Rolex has been placing serial numbers on their watches since the beginning. Just about every Rolex watch ever produced has some sort of identification or serial number placed on it. These numbers help to determine the year or batch that the watch was made. Buyers, sellers, dealers, and collectors all use these numbers for watch identification.

A Comprehensive Guide to Rolex Serial Numbers. Rolex is indeed one of the most popular and esteemed Swiss luxury wristwatch manufacturers in the world. A Rolex watch is a symbol of prestige, class, wealth and of course, flawless style. However, the brand’s immense popularity and success also paved the way for counterfeit dealers who began. The serial number of a Rolex is like a personal identification number, individual to a specific timepiece. This unique way to identify the timepiece is the Serial Number and the model. Your watch’s serial number can give you great information about your Rolex timepiece which can be valuable to have. Attributing an accurate year of manufacture to a Vintage Rolex watch is not an exact science for a variety of reasons. Rolex does not publish dates of manufacture or provide archive extracts for watches. Published charts, like the one on the right, are based on serial number ranges and are unofficial. They rely in part on anecdotal information.

Rolex Submariner Serial Number Verification

How To Confirm Rolex Serial Number

Rolex Serial Number Lookup Chart. Serial Numbers: The serial number is located opposite of the model number at 6 o’clock between the lugs and under the bracelet. Since 1987, Rolex has used a system of 1 letter, followed by 6 digits. When buying and selling Rolex watches, that letter is one of the most important details many buyers will want. The serial number is engraved between the lugs at the 12 o’clock position. In addition, every model has a specific reference number that is engraved between the lugs at the 6 o’clock position. In order to view these numbers the bracelet must be removed with a special tool. In 1954, Rolex reached 1,000,000 units produced. They decided to.

Locating Your Serial Numbers

You will find the serial number of your watch at the 6 o'clock position either between the lugs or on the rehaut (inner bezel near dial). Opposite the watch case at the 12 o'clock position you'll find the model numbers again between the lugs on the rehaut. Between these two numbers we are able to determine a value or what the watch is potentially worth. The Rolex serial number and model number are also present on the original paper work that shipped with the watch.

Year	Serial	Year	Serial	Year	Serial
2009 (Fall) - Present	Scrambled	1978	5,482,000	1947	478,300
2009 (Fall) - Present	Gxxx,xx1	1977	5,006,000	1946	413,200
2008 (Fall)	Vxxx,xx1	1976	4,539,000	1945	348,100
2007 (Fall)	Mxxx,xx1	1975	4,267,100	1944	283,000
2006 (Summer)	Zxxx,xx1	1974	4,004,200	1943	253,400
2005 (Summer)	Dxxx,xx1	1973	3,741,300	1942	223,800
2003 (Fall)	Fxxx,xx1	1972	3,478,400	1941	194,200
2002 (Fall)	Yxxx,xx1	1971	3,215,500	1940	164,600
2001 (Fall)	Kxxx,xx1	1970	2,952,600	1939	135,000
2000 (Winter)	Pxxx,xx1	1969	2,689,700	1938	117,000
1999	Axxx,xx1	1968	2,426,800	1937	99,000
1997 (Summer)	Uxxx,xx1	1967	2,163,900	1936	81,000
1995 (Summer)	Txxx,xx1	1966	1,871,000	1935	63,000
1995	Wxxx,xx1	1965	1,792,000	1934	45,000
1993	Sxxx,xx1	1964	1,714,000	1932	42,680
1992 (Winter)	Cxxx,xx1	1963	1,636,000	1931	40,250
1991 (Fall)	Xxxx,xx1	1962	1,558,000	1930	37,820
1991 (Fall)	Nxxx,xx1	1961	1,480,000	1929	35,390
1990 (Summer)	Exxx,xx1	1960	1,402,000	1928	32,960
1989	Lxxx,xx1	1959	1,100,000	1927	30,430
1987 (Summer)	Rxxx,xxx	1957	600,000	1926	28,000
1987	9,999,999	1956	400,000
1986	9,290,000	1955	200,000
1985	8,814,000	1954	999,000
1984	8,338,000	1953	950,000
1983	7,862,000	1952	803,800
1982	7,386,000	1951	738,700
1981	6,910,000	1950	673,600
1980	5,958,000	1949	608,500
1979	5,482,000	1948	543,400

Why is this important?

Rolex buyers, collectors, and dealers all like to have this information when considering the purchase of a Rolex Watch. These numbers coupled with condition are used to make an intelligent offer. If your into watch collection for any period of time you will eventually run across this request. Try and refer to the original paper works top right corner, look at the inner bezel (2008+), or removed the bracelet from the case lugs.

It is rare that a manufacturer makes a list of stolen pieces publicly available. Many do, however, maintain lists for internal use, and of those, some will look up whether a timepiece is stolen at the request of a collector, and others will only check against their database when the watch is in for service. Details on various manufacturers and their policies are included below. I have received this information directly from each manufacturer. Note that those wishing to register a watch as stolen with a manufacturer will need to submit a police report.

Since many of you are wondering…
My understanding is that years ago Rolex provided a service where collectors could contact the company to confirm whether a watch was registered as stolen in their internal database prior to purchase (to be registered as stolen requires a police report). Rolex has since stopped this practice, and now will only check if a watch is stolen when it is brought to Rolex to be serviced. If the watch is not registered as stolen, the watch will of course be returned (and you will then have paperwork showing you as the owner, at least in Rolex’s eyes). If the watch is registered as stolen, it is held for the authorities.

In addition to the below, always refer to the Alpha Hands stolen watch registry or other stolen watch registry to search prior to purchase, even in addition to contacting the manufacturer directly, if applicable per the below.

The following manufactures maintain a public listing of stolen watches:
Breguet
J

Rolex Serial Number Verification