The information below was gathered and amalgamated from various sources on the Internet. Sadly, I didn't keep a record of where it all came from, but none of it is my own work. I can at least say thanks to Agent Orange, JoT, "mach 0.0013137", Mel and K.I.T.T. from The Watch Forum for some of the latest information added to this page. I can't vouch for the accuracy of any of this information, but I've found it useful as a first step in estimating dates of manufacture for some of the watches in my collection. Serial numbers may be found on movements, case backs or dials depending on the make, model and age of the watch in question. It's not unusual to find movements that are one or two years older than the cases containing them. So, how old is your watch? Read on!



BULOVA:

Bulova used a two character identification system. The first character is a letter defining the decade of manufacture:



A =1940's, L =1950s, M =1960s, N =1970s, P =1980's, T =1990's



The second character is a number representing the year of manufacture. So "M6", for example, is 1966.

Prior to 1949 Bulova used a symbol dating system as shown in the following picture. I'm no graphics wizard so please treat the symbols as approximations only:

BREITLING:

From the 1940's to the 1970's, Breitlings may be dated by their movement serial numbers as per the following chart sourced from http://www.clubbreitlingisrael.co.il :

Serial No.

Chronographs Serial No.

Non-Chronographs Year 563659-568959 298262-313351 1944 568971-636507 313352-354254 1945 636508-692266 354255-406688 1946 703562-717737 406689-417234 1947 717784-728688 417235-448093 1948 728724-740210 448094-467655 1949 740405-769843 467656-498512 1950 769844-808456 498513-592542 1951 808457-817915 592543-646974 1952 817916-832126 646975-660248 1953 832127-844123 660249-690037 1954 844124-868778 690038-740339 1955 868779-889562 740340-861841 1956 889563-898029 861842-881067 1957 898830-910504 881068-890396 1958 910505-922163 890397-903387 1959 922164-933063 903388-917613 1960 933064-947803 917614-971814 1961 947804-963553 971815-995108 1962 963554-975997 995109-996458 1963 975998-1002734 996459-998198 1964 1002735-1060398 998199-1000198 1965 1060399-1122809 1000199-1002543 1966 1122810-1204581 1002544-1002743 1967 1204582-1262904 1002744-1002943 1968 1262905-1337825 1969 1337826-1356899 1002944-1003103 1970 1356900-1382203 1003104-1003153 1971 1382204-1406566 1003154-1003213 1972 1406567-1426969 1973 1426970-1433372 1974 1433373-1439417 1003214-1003713 1975 1439418-1442922 1003714-1004083 1976 1442923-1448464 1004084-1004183 1977 1448465-1448473 1978 Newer Breitling models (circa 2001 and beyond) may be dated via a number stamped on the case between the lower lugs. Perhaps less reliably, stamps on bracelets (circa 1995 and beyond) provide a manufacturing date in the same way. For example, a case stamped with the number "2106" would indicate that the watch was made in the 21st. week of 2006. Likewise, a bracelet stamped with the number "4807" indicates that the bracelet was manufactured in the 48th. week of 2007.



Source: http://www.breitlingsource.com CITIZEN: It is believed (although no one seems to be completely sure) that Citizen used a similar serial number dating system to that employed by Seiko (see below). The first character of the serial number represents the year of manufacture within a particular decade whilst the second two characters represent the month (01-09 for January to September and 10-12 for October to December). If the serial number was 60498135 for example and you knew from the style of the watch that it was produced during the 1970's, you would be able to tell that it was made in April 1976. So, you need prior knowledge of the decade in which the watch was manufactured before you can date it accurately with the serial number.

ELGIN:

