Rolex serial number dates

[actionkwj]

What do members find the most likely accurate serial number chart?

I'm looking at a 1.9 mill serial number and one chart tells me 1966-1967 while another tells me 1968-1969 and others regency a later date

I know it's not a perfect science but it seems like there should be something a little more definitive than this

Any feedback or link is aporeciated






The Rolex Cowboy

[Kingface66]

Definitely not the first one

[Tools]

Rolex never numbered like that... those are just guesses..

Luckily, the 60's watches have dates stamped inside the cases, which is the building block for most "accurate" charts, like ours.

[actionkwj]

Originally Posted by Tools

Rolex never numbered like that... those are just guesses..



Luckily, the 60's watches have dates stamped inside the cases, which is the building block for most "accurate" charts, like ours.

Where is OUR CHART?

[brandrea]

All the information is a bit ambiguous. Case backs may have been stamped but used on watches from varying serial number production runs.

I have a case back stamped 1966 but with a 1.58 serial number (which according to the seller) was made in 1967 third quarter ...

Seems to me it's not an accurate science

[springer]

Originally Posted by brandrea

All the information is a bit ambiguous. Case backs may have been stamped but used on watches from varying serial number production runs.

I have a case back stamped 1966 but with a 1.58 serial number (which according to the seller) was made in 1967 third quarter ...

Seems to me it's not an accurate science

1.58 is definitely within range for a 1966 case back.

[themaninblack]

There are anomalies relating to particular models. I have two 5508's with 1958 case back stamping but 1959 serial number cases going by the most trusted date charts such as the Rolex forum chart. It is common on this model. You will also find 5508's with 1958 case back numbers but 1964 serial numbered cases. Every one of these I have seen carries an exclamation dial. I don't think I have seen a 5508 with a 1960 or 1961 serial number case, so I have gathered that when the 5512 came out 5508 was stopped and restarted again in 1962 with matching 62 case back and serial numbers and again in 1964 with old 1958 case backs but 1964 cases. Seems odd but there must be a reason as these watches do exist.

[Tools]

The thing to remember with any Internet chart - they are NOT absolute and should never be used as such..

They are research tools to get you within a couple of years if you have no other means to determine production; provenance - receipts, invoices, etc.

To use a chart to argue the validity of a caseback stamp (if original) is backwards.. Known numbers, actual physical date stamps and shipping invoices, are data points to be used to better refine the many poor or inaccurate charts that are floating around..

[springer]

Originally Posted by Tools

The thing to remember with any Internet chart - they are NOT absolute and should never be used as such..

They are research tools to get you within a couple of years if you have no other means to determine production; provenance - receipts, invoices, etc.

To use a chart to argue the validity of a caseback stamp (if original) is backwards.. Known numbers, actual physical date stamps and shipping invoices, are data points to be used to better refine the many poor or inaccurate charts that are floating around..

I date my watches by the case backs and have no issues with that. For me, it is the most reliable method for dating the watch regarding manufacture, not shipping or sold dates which is what was probably used for all these dating charts and graphs.

[Old Expat Beast]

Click the 'Rolex Serial Number Project' link here for the most comprehensive list: www.vintagerolexforum.com/

Steer well clear of lists provided by places like Bob's and Bernard Watch.

[R.W.T.]

1.9 what?

It is either 1968 or 1969.