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Rolex Serial and Model Numbers

Photo of green Rolex Submariner watch

Rolex has been engraving their watches with unique serial numbers since the 1920s, to document the production year of each timepiece.

Knowing the serial number of your Rolex watch is important for several reasons. First is that it will help you determine the production age of your watch. A watch’s age, along with other factors such as its condition, will help establish the true market value of the watch.

Serial and model numbers can also help you determine if a watch is genuine Rolex. Counterfeits often do not have the serial numbers engraved on them, and if they do, they often do not match the design.


HOW TO FIND THE SERIAL NUMBER ON YOUR ROLEX WATCH

Photo of Rolex engraved serial number

The Rolex serial number can be found on the watch’s corresponding paperwork, such as on the warranty card. If you are buying a piece without papers, the serial number is also engraved on the watch.

Older Rolex watches have the serial number engraved on the exterior of the case, in between the lugs on the 6 o’clock side. This requires you to remove the bracelet to check the serial number.

In 2005, Rolex started engraving the serial number on the inside metal ring (also called the “rehaut” or French for flange) between the dial and the crystal, near the 6 o’clock numeral. By 2008, Rolex stopped engraving the serial number on the case exterior and now only keeps it on the rehaut.

LOCATION OF THE ROLEX SERIAL NUMBER

  • Before 2005 – engraved on the exterior, between lugs on the 6 o’clock side
  • 2005 to 2008 – engraved between lugs and on the rehaut (both 6 o’clock side)
  • 2008 onwards – etched on the rehaut only (6 o’clock side)

The table below shows the serial numbers of Rolex and their corresponding production years.



PRODUCTION YEAR SERIAL NUMBER PRODUCTION YEAR SERIAL NUMBER
2010-Present Random/Mixed 1968 2,426,000
2009-2010 G000,001 1967 2,164,000
2008-2009 V000,001 1966 1,870,000
2007-2009 M000,001 1965 1,791,000
2006-2008 Z000,001 1964 1,713,000
2005-2006 D000,001 1963 1,635,000
2004-2005 F000,001 1962 1,557,000
2002-2004 Y000,001 1961 1,485,000
2001-2003 K000,001 1960 1,401,000
2000-2001 P000,004 1959 1,323,000
1998-2000 A000,002 1958 1,245,000
1997-1998 U000,001 1957 1,167,000
1996-1998 T000,001 1956 1,095,000
1995-1998 W000,001 1955 1,010,000
1993 3/4 S000,001 1954 935,000
1992 1/4 C000,001 1953 869,000
1991 3/4 N000,001 1952 804,000
1991 1/2 X000,001 1951 735,000
1991 1/4 E999,999 1950 672,000
1990 1/2 E000,001 1949 608,000
1990 L999,999 1948 543,000
1989 L000,001 1947 478,000
1988 R999,999 1946 413,000
1987 1/2 R000,001 1945 348,000
1987 1/2 9,999,999 1944 284,000
1987 9,760,000 1943 253,000
1986 9,300,000 1942 224,000
1985 8,814,000 1941 194,000
1984 8,338,000 1940 165,000
1983 7,860,000 1939 136,000
1982 7,366,000 1938 118,000
1981 6,910,000 1937 98,000
1980 6,430,000 1936 82,000
1979 5,959,000 1935 62,000
1978 5,481,000 1934 55,000
1977 5,005,000 1933 49,000
1976 4,535,000 1932 43,000
1975 4,265,000 1931 40,000
1974 4,000,000 1930 38,000
1973 3,741,000 1929 35,000
1972 3,478,000 1928 33,000
1971 3,215,000 1927 30,000
1970 2,952,000 1926 28,000
1969 2,689,000 1925 25,000
PRODUCTION YEAR SERIAL NUMBER
2010-PresentRandom/Mixed
2009-2010G000,001
2008-2009V000,001
2007-2009M000,001
2006-2008Z000,001
2005-2006D000,001
2004-2005F000,001
2002-2004Y000,001
2001-2003K000,001
2000-2001P000,004
1998-2000A000,002
1997-1998U000,001
1996-1998T000,001
1995-1998W000,001
1993 3/4S000,001
1992 1/4C000,001
1991 3/4N000,001
1991 1/2X000,001
1991 1/4E999,999
1990 1/2E000,001
1990L999,999
1989L000,001
1988R999,999
1987 1/2R000,001
1987 1/29,999,999
19879,760,000
19869,300,000
19858,814,000
19848,338,000
19837,860,000
19827,366,000
19816,910,000
19806,430,000
19795,959,000
19785,481,000
19775,005,000
19764,535,000
19754,265,000
19744,000,000
19733,741,000
19723,478,000
19713,215,000
19702,952,000
19692,689,000
19682,426,000
19672,164,000
19661,870,000
19651,791,000
19641,713,000
19631,635,000
19621,557,000
19611,485,000
19601,401,000
19591,323,000
19581,245,000
19571,167,000
19561,095,000
19551,010,000
1954935,000
1953869,000
1952804,000
1951735,000
1950672,000
1949608,000
1948543,000
1947478,000
1946413,000
1945348,000
1944284,000
1943253,000
1942224,000
1941194,000
1940165,000
1939136,000
1938118,000
193798,000
193682,000
193562,000
193455,000
193349,000
193243,000
193140,000
193038,000
192935,000
192833,000
192730,000
192628,000
192525,000