Serial No. Year Serial No. Year Serial No. Year Serial No. Year 101 1867 4,000,000 1890 17,500,000 1913 36,000,000 1936 30,000 1868 4,440,000 1891 18,000,000 1914 37,000,000 1937 70,000 1869 4,880,000 1892 18,500,000 1915 37,500,000 1938 100,000 1870 5,000,000 1893 19,000,000 1916 38,000,000 1939 125,000 1871 5,500,000 1894 20,000,000 1917 39,000,000 1940 150,000 1872 6,000,000 1895 21,000,000 1918 40,000,000 1941 175,000 1873 6,500,000 1896 22,000,000 1919 41,000,000 1942 200,000 1874 7,000,000 1897 23,000,000 1920 42,000,000 1943 300,000 1875 7,500,000 1898 24,000,000 1921 42,500,000 1944 400,000 1876 8,000,000 1899 25,000,000 1922 43,000,000 1945 500,000 1877 9,000,000 1900 26,000,000 1923 44,000,000 1946 550,000 1878 9,300,000 1901 27,000,000 1924 45,000,000 1947 600,000 1879 9,750,000 1902 28,000,000 1925 46,000,000 1948 700,000 1880 10,000,000 1903 29,000,000 1926 47,000,000 1949 800,000 1881 11,000,000 1904 30,000,000 1927 48,000,000 1950 1,000,000 1882 12,000,000 1905 32,000,000 1928 49,000,000 1951 1,400,000 1883 12,500,000 1906 33,000,000 1929 50,000,000 1951 1,600,000 1884 13,000,000 1907 33,300,000 1930 51,000,000 1951 1,800,000 1885 13,500,000 1908 33,500,000 1931 52,000,000 1952 2,000,000 1886 14,000,000 1909 33,700,000 1932 53,500,000 1953 2,500,000 1887 15,000,000 1910 34,000,000 1933 54,000,000 1954 3,000,000 1888 16,000,000 1911 35,000,000 1934 54,500,000 1955 GLYCINE AIRMAN: A very approximate date of manufacture for vintage Glycine Airman watches can be derived by examining the type of movement the watch contains: Airman 1 with Felsa 692 "Bidynator" 23-jewel: 1953-1960

Airman 1 with A.Schild 1701 25-jewel and Airman 1 Special with A.Schild 1701 17-jewel: 1960-1967

Airman 1 and SST with A.Schild 1903 25-jewel: 1967-1971

Airman 1 and SST with A.Schild 2063 25-jewel: 1971-1974

Airman 1 and SST with A.Schild 2163 25-jewel: 1974-1978

HAMILTON:

Serial No. Year Serial No. Year Serial No. Year Serial No. Year 1-2,000 1893 590,000 1906 1,700,000 1919 2,500,000 1932 5,000 1894 756,000 1907 1,790,000 1920 2,600,000 1933 10,000 1895 921,000 1908 1,860,000 1921 2,700,000 1934 14.000 1896 1,087,000 1909 1,900,000 1922 2,800,000 1935 20,000 1897 1,050,500 1910 1,950,000 1923 2,900,000 1936 30,000 1898 1,290,500 1911 2,000,000 1924 3,000,000 1937 40,000 1899 1,331,000 1912 2,100,000 1925 3,200,000 1938 50,000 1900 1,370,000 1913 2,200,000 1926 3,400,000 1939 90,000 1901 1,410,500 1914 2,250,000 1927 3,600,000 1940 150,000 1902 1,450,500 1915 2,300,000 1928 3,800,000 1941 260,000 1903 1,517,000 1916 2,350,000 1929 4,025,000 1942 340,000 1904 1,580,000 1917 2,400,000 1930 425,000 1905 1,650,000 1918 2,450,000 1931

Grade Serial No. Year 979 2900001-2931900 1934-1951 986 2100001-2191300 1922-1926 401 H50001-H57500 1930-1933 987 001-0486300 1937-1948 987E 4025301-4523000 1928-1937 987S SS001-SS87400 1940-1948 980 G101-G669400 1934-1951 980B A001-A8900 1937-1946 H980 HW001-HW1075 1942-1949 980I W001-W1050 1942-1948 982 J1001-J670600 1935-1951 982M M001-M201900 1941-1951 747 Y001-Y453800 1947-1954 748 CY001-CY232000 1948-1954 750 001A-914000A 1949-1954 752 001E-48000E 1951-1954 753 001F-103400F 1951-1954 754 001H-43900H 1952-1954

ILLINOIS WATCH CO.:

