in Parliament… and interviews about public debt.

Price and positioning: an “austerity” Rolex?

Reference 114200 is no longer in production. Today it can be found on the pre-owned market at around €4,500 to a little over €6,000 depending on condition, year, whether it comes with box and papers, and dial colour.

For ordinary mortals, it’s obviously a very serious sum. But in the Rolex ecosystem, it’s a gateway: far from the steel professional models whose list prices soar and whose secondary-market prices explode. Here, no crazy speculation—just a solid, discreet Rolex, bought more to wear than to flip on Chrono24.

For Sarah Knafo, the signal is twofold:

• Yes, it’s a Rolex: an obvious social symbol that says “I’m playing in the big leagues.”
• But it’s a 34 mm Air-King: the most modest model in the catalogue at the time—no gold, no complication, no showy sparkle.

You could sum it up like this: her watch is more consensual than her political positions.

What this Air-King says about Knafo’s style

After watching the wrists of this small political galaxy for long enough, a pattern emerges: the watch is never entirely neutral. With Sarah Knafo, this Rolex Air-King 114200 tells several stories:

• A desire to project seriousness: simple blue dial, three hands, no frills. This is on the instrument side, not flashy jewellery.
• An assumed status: for the general public, Rolex remains the totem brand. She has taken the social elevator, and the watch is an obvious marker of that.
• A certain consistency with her message: in the camp of those who repeat that the state must stop burning taxpayers’ money, a 34 mm Air-King looks less out of place than a yellow-gold Day-Date on a President bracelet.
• A generational choice: in her early thirties, choosing a 34 mm diameter at a time when everyone wants 41 mm is a nod to vintage proportions—precisely the kind contemporary, reasonably informed watch enthusiasts tend to appreciate.

Ultimately, this Air-King is neither a scandal nor a manifesto, but a tell. It shows one simple thing: the new radical right does not disdain the codes of luxury—it handles them, but cautiously, choosing just enough ostentation to be taken seriously, and just enough restraint to avoid being crucified on X (formerly Twitter).

FAQ – Sarah Knafo’s watch

What watch model does Sarah Knafo wear?

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

How much does a Rolex Air-King 114200 cost?

Reference 114200 is no longer in production. On the pre-owned market, prices hover around €4,500 to €6,000 depending on condition, year, accessories (box, papers) and dial configuration.

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

Yes. At the time it was produced, the Air-King (and later the Oyster Perpetual 34) was among the most affordable models in the catalogue. That takes nothing away from the quality of the Oyster case, the steel bracelet or the automatic 3130 movement, all of which remain thoroughly “Rolex.”

Does the Rolex Air-King have a particular history?

Yes. Created in 1945 to pay tribute to RAF pilots engaged in the Second World War, the Air-King is the last remnant of a series of “Air” watches (Air-Lion, Air-Giant, Air-Tiger, Air-King). For a long time it remained Rolex’s simplest and most accessible watch, conceived above all as a precision instrument.

Is Sarah Knafo’s watch consistent with her message about cutting state spending?

Everyone will judge. From a purely watchmaking standpoint, she chose a real Rolex, but in its most understated and compact version: steel, 34 mm, three hands, no ostentatious complications. On the scale of power watches, her Air-King remains a relatively reasonable piece—especially in a world where some elected officials sport chronographs worth several years’ salary.