Rolex Serial Number Lookup

Serial number

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Serial letters, 1987–2010

Rolex serial prefix letters by year, 1987–2010

Letter	Years
R	1987–1988
L	1988–1990
E	1990–1991
X	1991–1993
N	1991–1992
C	1992
S	1993–1994
W	1994–1996
T	1996–1997
U	1997–1998
A	1999
P	1999–2001
K	2000–2002
Y	2001–2003
F	2003–2005
D	2004–2006
Z	2005–2008
M	2007–2008
V	2008–2009
G	2010

Where to find the serial and the reference number

1. Serial, older watches: between the lugs at 6 o’clock. Remove the bracelet or strap to see it.
2. Serial, from about 2005: also on the rehaut — the inner ring between the dial and the crystal — at 6 o’clock. From about 2008 it is only there. Some non-Oyster models carry it on the caseback.
3. Reference number: 4 to 6 digits between the lugs at 12 o’clock. It names the model, the bezel and the metal — 16234 is a Datejust (162) with a fluted bezel (3) in steel and white gold (4).
4. Not the clasp code: the letters stamped on the bracelet clasp date the bracelet, not the case, and reuse letters with different years. Don’t look them up here.

Six-digit serials fit two periods

Rolex reached 999,999 in the early 1950s and started counting again near zero, then carried on into seven digits in the mid-1960s. So a serial such as 500,000 could be from about 1946 or about 1959. The lookup shows both. The watch itself decides which: the reference number and its production years, the dial and hands, and the date some 1950s–60s casebacks carry inside — IV58 means the last quarter of 1958.

Digits-only serials by year

Approximate first serial number of each year, 1926–1987

Year	Approx. first serial
1926	1
1927	20,190
1928	23,969
1929	28,290
1930	29,312
1932	29,132
1933	29,562 – 29,933
1934	30,823
1935	34,336
1936	36,856
1937	40,920
1938	43,739 – 43,793
1939	71,224
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
1949	668,503
1950	695,134
1951	709,249
1952	726,639
1953	793,930 – 855,726
1954	23,000
1955	30,634 – 97,000
1956	133,061 – 139,400
1957	216,821 – 224,000
1958	328,000 – 353,343
1959	399,000 – 399,453
1960	511,687 – 516,000
1961	643,153 – 646,900
1962	744,000 – 763,663
1963	824,000 – 950,000
1964	997,436 – 1,008,889
1965	1,100,000 – 1,193,000
1966	1,200,000 – 1,289,727
1967	1,538,435 – 1,554,000
1968	1,720,977 – 1,752,000
1969	1,900,000 – 2,060,000
1970	2,241,882 – 2,504,211
1971	2,589,295 – 2,728,000
1972	2,890,459 – 3,050,000
1973	3,200,268 – 3,523,678
1974	3,567,927 – 3,761,535
1975	3,862,196 – 3,886,050
1976	4,115,299 – 4,155,863
1977	5,008,000
1978	5,238,376
1979	5,737,030 – 5,952,834
1980	6,434,000
1981	6,520,870 – 6,594,000
1982	7,100,000 – 7,129,351
1983	7,400,000 – 7,862,000
1984	8,070,022 – 8,338,000
1985	8,614,000 – 8,624,000
1986	8,900,000 – 9,290,000
1987	9,400,000 – 9,863,279

Where the two charts disagree, both figures are shown. Rolex skipped from about 4.26 million to 5 million in the mid-1970s; serials between 4.3 and 4.8 million were kept for service replacement cases.

What a serial can’t tell you

A serial dates the case, and cases were sometimes fitted years later or replaced in service. It says nothing about whether the dial, hands, bezel and bracelet are original, and nothing about authenticity — fakes carry convincing engravings. For the physical checks, read how to spot a fake Rolex and how to tell if a luxury watch is real. To identify a watch you can’t name yet, try the Watch Identifier, or browse the full Watch Guide.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find out what year my Rolex was made?

Read the serial number between the lugs at 6 o’clock or on the inner ring of the dial and look it up: digits-only serials date from 1926 to 1987, letter-first serials from 1987 to 2010. Since late 2010 serials are random, so the date on the warranty card is the record.

Where is the serial number on a Rolex?

On older watches it is engraved between the lugs at 6 o’clock, so the bracelet has to come off to see it. From about 2005 it is also engraved on the rehaut — the inner ring between the dial and the crystal — and from about 2008 only there.

What does the letter at the start of a Rolex serial mean?

From 1987 to 2010 the letter stands for a production period: R is 1987–88, L 1988–90, E 1990–91 and so on to G in 2010. Several letters ran in parallel, so most cover two or three years.

Can a Rolex serial number tell me if my Rolex is real?

No. Counterfeiters engrave real-looking serials. A serial only helps when it fits the reference number, the movement and the papers — and checking the movement means opening the case.

Why can’t I date my new Rolex by its serial?

Rolex switched to scrambled serials in late 2010. They identify the watch to Rolex but encode no date, so the warranty card is the only reliable record.

What is the difference between the serial and the reference number?

The reference (model) number is 4 to 6 digits engraved between the lugs at 12 o’clock and names the model, bezel and metal — 16234, for example, is a Datejust with a fluted bezel in steel and white gold. The serial, at 6 o’clock or on the rehaut, identifies the individual case.

Sources and further reading

1. Rolex Serial Numbers — Bob’s Watches
2. Dating Your Rolex by Serial Number: A Comprehensive Guide — Amsterdam Vintage Watches
3. Rolex — Wikipedia
4. Counterfeiting — Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry FH

Links checked October 19, 2026.