Serials Question

[mjm800]

I don't know a lot about Rolex production and I see here a lot of posts with the watch model and a letter serial. What does this mean? Is a certain letter better than another?

For example I have an Explorer I the serial starts with D and I have a Sea-Dweller with a starting serial letter of M.

Is there any significance to the letters?

Thank you all for any help.

[padi56]

Basically most Rolex watches have changed very little since 1988,the letter series is only rough indication when the case was stamped.And not necessarily when a fully assembled watch was put together for sale and shipment to the ADs

[AndersB]

There is a list of letters / indicative years in the FAQ post in the TRF reference section.

[mjm800]

Thanks for the help. Thank you AndersB I checked out the FAQ, now I understand.

[nuyou]

Hi can someone tell me in alot of the photos of rolex's you also see a picture of a certificate, should all rolex's come with this.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by nuyou

Hi can someone tell me in alot of the photos of rolex's you also see a picture of a certificate, should all rolex's come with this.

Yes all new Rolex watches were issued with papers or the new credit card plastic type.But thats just a warranty certificated and not a real 100% sure indication that the watch is genuine when buying used, unless reliable dealer.The papers are not all that important in the modern day Rolex,but getting a genuine watch is. Only buy from trusted sources,when a watch is serviced by Rolex you are issued with service papers.

[InVision]

Originally Posted by padi56

Basically most Rolex watches have changed very little since 1988,the letter series is only rough indication when the case was stamped.And not necessarily when a fully assembled watch was put together for sale and shipment to the ADs

I must add a note: Not necessarily true for bracelets and clasps. You may want "K" or newer depending on watch.

If you google "rolex watch series" you can find tables like these.

ROLEX

Serial Numbers by Date of Manufacture.

Serial # ........................Date
21691 .............................1927
23969 .............................1928
24747 .............................1928
28290 .............................1930
29312 .............................1932
29933 .............................1933
30823 .............................1934
35365 .............................1935
37596 .............................1936
40920 .............................1937
43739 .............................1938
71224 .............................1939
99775 .............................1940
106047 ...........................1941
143509 ...........................1942
230878 ...........................1943
269561 ...........................1944
302459 ...........................1945
387216 ...........................1946
529163 ...........................1947
628840 ...........................1948
710776 ...........................1951
840396 ...........................1952
929426 ......................IV 1953
930879 .........................I 1953
931080 ........................II 1953
937170 .........................I 1954
941699 .........................I 1953
952892 .........................I 1954
955466 ......................IV 1953
964789 ......................IV 1953
973697 ......................IV 1953
973930 ......................III 1953
116578 ......................IV 1953
132562 .......................III 1953
139400 .........................I 1956
139477 .........................I 1956
282632 .......................III 1955
321884 ......................IV 1957
345500 ........................II 1957
360171 .........................I 1958
383893 .........................I 1958
362214 .........................I 1958
385893 ........................II 1958
391528 .......................III 1958
426074 ......................IV 1958
412128 ......................IV 1958
693808 ........................II 1960
763663 ........................II 1962
764754 .........................I 1962
869868 ......................IV 1962
985015 .........................I 1964
1041729 ......................II 1964
1182076 .....................III 1964
1259699 ......................II 1965
1345681 ....................IV 1965
1871000 .........................1966
1994956 .....................III 1966
2163900 .........................1967
2426800 .........................1968
2555384 ......................II 1970
2689700 .........................1969
2952600 .........................1970
3215500 .........................1971
3478400 .........................1972
3741300 .........................1973
4004200 .........................1974
4267100 .........................1975
4538000 .........................1976
5008000 .........................1977
5482000 .........................1978
5958000 .........................1979
6434000 .........................1980
6910000 .........................1981
7386000 .........................1982
7862000 .........................1983
8338000 .........................1984
8614000 .........................1985
9290000 .........................1986
9766000 .........................1987
9999999 ....................1987 1/2
R000001 ....................1987 1/2
R999999 .........................1988
L000001 .........................1989
L999999 ....................1990 1/2
E000001 ....................1990 1/2
E999999 ....................1991 1/2
X000001 ....................1991 1/2
N000001 ..................Nov 1991
C000001 .........................1992
S000001 .........................1993
W000001 .....................1994/5
T000001 .........................1996
U000001 ..................Aug 1997
A000001 ............Nov/Dec 1998
P000001 ....................Jan 2000
K000001 ..................Mid 2001
Y000001 ...................Mid 2002
F000001 ...................Mid 2003
D000001 ...................Early 2005
Z000001 ...................Early 2006
M000001 ...................Late 2007
V000001 ...................Late 2008

[Tools]

Look over in our Reference Library..

We explain what a serial number is, what it isn't, and that the "art" of actually dating a watch witn only the serial number is really a guessing game..

We also tell you about the clasp codes on your bracelet.... all useful material when researching any watch that doesn't come with provenance.......