Where can you find the serial number on Rolex watches?
Since serial numbers are extremely important, Rolex places them on as many places as possible to make sure it is always there when you need them. From the watch itself to its warranty card, here are all the places where you can find the serial numbers:
- 6:00 Lug
- 6:00 along the rehaut
- Warranty card & Invoice
6:00 Lug
Since the 1920s, Rolex has been engraving the serial numbers on their watches. All the Rolex watches, including old and newer models, have the serial numbers engraved in between the lugs on the 6 o’clock side. In order to see it, you have to detach the bracelet. Rolex has engraved the serial number on this location only on watches produced till 2008. After that, they stopped engraving it on the exterior of the watch.
6:00 along the rehaut
Making it easier for watch aficionados to see, Rolex started engraving the serial number on the inside metal ring in 2005. The metal ring between the dial and the crystal, also called the rehaut, has the serial number engraved near the 6 o’clock numeral.
Any Rolex watch that was produced in the year 2005 or later, should have the serial number mentioned on the rehaut.
Warranty card & Invoice
The serial number is the identity of the watch you buy, and that is why you will find it on the invoice as well as the warranty card. While buying pre-owned watches, you can always confirm if the box and papers are original and belong to that particular watch. You can just match the serial number written on the invoice and the warranty card with the one engraved on the watch itself.
Also, the warranty card and the invoice are the two most approachable places when it comes to reading the serial number. This is why you should always keep them with you. They also play a major role in getting good value for your watch when you decide to sell it.
How can we tell the production year of a Rolex watch by looking at its serial number?
Serial numbers are unique to every watch, and they also give us a hint at the year of production of the watch. Narrowing down to the exact year is not easy with these serial numbers, but they can at least give you an idea.
Also, Rolex stopped following a particular order on these serial numbers in 2010. Instead, the company started placing random numbers on these watches. Some sources claim that Rolex did this to help stop forgery.
Nevertheless, here’s a quick look at the serial numbers and production years corresponding to them.
Year 2010-Present
Watches from this era will have a random serial number, so it would be difficult to determine the exact year for these Rolex timepieces.
2001-2010
Here’s a table showing the serial numbers used in this era:
| Year of Production | Serial Number |
|---|---|
| 2001 | K or Y |
| 2002 | Y |
| 2003 | F |
| 2004 | F |
| 2005 | F |
| 2005 | D |
| 2006 | D or Z |
| 2007 | M or Z |
| 2008 | M or V |
| 2009 | V |
| 2010 | G |
1991-2000
The following serial numbers were used in the time period 1991 to 2000:
| Year of Production | Serial Number |
|---|---|
| 1991 | X,000,001 |
| 1991 | N,000,001 |
| 1992 | C,000,001 |
| 1993 | S,000,001 |
| 1994 | S,860,880 |
| 1995 | W,000,001 |
| 1996 | T,000,001 |
| 1997 | U,000,001 |
| 1998 | U,932,144 |
| 1999 | A,000,001 |
| 2000 | P,000,001 |
| 2000 | K,000,001 |
1981-1990
This table shows the serial numbers engraved on watches that were produced in the time frame 1981 to 1990.
| Year of production | Serial Number |
|---|---|
| 1981 | 6,520,870 |
| 1982 | 7,100,000 |
| 1983 | 7,400,000 |
| 1984 | 8,070,022 |
| 1985 | 8,614,000 |
| 1986 | 8,900,000 |
| 1987 | 9,400,000 |
| 1987 | R,000,001 |
| 1988 | R,598,200 |
| 1989 | L,980,000 |
| 1990 | E,000,001 |
1971-1980
Here’s a list of serial numbers that were used between 1971 and 1980:
| Year of production | Serial number |
|---|---|
| 1971 | 2,589,295 |
| 1972 | 2,890,459 |
| 1973 | 3,200,268 |
| 1974 | 3,567,927 |
| 1975 | 3,862,196 |
| 1976 | 4,115,299 |
| 1977 | 5,008,000 |
| 1978 | 5,000,000 |
| 1979 | 5,737,030 |
| 1980 | 6,434,000 |
Rolex watches older than 1970
| Year of production | Serial number |
|---|---|
| 1926 | 00,001 |
| 1927 | 20,190 |
| 1928 | 23,969 |
| 1930 | 23,186 |
| 1932 | 29,132 |
| 1933 | 29,562 |
| 1934 | 30,823 |
| 1935 | 34,336 |
| 1936 | 36,856 |
| 1937 | 40,920 |
| 1938 | 43,739 |
| 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 |
| 1951 | 709,249 |
| 1952 | 726,639 |
| 1953 | 855,726 |
| 1954 | 23,000 |
| 1955 | 97,000 |
| 1956 | 133,061 |
| 1957 | 224,000 |
| 1958 | 328,000 |
| 1959 | 399,453 |
| 1960 | 516,000 |
| 1961 | 643,153 |
| 1962 | 744,000 |
| 1963 | 824,000 |
| 1964 | 1,008,889 |
| 1965 | 1,100,000 |
| 1966 | 1,200,000 |
| 1967 | 1,538,435 |
| 1968 | 1,752,000 |
| 1969 | 1,900,000 |
| 1970 | 2,241,882 |
Due to the serial numbers being in such a way, it is not always possible to get the exact year of production. But with this, you can at least have an idea about the same. In order to get the specific information about the watch, you will always need the warranty card or the purchase invoice.
How you can use the above information to authenticate your Rolex?
Over the years, we have seen many fakes that share a close resemblance to the original ones. To the naked eye or to the uneducated, these watches will look just like the original. While there are many ways to find out if a Rolex is original or not, one of them could be verifying the serial number.
To check if the watch is authentic, you can just compare the serial number with the above-mentioned information. For instance, you have a GMT-Master, which first came out in 1954, with a serial number that corresponds to a Rolex from the 1940s, then you could be holding a fake.
Also, counterfeit watches are usually furnished well but the serial number area is not typically well finished. If it is a original watch, the serial number engravings on the case will be deep and sharp. If it is a newer model, the laser etching on the rehaut will be precise.