Serial No. Year Serial No. Year Serial No. Year Serial No. Year 5000 1872 1,000,001 1890 2,100,001 1908 4,800,001 1926 20000 1873 1,040,001 1891 2,150,001 1909 5,000,001 1927 50000 1874 1,080,001 1892 2,200,001 1910 5,100,001 1928 75000 1875 1,120,001 1893 2,300,001 1911 5,200,001 1929 100001 1876 1,160,001 1894 2,400,001 1912 5,400,001 1931 145001 1877 1,220,001 1895 2,500,001 1913 5,500,001 1938 210001 1878 1,250,001 1896 2,600,001 1914 5,600,000 1948 250001 1879 1,290,001 1897 2,700,001 1915 300001 1880 1,330,001 1898 2,800,001 1916 350001 1881 1,370,001 1899 3,000,001 1917 400001 1882 1,410,001 1900 3,200,001 1918 450001 1883 1,450,001 1901 3,400,001 1919 500001 1884 1,500,001 1902 3,600,001 1920 550001 1885 1,650,001 1903 3,700,001 1921 600001 1886 1,700,001 1904 3,900,001 1922 700001 1887 1,800,001 1905 4,000,001 1923 800001 1888 1,840,001 1906 4,500,001 1924 900001 1889 1,900,001 1907 4,700,001 1925

IWC:

Cases Serial No. Year Serial No. Year 0-10,000 1880-1886 600,001-800,000 1913-1924 10,001-50,000 1886-1890 800,001-900,000 1924-1929 100,000-200,000 1890-1899 900,001-1,000,000 1929-1938 200,001-300,000 1899-1903 1,000,001-1,100,000 1938-1945 300,001-400,000 1903-1907 1,100,001-1,500,000 1945-1960 400,001-600,000 1907-1913 1,500,001-2,000,000 1960-1972

Movements Serial No. Year Serial No. Year 28,251-49,300 1887-1890 919,601-940,000 1930-1935 49,301-117,300 1890-1895 940,001-1,013,200 1935-1940 117,301-211,200 1895-1900 1,013,201-1,092,400 1940-1945 211,201-321,300 1900-1905 1,092,401-1,200,400 1945-1950 321,301-463,600 1905-1910 1,200,401-1,335,400 1950-1955 463,601-620,800 1910-1915 1,335,401-1,513,000 1955-1960 620,801-742,300 1915-1920 1,513,001-1,778,800 1960-1965 742,301-807,400 1920-1925 1,778,801-1,970,200 1965-1970 807,401-919,600 1925-1930 1,970,201-2,265,400 1970-1975

LONGINES:

Serial No. Year Serial No. Year Serial No. Year Serial No. Year 1 1867 1,750,000 1905 4,000,000 1922 6,500,000 1946 20,000 1870 2,000,000 1907 4,250,000 1925 7,000,000 1947 100,000 1875 2,250,000 1909 4,500,000 1926 8,250,000 1952 250,000 1882 2,500,000 1911 4,750,000 1928 9,000,000 1953 500,000 1888 2,750,000 1912 5,000,000 1929 10,000,000 1956 750,000 1893 3,000,000 1913 5,250,000 1934 11,000,000 1959 1,000,000 1899 3,250,000 1915 5,500,000 1937 12,000,000 1962 1,250,000 1901 3,500,000 1917 5,750,000 1938 13,000,000 1966 1,500,000 1904 3,750,000 1919 6,000,000 1940 14,000,000 1967

OMEGA:

Movements Serial No. Year Serial No. Year Serial No. Year Serial No. Year 1,000,000 1894 15,000,000 1956 29,000,000 1969 43,000,000 1979 2,000,000 1902 16,000,000 1958 30,000,000 1969 44,000,000 1980 3,000,000 1906 17,000,000 1959 31,000,000 1969 45,000,000 1982 4,000,000 1910 18,000,000 1961 32,000,000 1970 46,000,000 1984 5,000,000 1915 19,000,000 1962 33,000,000 1971 47,000,000 1984 6,000,000 1923 20,000,000 1963 34,000,000 1972 48,000,000 1985 7,000,000 1920 21,000,000 1964 35,000,000 1972 49,000,000 1986 8,000,000 1934 22,000,000 1965 36,000,000 1973 50,000,000 1986 9,000,000 1926 23,000,000 1966 37,000,000 1973 51,000,000 1989 10,000,000 1944 24,000,000 1966 38,000,000 1974 52,000,000 - 11,000,000 1947 25,000,000 1967 39,000,000 1975 53,000,000 1991 12,000,000 1950 26,000,000 1968 40,000,000 1977 54,000,000 1993 13,000,000 1952 27,000,000 1968 41,000,000 1978 55,000,000 1995 14,000,000 1954 28,000,000 1969 42,000,000 1979 56,000,000 1998

