The serial number has traditionally been located at 6 o'clock between the lugs and under the bracelet. In 2005, Rolex began engraving the serial number on the rehaut (French for 'flange') between the dial and the crystal as well as the 6' o'clock location. For a few years, Rolexes had two serial numbers engraved on them. Starting in 2008, Rolex stopped engraving the serial # at the case 6 o'clock location, using only the rehaut location. By 2010 this practice had gradually transitioned to all models.

In 2009, Rolex started to discontinue their conventional numbering sequence in favor for a mixed (aka random aka scrambled) serial. They will be 8 digits, opposed to 7 in the past. Random examples of these indecipherable numbers are "OT23Q257", "52335J78", and "345X29VN". On occasion, some of these random serials will start with letters like F which could confuse an unsuspecting appraiser of thinking the watch is older than it actually is.

After you get the number from your watch, you can use the chart below to determine the age.

Mixed Serials 2010 (Summer) to Present

G000,001 2009 (Fall)

V000,001 2008 (Fall)

M000,001 2007 (Fall)

Z000,001 2006 (Summer)

D000,001 2005 (Summer)

F000,001 2003 (Fall)

Y000,001 2002 (Fall)

K000,001 2001 (Fall)

P000,001 2000 (Winter)

A000,001 1999

U000,001 1997 (Summer)

T000,001 1995 (Summer)

W000,001 1995

S000,001 1993 (Fall)

C000,001 1992 (Winter)

N000,001 1991 (Fall)

X000,001 1991 (Fall)

E000,001 1990 (Summer)

L000,001 1989

R000,000 1987 (Summer) **

Rolex never started a series with B, I, J, O, or Q. (These serials appear to have been reserved for use in Tudor cases)



There are some scrambled models that can begin with J, O, or Q. YEAR FROM TO 1927 20190 21691 1928 23969 24747 1929 28290 1930 29312 1931 1932 29312 1933 29933 1934 30823 1935 34336 35365 1936 36856 37569 1937 40920 1938 43793 1939 71224 1940 99775 1941 106047 1942 143509 202026 1943 230878 1944 269561 1945 302459 1946 367946 387216 1947 529163 1948 628840 1949 1950 1951 709249 710776 1952 726639 840396 1953 793930 973830 1954 976195 43325 ** 1955 30634 1297XX 1956 139400 217821 1957 216821 358XXX YEAR FROM TO 1958 353343 426510 1959 399XXX 502683 1960 511687 642993 1961 6469XX 702XXX 1962 763663 894XXX 1963 95XXXX 1021800 1964 997436 1195238 1965 1193XXX 1259699 1966 1289727 1557XXX 1967 1554XXX 186XXXX 1968 1720977 2477152 1969 2060XXX 22927XX 1970 242XXXX

2959XXX 1971 2728XXX 3037XXX 1972 305XXXX 3478400 1973 3523678 3741300 1974 3761535 4194183 1975 3886050 4267100 1976 4155863 4538000 1977 5008000 5367817 1978 5238376 5737030 1979 5952834 6122790 1980 6434000 1981 6594XXX 6910000 1982 7129351 7437845 1983 7862000 8085072 1984 8338000 1985 8624000 8734XXX 1986 9290000 9824763 1987 9863279

** In 1987, rather than begin an 8 digit production serial, Rolex instead began their serials with a letter prefix such as R, then L, E & X. (ROLEX without the O) N, C, & S came out during the early to mid 1990's, W, T & U a little later. The latest letter prefixes are all running concurrently...as Rolex wishes! Only Rolex knows the exact date that any watch was actually produced. Confused...contact Rolex with the exact serial number of your watch...don't expect a reply with an answer!



*** When Rolex reached the 999,999 production serial in the early 1954s...they restarted the production serial at 100,000 rather than begin a 7 digit number at 1,000,000. During this period Rolex was also putting the date code on the inside of the case backs...so confusing production serials can sometimes have their production date determined. Look for the Roman number I, II, III or IV for the quarter & two arabic digits for the year.



In the late 1950's, Rolex again reached the 999,999 production serial & they started their 7 digit numeric numbering system at 1,000,000 for production serials, this continued until the 1990's until production serials reached 9,999,999.