Find the Age of Your Rolex Watch
Determining the production year of a Rolex watch can be done with reasonable accuracy by decoding its serial number. This unique identifier, engraved on the case or rehaut depending on the model's age, serves as a timestamp that corresponds to a specific manufacturing period. By referencing the serial number against an official Rolex serial number chart, collectors and enthusiasts can estimate the watch’s year of origin. This method is especially useful for vintage models, where original documentation may be missing or incomplete.
🔍 How to Find and Decode a Rolex Serial Number
1. Locate the Serial Number
- Pre-2005 Models: Between the lugs at the 6 o’clock position (you’ll need to remove the bracelet).
- Post-2005 Models: Engraved on the rehaut (the inner bezel between the dial and crystal).
- Post-2010 Models: Rolex started using random serial numbers, making dating more difficult without paperwork.
2. Use a Serial Number Chart
You can cross-reference the serial number with a Rolex production year chart. For example:
- Serial number 100,000 → ~1956
- Serial number 2,000,000 → ~1969
- Serial number 7,000,000 → ~1981
- Serial number D000001 → ~2005 (Rolex started using letters)
- Serial number Random → ~2010 onward
Below is a chart showing the letters and their corresponding manufacture year.
|
Serial Number |
Year |
|
Random |
2011-now |
|
G |
2010 |
|
V |
2009 |
|
M or V |
2008 |
|
M or Z |
2007 |
|
D or Z |
2006 |
|
D |
2005 |
|
F |
2002-2004 |
|
Y |
2002 |
|
K or Y |
2001 |
|
K,000,001 |
2000 |
|
P,000,001 |
2000 |
|
A,000,001 |
1999 |
|
U,932,144 |
1998 |
|
U,000,001 |
1997 |
|
T,000,001 |
1996 |
|
W,000,001 |
1995 |
|
S,860,880 |
1994 |
|
S,000,001 |
1993 |
|
C,000,001 |
1992 |
|
N,000,001 |
1991 |
|
X,000,001 |
1991 |
|
E,000,001 |
1990 |
|
L,980,000 |
1989 |
|
R,598,200 |
1988 |
|
R,000,001 |
1987 |
|
9,400,000 |
1987 |
|
8,900,000 |
1986 |
|
8,614,000 |
1985 |
|
8,070,022 |
1984 |
|
7,400,000 |
1983 |
|
7,100,000 |
1982 |
|
6,520,870 |
1981 |
|
6,434,000 |
1980 |
|
5,737,030 |
1979 |
|
5,000,000 |
1978 |
|
5,008,000 |
1977 |
|
4,115,299 |
1976 |
|
3,862,196 |
1975 |
|
3,567,927 |
1974 |
|
3,200,268 |
1973 |
|
2,890,459 |
1972 |
|
2,589,295 |
1971 |
|
2,241,882 |
1970 |
|
1,900,000 |
1969 |
|
1,752,000 |
1968 |
|
1,538,435 |
1967 |
|
1,200,000 |
1966 |
|
1,100,000 |
1965 |
|
1,008,889 |
1964 |
|
824,000 |
1963 |
|
744,000 |
1962 |
|
643,153 |
1961 |
|
516,000 |
1960 |
|
399,453 |
1959 |
|
328,000 |
1958 |
|
224,000 |
1957 |
|
133,061 |
1956 |
|
97,000 |
1955 |
|
23,000 |
1954 |
|
855,726 |
1953 |
|
726,639 |
1952 |
|
709,249 |
1949-1951 |
|
628,840 |
1948 |
|
529,163 |
1947 |
|
367,946 |
1946 |
|
302,459 |
1945 |
|
269,561 |
1944 |
|
230,878 |
1943 |
|
143,509 |
1942 |
|
106,047 |
1941 |
|
99,775 |
1940 |
|
71,224 |
1939 |
|
43,739 |
1938 |
|
40,920 |
1937 |
|
36,856 |
1936 |
|
34,336 |
1935 |
|
30,823 |
1934 |
|
29,562 |
1933 |
|
29,132 |
1931-1932 |
|
23,186 |
1929-1930 |
|
23,969 |
1928 |
|
20,190 |
1927 |
|
00,001 |
1926 |