Rolex Serial Numbers
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 Unfortunately many of the online Rolex serial number databases are very inaccurate, out of date and have been copied inaccurately many times.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….
Useful Info
| 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 |
* 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.
| 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 |
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.