HOW TO FIND THE MODEL OR REFERENCE NUMBER ON YOUR ROLEX WATCH

Photo of Rolex engraved model and reference number

The Rolex model or reference number can be found engraved on the exterior of the watch, in between the lugs on the 12 o’clock side. As with the serial number, the bracelet needs to be detached from the case to be able to check the model number.

Rolex follows a reference number system that indicates the model type, bezel, and material of the watch.

For example, a popular reference is the Rolex Kermit 16610LV. This number can be broken down further: 166 | 1 | 0 LV. The numbers 166 indicate that it is a Rolex Submariner, 1 tells us that it has a rotating bezel, and 0 means it is made of stainless steel. The letters LV stand for lunette vert or French for green bezel.

The tables below show the codes for each model, bezel, and material type:


MODEL YEAR REFERENCE NUMBER
(FIRST 2-4 DIGITS)
Datejust 16, 162 & 1162
Daytona Manual Wind 62
Daytona Cosmograph 165 & 1165
Explorer I 14 & 124
Explorer II 16, 165 & 265
Submariner (No Date) 55, 140 & 1140
Submariner (Date) 16, 166 & 168
Sea Dweller 16, 166, 1166 & 1266
GMT-Master 16, 65, 167
GMT-Master II 167, 1167 & 1267
Milgauss 65, 10, 1164
President Day-Date 65, 66, 18, 180, 182 & 183
Oyster Perpetual 10, 140 & 142
Airking 55, 140, 116 & 142
Date 15 & 150
Oysterquartz Datejust 170
Oysterquartz Day-Date 190
Yachtmaster 166, 686 & 696
Yachtmaster II 1166
Sky-Dweller 3269, 3261
Midsize Oyster Perp DJ 68, 682
Ladies Oyster Perpetual 67, 671, 672
Ladies Date 65, 69, 691 & 692
Ladies Datejust 65, 69, 691 & 692
  
BEZEL TYPE REFERENCE NUMBER
(SECOND TO THE LAST DIGIT)
0 Smooth / Domed / Polished
1 Engine Turned
2 Engraved
3 Fluted
4 Bark / Hand-Crafted
6 Rotatable
7 Various (e.g. Explorer II)
  
MATERIAL REFERENCE NUMBER
(LAST DIGIT)
0 Stainless Steel
1 Everose Rolesor (Stainless Steel and Everose Gold)
2 Rolesium (Stainless steel and Platinum)
3 Yellow Rolesor (Stainless Steel and 18k Yellow gold)
4 White Rolesor (Stainless Steel and 18k White gold)
5 Everose
6 Platinum
8 18k Yellow gold
9 18k White gold
  
MATERIAL SUFFIX / FRENCH TERM
Blue Bleu
Faceted diamonds Brillants
Chocolate (or brown) Chocolat
Emerald Emeraude
Window (or crystal) Glace
Yellow Jaune
Bezel Lunette
Black Noir
Red Rouge
Ruby Rubis
Sapphire Saphirs
Green Vert

HOW TO FIND THE PRODUCTION AGE OF YOUR ROLEX BRACELET OR CLASP

Photo of Rolex clasp number

Rolex watches also have a code engraved on the clasp hinge. These codes are composed of 1 or 2 letters followed by a number, with the letter corresponding to the year of production, while the number signifies a month.

We should note that after 2010, Rolex started to use random numbers. Moreover, if you see a clasp with an S, it means that it is a service replacement clasp.


PRODUCTION YEAR BRACELET CODE
1976 A or VA
1977 B or VB
1978 C or VC
1979 D or VD
1980 E or VE
1981 F or VF
1982 G
1983 H
1984 I
1985 J
1986 K
1987 L
1988 M
1989 N
1990 O
1991 P
1992 Q
1993 R
1994 S
1995 T or W
1996 V
1997 Z
1998 U
1999 X
2000 AB
2001 DE
2002 DT
2003 AD
2004 CL
2005 MA
2006 OP
2007 EO
2008 PJ
2009 LT
2010 RS
2011 onwards RANDOM