Rolex Serial Numbers
Date any Rolex from its serial number — then find out what it's worth.
Every Rolex carries a serial number that, for watches made through 2010, encodes roughly when it left the factory. Through 2009 it is engraved on the case between the lugs at the 6 o'clock side, hidden behind the bracelet. From 2005 onward Rolex also engraved it on the rehaut — the inner flange between the dial and crystal — and from 2008 the rehaut became the only location.
Enter your serial below for an instant production-year estimate, then scroll for the full reference chart, the letter-prefix guide, and how to read your model number.
Find your Rolex’s production year
Rolex Serial Number Chart (1926–Present)
| Serial Number | Year |
|---|---|
| Random | 2011–2018+ |
| G | 2010 |
| V | 2009 |
| M or V | 2008 |
| M or Z | 2007 |
| D or Z | 2006 |
| D / F | 2005 |
| F | 2004 |
| F | 2003 |
| Y | 2002 |
| K or Y | 2001 |
| K000001 / P000001 | 2000 |
| A000001 | 1999 |
| U932144 | 1998 |
| U000001 | 1997 |
| T000001 | 1996 |
| W000001 | 1995 |
| S860880 | 1994 |
| S000001 | 1993 |
| C000001 | 1992 |
| N000001 / X000001 | 1991 |
| E000001 | 1990 |
| L980000 | 1989 |
| R598200 | 1988 |
| R000001 / 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 | 1977–1978 |
| 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 |
| ~628,000 (early series) | 1948 |
| ~302,000 (early series) | 1945 |
| ~99,000 (early series) | 1940 |
| ~30,000 (early series) | 1934 |
| ~20,000 (early series) | 1927 |
| 00,001 | 1926 |
From 2010 Rolex switched to randomized serials that no longer encode a date. Letter-prefix serials (1987–2010) and pre-1954 numeric serials overlap across years and are best confirmed against the warranty card or by an expert.
Where to Find Your Rolex Serial Number
On any Rolex made through 2009, the serial is engraved on the case between the lugs at the 6 o'clock side. You must remove the bracelet to see it — slide a thin tool to release the spring bar, and the engraving sits on the case edge it was covering.
On watches from 2005 onward, Rolex also began engraving the serial on the rehaut (the inner ring between the dial and crystal), where you can read it without removing the bracelet, alongside repeating "ROLEX ROLEX ROLEX" text. From 2008 the rehaut became the only place it appears.
The 4–6 digit model (reference) number sits between the lugs at the opposite, 12 o'clock side.
How to Read a Rolex Serial Number
Rolex serial formats have changed three times, and which format you have already narrows the era before you even read the chart:
- Pre-1954: short numeric serials from overlapping early series — date these by expert or archive, not by the serial alone.
- 1954–1987: sequential numeric serials that climb steadily year over year, from roughly 23,000 in 1954 to 9.4 million in 1987.
- 1987–2010: a single letter prefix followed by six digits. Each letter maps to a production-year window (R ≈ 1987, then L, E, X, N, C, S, W, T, U, A, P, K, Y, F, D, Z, M, V, G).
- 2010–present: randomized, scrambled alphanumerics that no longer encode a date. For these, the warranty card or rehaut-vs-card cross-check is the only reliable reference.
Decoding the Rolex Reference Number
The reference number identifies the model, bezel, and case material. A five-digit reference like 16234 breaks into three parts — 162 | 3 | 4 — where 162 is the model family (Datejust), 3 is the bezel (fluted), and 4 is the material (steel with 18k white gold).
| Rolex model | Reference digits |
|---|---|
| Submariner (no date) | 55, 140 |
| Submariner Date | 16, 166, 168 |
| Sea-Dweller | 16, 166 |
| GMT-Master | 16, 65, 167 |
| GMT-Master II | 167, 1167 |
| Day-Date (President) | 18, 65, 66, 180–183 |
| Datejust | 16, 162 |
| Daytona (manual) | 62 |
| Daytona Cosmograph | 165, 1165 |
| Explorer II | 165 |
| Oyster Perpetual | 10, 140, 142 |
| Air-King | 55, 140 |
| Date | 15, 150 |
| Yacht-Master | 166, 686, 696 |
| Material | Digit |
|---|---|
| Stainless steel | 0 |
| Yellow gold filled | 1 |
| White gold filled | 2 |
| Steel & yellow gold | 3 |
| Steel w/ 18k white gold | 4 |
| Gold shell | 5 |
| Platinum | 6 |
| 14k yellow gold | 7 |
| 18k yellow gold | 8 |
| Bezel | Digit |
|---|---|
| Polished / smooth | 0 |
| Engine-turned | 1, 2 |
| Fluted | 3 |
| Hand-crafted | 4 |
| Pyramid | 5 |
| Rotating | 6 |
Frequently asked questions
Where is the serial number on a Rolex?
On watches through 2009, between the lugs at the 6 o'clock side of the case (remove the bracelet to see it). From 2005 onward it also appears on the rehaut — the inner ring between the dial and crystal — and from 2008 only there.
Can I tell the year of a modern Rolex from its serial?
No. Rolex switched to randomized serials in 2010, so post-2010 watches can't be dated from the serial alone. Use the warranty card, or cross-check that the rehaut serial matches the card exactly.
What does a letter at the start of a Rolex serial mean?
From 1987 to 2010 Rolex used a single letter prefix that corresponds to a production-year window — for example R is around 1987–1988 and V is around 2008–2009. Enter the full serial (letter included) in the lookup above.
Does the serial number prove my Rolex is authentic?
Not by itself — but a problematic serial almost always signals a problematic watch. A serial that conflicts with the dial design, paperwork, or case style is a strong counterfeit or franken signal. Pair the serial check with dial, movement, and paper checks.