Rolex Serial Number Verification
Every Rolex watch that comes out of the factory is designated with its own serial number. As a result, each Rolex serial number is unique (there are exceptions, as we’ll see shortly). So in theory, a Rolex serial number can tell you what year (approximately) the watch was made in. The serial number of a Rolex is like a personal identification number, individual to a specific timepiece. This unique way to identify the timepiece is the Serial Number and the model. Your watch’s serial number can give you great information about your Rolex timepiece which can be valuable to have.
Rolex has been placing serial numbers on their watches since the beginning. Just about every Rolex watch ever produced has some sort of identification or serial number placed on it. These numbers help to determine the year or batch that the watch was made. Buyers, sellers, dealers, and collectors all use these numbers for watch identification.
Locating Your Serial Numbers
You will find the serial number of your watch at the 6 o'clock position either between the lugs or on the rehaut (inner bezel near dial). Opposite the watch case at the 12 o'clock position you'll find the model numbers again between the lugs on the rehaut. Between these two numbers we are able to determine a value or what the watch is potentially worth. The Rolex serial number and model number are also present on the original paper work that shipped with the watch.
| Year | Serial | Year | Serial | Year | Serial |
| 2009 (Fall) - Present | Scrambled | 1978 | 5,482,000 | 1947 | 478,300 |
| 2009 (Fall) - Present | Gxxx,xx1 | 1977 | 5,006,000 | 1946 | 413,200 |
| 2008 (Fall) | Vxxx,xx1 | 1976 | 4,539,000 | 1945 | 348,100 |
| 2007 (Fall) | Mxxx,xx1 | 1975 | 4,267,100 | 1944 | 283,000 |
| 2006 (Summer) | Zxxx,xx1 | 1974 | 4,004,200 | 1943 | 253,400 |
| 2005 (Summer) | Dxxx,xx1 | 1973 | 3,741,300 | 1942 | 223,800 |
| 2003 (Fall) | Fxxx,xx1 | 1972 | 3,478,400 | 1941 | 194,200 |
| 2002 (Fall) | Yxxx,xx1 | 1971 | 3,215,500 | 1940 | 164,600 |
| 2001 (Fall) | Kxxx,xx1 | 1970 | 2,952,600 | 1939 | 135,000 |
| 2000 (Winter) | Pxxx,xx1 | 1969 | 2,689,700 | 1938 | 117,000 |
| 1999 | Axxx,xx1 | 1968 | 2,426,800 | 1937 | 99,000 |
| 1997 (Summer) | Uxxx,xx1 | 1967 | 2,163,900 | 1936 | 81,000 |
| 1995 (Summer) | Txxx,xx1 | 1966 | 1,871,000 | 1935 | 63,000 |
| 1995 | Wxxx,xx1 | 1965 | 1,792,000 | 1934 | 45,000 |
| 1993 | Sxxx,xx1 | 1964 | 1,714,000 | 1932 | 42,680 |
| 1992 (Winter) | Cxxx,xx1 | 1963 | 1,636,000 | 1931 | 40,250 |
| 1991 (Fall) | Xxxx,xx1 | 1962 | 1,558,000 | 1930 | 37,820 |
| 1991 (Fall) | Nxxx,xx1 | 1961 | 1,480,000 | 1929 | 35,390 |
| 1990 (Summer) | Exxx,xx1 | 1960 | 1,402,000 | 1928 | 32,960 |
| 1989 | Lxxx,xx1 | 1959 | 1,100,000 | 1927 | 30,430 |
| 1987 (Summer) | Rxxx,xxx | 1957 | 600,000 | 1926 | 28,000 |
| 1987 | 9,999,999 | 1956 | 400,000 | ||
| 1986 | 9,290,000 | 1955 | 200,000 | ||
| 1985 | 8,814,000 | 1954 | 999,000 | ||
| 1984 | 8,338,000 | 1953 | 950,000 | ||
| 1983 | 7,862,000 | 1952 | 803,800 | ||
| 1982 | 7,386,000 | 1951 | 738,700 | ||
| 1981 | 6,910,000 | 1950 | 673,600 | ||
| 1980 | 5,958,000 | 1949 | 608,500 | ||
| 1979 | 5,482,000 | 1948 | 543,400 |
Why is this important?
Rolex buyers, collectors, and dealers all like to have this information when considering the purchase of a Rolex Watch. These numbers coupled with condition are used to make an intelligent offer. If your into watch collection for any period of time you will eventually run across this request. Try and refer to the original paper works top right corner, look at the inner bezel (2008+), or removed the bracelet from the case lugs.
People are often looking for a Rolex serial number or Rolex model number database to verify their Rolex serial numbers and to work out their Rolex year of manufacture. Unfortunately many of the online Rolex serial number databases are very inaccurate, out of date and have been copied inaccurately many times. Still many people quote them and so wrongly date their watch.