Cases - Earliest year of production Serial No. Year Serial No. Year Serial No. Year Serial No. Year 1,000,000 1894 4,000,000 1907 7,000,000 1925 10,000,000 1943 2,000,000 - 5,000,000 1913 8,000,000 1929 3,000,000 1902 6,000,000 1918 9,000,000 1935

PATEK PHILIPPE:

Serial No. Year Serial No. Year 1-1,120 1839-1845 72,641-85,364 1885-1890 1,121-3739 1845-1850 85,365-101,231 1890-1895 3,740-7,825 1850-1855 101,232-111,800 1895-1900 7,826-14,499 1855-1860 111,801-124,475 1900-1905 14,500-22,798 1860-1865 124,476-153,938 1905-1910 22,799-36,130 1865-1870 153,939-174,240 1910-1915 36,131-47,611 1870-1875 174,241-193,780 1915-1920 47,612-55,769 1875-1880 193,781-202,195 1920-1925 55,770-72,640 1880-1885 Serial Nos. after 200,000 are not in chronological order Serial No. Year Serial No. Year 200000-200731 1921-1937 201164-201499 1923-1928 201500-202195 1921-1925 New Serial No. series from 1920 Serial No. Year Serial No. Year 802196-804121 1920-1925 1960-1965 880000-889999 804122-820750 1925-1930 1960-1965 1100000-1129999 820751-824822 1930-1935 1965-1970 89000-984999 824823-826999 1935-1940 1965-1970 1130000-1249999 865000-865892 1939-1945 1970-1975 985000-1349999 861500-863488 1940-1945 1975-1980 1350000-1449999 863489-864997 1945-1950 1980-1985 1450000-1599999 865893-866208 1945-1950 1985-1990 1600000-1849999 860000-869999 1950-1955 1990... 1850000... 870000-879999 1955-1960 Watches with repetition striking mechanisms Serial No. Year Serial No. Year 870000-870596 1937-1940 881855-882334 1945-1950 870597-871384 1940-1945 882335-882552 1950-1955 871385-871499 1945-1950 882553-882620 1955-1960 871500-871646 1948-1955 882621-882723 1960-1965 871647-871726 1955-1960 891623-892126 1950-1955 871727-872850 1960-1966 892127-892567 1955-1960 880000-880957 1937-1940 866504-866520 1958-1965 880958-881854 1940-1945 892568-893310 1960-1969

ROLEX OYSTER:

Serial No. Year Serial No. Year Serial No. Year Serial No. Year 23969 1928 840396 1952 1182076 III 1964 8338000 1984 24747 1928 929426 IV 1953 1259699 II 1965 8614000 1985 28290 1930 930879 I 1953 1871000 1966 9290000 1986 29312 1932 937170 I 1954 1994956 III 1966 9766000 1987 29933 1933 941699 I 1953 2163900 1967 9999999 1987� 30823 1934 952892 I 1954 2426800 1968 R0000 1987� 35365 1935 955466 IV 1953 2689700 1969 R99999 1988 37596 1936 964789 IV1953 2952600 1970 L000000 1988 40920 1937 973697 IV 1953 3215500 1971 L999999 1990� 43739 1938 973930 III 1953 3478400 1972 E000000 1990� 71224 1939 116578 IV 1953 3741300 1973 E999999 1991� 99775 1940 132562 III 1953 4004200 1974 X000001 1991� 106047 1941 139400 I 1956 4267100 1975 N000001 Nov-91 143509 1942 139477 I 1956 4538000 1976 C000001 1992 230878 1943 282632 III 1955 5008000 1977 S000001 1993 269561 1944 321884 IV 1957 5482000 1978 W000001 1994/5 302459 1945 360171 I 1958 5958000 1979 T000001 1996 387216 1946 383893 I 1958 6434000 1980 U000001 Aug-97 529163 1947 385893 II 1958 6910000 1981 A000001 Nov/Dec-98 628840 1948 412128 IV 1958 7386000 1982 P000001 Jan-00 710776 1951 764754 I 1962 7862000 1983

SEIKO:

The first character of the serial number represents the year of manufacture within a particular decade whilst the second character represents the month (1-9 for January to September and O,N and D for O ctober, N ovember and D ecember). If the serial number was 649813 for example and you knew from the style of the watch that it was produced during the 1970's, you would be able to tell that it was made in April 1976. So, you need prior knowledge of the decade in which the watch was manufactured before you can date it accurately with the serial number.

