Rolex Serial Numbers: Production Year Lookup
A Rolex serial number is unique to one watch, and on watches made before about 2011 it shows roughly when that watch was produced. Enter a serial number below, or find it in the charts, to see the production year.
Rolex serial numbers by year
Each row gives the approximate serial number in use at the start of that year. Find the closest number at or below yours.
Letter-prefix and random serials, 1987 to today
From 1987 Rolex put a letter in front of a six-digit number, seven characters in all. Some letters ran across two or three years, and some years used two letters. From 2011 every serial is random and eight characters long.
| Year | Serial begins |
|---|---|
| 1987 | R000001 |
| 1988 | R598200 |
| 1989 | L980000 |
| 1990 | E000001 |
| 1991 | N or X |
| 1992 | C000001 |
| 1993 | S000001 |
| 1994 | S860880 |
| 1995 | W000001 |
| 1996 | T000001 |
| 1997 | U000001 |
| 1998 | U932144 |
| Year | Serial begins |
|---|---|
| 1999 | A000001 |
| 2000 | P or K |
| 2001 | K or Y |
| 2002 | Y |
| 2003 | F |
| 2004 | F |
| 2005 | F or D |
| 2006 | D or Z |
| 2007 | Z or M |
| 2008 | M or V |
| 2009 | V |
| 2010 | G |
| 2011 onward | Random, eight characters |
Second numbering run, 1954 to 1987
Rolex restarted its numbering at a low figure in 1954 and had passed 9,000,000 by the time it switched to letters in 1987.
| Year | Serial begins |
|---|---|
| 1954 | 23,000 |
| 1955 | 97,000 |
| 1956 | 133,061 |
| 1957 | 224,000 |
| 1958 | 328,000 |
| 1959 | 399,453 |
| 1960 | 516,000 |
| 1961 | 643,153 |
| 1962 | 744,000 |
| 1963 | 824,000 |
| 1964 | 1,008,889 |
| 1965 | 1,100,000 |
| 1966 | 1,200,000 |
| 1967 | 1,538,435 |
| 1968 | 1,752,000 |
| 1969 | 1,900,000 |
| 1970 | 2,241,882 |
| Year | Serial begins |
|---|---|
| 1971 | 2,589,295 |
| 1972 | 2,890,459 |
| 1973 | 3,200,268 |
| 1974 | 3,567,927 |
| 1975 | 3,862,196 |
| 1976 | 4,115,299 |
| 1977 | 5,008,000 |
| 1978 | 5,000,000 |
| 1979 | 5,737,030 |
| 1980 | 6,434,000 |
| 1981 | 6,520,870 |
| 1982 | 7,100,000 |
| 1983 | 7,400,000 |
| 1984 | 8,070,022 |
| 1985 | 8,614,000 |
| 1986 | 8,900,000 |
| 1987 | 9,400,000 |
First numbering run, 1926 to 1953
Serial numbers below 1,000,000 appear in both runs, so use the model and reference number to tell a 1940s watch from a 1960s one.
| Year | Serial begins |
|---|---|
| 1926 | 00,001 |
| 1927 | 20,190 |
| 1928 | 23,969 |
| 1930 | 23,186 |
| 1932 | 29,132 |
| 1933 | 29,562 |
| 1934 | 30,823 |
| 1935 | 34,336 |
| 1936 | 36,856 |
| 1937 | 40,920 |
| 1938 | 43,739 |
| 1939 | 71,224 |
| Year | Serial begins |
|---|---|
| 1940 | 99,775 |
| 1941 | 106,047 |
| 1942 | 143,509 |
| 1943 | 230,878 |
| 1944 | 269,561 |
| 1945 | 302,459 |
| 1946 | 367,946 |
| 1947 | 529,163 |
| 1948 | 628,840 |
| 1951 | 709,249 |
| 1952 | 726,639 |
| 1953 | 855,726 |
Random serial numbers, 2011 to today
From 2011 Rolex replaced the letter-prefix system with random serial numbers. Every one is eight characters long, a mix of letters and digits, and cannot be dated from the number. For a watch from this period, the date on the warranty card is the best guide to its age.
Count the characters before you read the first letter. A random serial can begin with a letter that was also used as a prefix in an earlier year, such as Z or G. The difference is the length: a letter-prefix serial from 1987 to 2010 has seven characters, one letter and six digits, while a random serial from 2011 onward always has eight.
Where to find the serial number on a Rolex
| Production period | Serial number location |
|---|---|
| Before 2005 | Engraved on the case between the lugs at 6 o'clock. The bracelet has to be removed to see it. |
| 2005 to 2008 | Engraved between the lugs and, increasingly, on the rehaut, the inner ring between the dial and the crystal. |
| 2008 onward | Engraved on the rehaut only, at 6 o'clock. |
The serial number is also printed on the warranty card or certificate. The number on the papers should match the number on the watch.
How the serial number format has changed
| Period | Format | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1926 to 1953 | Numbers only, up to six digits | 529,163 |
| 1954 to 1987 | Numbers only, up to seven digits | 5,737,030 |
| 1987 to 2010 | One letter followed by six digits (seven characters) | R598200 |
| 2011 onward | Eight random letters and digits (eight characters) | Cannot be dated |
How accurate are these dates?
Rolex has never published its production records. Charts like this one are compiled from the records of dealers and collectors, so every date is an estimate. Allow a year either side, and remember that a watch was often sold a year or more after its case was made.
- The serial number dates the case. A case replaced during a Rolex service carries a different number.
- To build a fuller picture, compare the serial number with the clasp code on the bracelet, the production years of the reference number and the date on the papers.
- A serial number that matches the chart does not prove a watch is genuine. See our guide on how to spot a fake Rolex.
Not sure what you have? Send us the serial and reference number and our Houston team will help you identify it, or see what it is worth on our sell and trade page.