I have therefore compiled a more accurate Rolex serial number database below, for everyone to use, from utilising highly accurate and trusted data.
The Rolex serial number of a watch is stamped between the lower lugs, where the bracelet is held in place. Up until the end of 1972, the ‘quarter’ of manufacture and year could also be found stamped inside the case back (eg iii 65 for 3rd quarter of 1965). The stamped case back date is usually close to the case date. It should never be newer than the date of the serial number, but on occassions it could be up to a year or two older as Rolex would have casebacks produced in batches and use them up as needed.
The Rolex serial no database below should give you a reasonably accurate idea of the year of your Rolex. Remember that the year of Rolex manufacture does not necessarily mean that was the year of sale, so Rolex guarantee papers or bracelets could be dated later, but not earlier.
If you have a query please feel free to contact me and if I can help you I will certainly try.
But if you are trying to work out “what year is my Rolex?” this should be a good place to start….
| Rolex Serial Number | Year |
| 20,000 – 40,000 | 1927 -1937 |
| 40,000 – 200,000 | 1938 -1942 |
| 200,000 – 300,000 | 1941 -1944 |
| 300,000 – 500,000 | 1945 -1946 |
| 500,000 – 620,000 | 1947 -1948 |
| 620,000 – 700,000 | 1948 -1950 |
| 700,000 – 725,000 | 1951 |
| 725,000 – 880,000 | 1952 |
| 880,000 – 999,000 | 1953 |
| 0 – 49,000 | 1954 |
In 1954 when Rolex reached serial numbers of 1 million they started again as follows:-
| Rolex Serial Number | Year |
| 0 – 50,000 | 1954 |
| 50,000 – 150,000 | 1955 |
| 150,000 – 250,000 | 1956 |
| 250,000 – 350,000 | 1957 |
| 350,000 – 450,000 | 1958 |
| 450,000 – 550,000 | 1959 |
| 550,000 – 650,000 | 1960 |
| 650,000 – 755,000 | 1961 |
| 755,000 – 865,000 | 1962 |
| 865,000 – 1,000,000 | 1963 |
| 1,000,000 – 1,105,000 | 1964 |
| 1,105,000 – 1,275,000 | 1965 |
| 1,275,000 – 1,485,000 | 1966 |
| 1,485,000 – 1,710,000 | 1967 |
| 1,710,000 – 1,945,000 | 1968 |
| 1,945,000 – 2,240,000 | 1969 |
| 2,240,000 – 2,590,000 | 1970 |
| 2,590,000 – 2,890,000 | 1971 |
| 2,890,000 – 3,200,000 | 1972 |
| 3,200,000 – 3,570,000 | 1973 |
| 3,570,000 – 3,865,000 | 1974 |
| 3,865,000 – 4,115,000 | 1975 |
| 4,115,000 – 4,260,000 5,000,000 – 5,085,000 | 1976 |
| 5,085,000 – 5,430,000 | 1977 |
| 5,430,000 – 5,865,000 | 1978 |
| 5,865,000 – 6,205,000 | 1979 |
| 6,205,000 – 6,560,000 | 1980 |
| 6,560,000 – 7,130,000 | 1981 |
| 7,130,000 – 7,600,000 | 1982 |
| 7,600,000 – 8,375,000 | 1983 |
| 8,375,000 – 8,785,000 | 1984 |
| 8,785,000 – 9,155,000 | 1985 |
| 9,155,000 – 9,860,000 | 1986 |
| 9,860,000 – 9,900,000 | 1987 |
Rolex Serial Number Lookup Stolen
* During 1976 Rolex retained cases to be used as future ‘Service Cases’ and have issued these, so far, from late 4.38m cases to 4.8m cases.
When Rolex reached their 10,000,000’th serial number in 1987 they switched to Letter Prefix based serials starting with ‘R’. These did not follow alphabetically, nor did they start on the 1st of January each year – instead starting at different points within a year once all the serials had been used. A letter prefix was followed by 6 digits – so again giving 1m serials per letter and in the order below.
Rolex Serial Number Verification
| Letter Prefix | Year Started |
| R | 1987 |
| L | 1988 |
| E | 1990 |
| X | 1991 |
| N | 1992 |
| C | 1993 |
| S | 1994 |
| W | 1995 |
| T | 1996 |
| U | 1997 |
| A | 1998 |
| P | 2000 |
| K | 2001 |
| Y | 2002 |
| F | 2003 |
| D | 2005 |
| Z | 2006 |
| M | 2007 |
| V | 2008 |
| G | 2010 |
Rolex Watch Serial Number Verification
From 2010 onwards Rolex serial numbers changed again. This time to 8 digits consisting of randomly generated numbers and letters. This does mean that currently and going forward only Rolex will be able to tell you the date of production on any particular watch.