SERVICES:

An approximate date of manufacture for Services watches may be determined by examining the dial logo:

TIMEX:

The last two digits of the serial number (shown at the bottom of the dial) on watches manufactured from around 1963 to 1993 indicate the year of manufacture. On watches manufactured at the Dundee, UK, factory, there may be an inked stamp inside the caseback consisting of one letter and one number. The meaning of the letter is not known, but the number indicates the year of manufacture as follows:

8 =1959, 7 =1960 , 6 =1961, 5 =1962 , 4 =1963 , 3 =1964 , 2 =1965, 1 =1966, 9 =1967

TISSOT:

Serial No. Year Serial No. Year Serial No. Year 1-3056 1853-1856 1052801-1128616 1940 4868000-5197999 1961 3057-119904 18571870 1128617-1188976 1941 5198000-5932999 1962 19905-36187 1871-1875 1188977-1324418 1942 5933000-6498999 1963 36188-51101 1876-1880 1324419-1450276 1943 6499000-7039999 1964 51102-79299 1881-1885 1450277-1549720 1944 7040000-8280999 1965 79300-96836 1886-1890 1549721-1675720 1945 8281000-8864999 1966 96837-100200 1891-1896 1675721-1746530 1946 8865000-9910999 1967 10960-51325 1897-1906 1746531-1940110 1947 9911000-10492999 1968 51326-58206 1907-1910 1940111-2140000 1948 10493000-11594999 1969 58207-83778 1911-1912 2140001-2293210 1949 11595000-13046119 1970 83779-112866 1913-1916 2293211-2432999 1950 13046120-13996999 1971 112867-139446 1917-1918 2433000-2621999 1951 13997000-16173999 1972 139447-201644 1919-1920 2622000-2810999 1952 16174000-16811999 1973 201645-250622 1921-1922 2811000-3118999 1953 16812000-18902999 1974 250623-290984 1923-1924 3119000-328999 1954 18903000-19397999 1975 290985-365000 1925-1926 3290000-3476999 1955 19398000-20030999 1976 365001-434500 1927-1928 3477000-3713999 1956 20031-21093 1977 434501-465400 1929-1930 3714000-3999999 1957 21094-21515 1978 465401-511700 1931-1933 4000000-4334999 1958 21516-22097 1979 511701-727500 1934-1936 4335000-4559999 1959 22098-22857 1980 727501-1052800 1937-1939 4560000-4867999 1960 22858-23238 1981 23239-23596 1982 23597-23905 1983 TUDOR: Serial No. Year Serial No. Year 270000 1959 990000 1984 280000 1960 140000 1985 340000 1961-1962 170000 1986 390000 1963 190000 1987 430000 1964-1965 210000 1988 560000 1966 260000 1989 590000 1967 B330000 1990 620000 1968 B360000 1991 680000 1969 B390000 1992 740000 1970 B500000 1993 750000 1971 B560000 1994 770000 1972 B590000 1995 790000 1973 B790000 1996 810000 1974 B850000 1997 830000 1975 B990000 1998 840000 1976 H130000 1999 860000 1977 H170000 2000 880000 1978 H240000 2001 900000 1979 H300000 2002 930000 1980 950000 1981 970000 1982 980000 1983 UNIVERSAL GENEVE: Serial No. Year 500000-600000 1930-1936 600000-700000 1936-1938 700000-800000 1938-1941 800000-900000 1941-1942 900000-1000000 1942-1943 1000000-1100000 1943-1945 1100000-1200000 1945 1200000-1300000 1945-1946 1300000-1400000 1946-1949 1400000-1500000 1949-1951 1500000-1600000 1951-1952 1600000-1700000 1952-1955 1700000-1800000 1955-1956 1800000-1900000 1956-1957 1900000-2000000 1957-1959 2000000-2100000 1959-1960 2100000-2200000 1960-1961 2200000-2234000 1961-1962 2234000-2300000 1962-1963 2300000-2400000 1963-1965 2400000-2487072 1965-1966 2487073-2574942 1966-1967

WALTHAM: