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Old 14 November 2015, 01:36 AM   #1
tostan
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rolex serial number

Hello,

2774xxx

do you think that this number corresponds to the year 1970 or 1971

Thank you
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Old 14 November 2015, 01:40 AM   #2
Haywood_Milton
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1971 according to the Rolex document I have here.......but you will see them sold later than that, and with backs from 1970 for example.

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Old 14 November 2015, 02:21 AM   #3
southtexas
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rolex serial number

I have a 2.9m serial sub with caseback stamped IV.70, so I'd say you're in the ballpark. Can you take off caseback to check?


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Old 14 November 2015, 03:13 AM   #4
Haywood_Milton
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Case-back date will not necessarily correspond with the date a watch was fully assembled and actually supplied to a Rolex territory.

HM
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*Comex:5513,5514,1665x2,16800x2,16600 *Mil sub:5517x2,5513x9,5512 *Submariner:6536/1x2,5508,5513 PCG u/line & double SWISS (America's Cup),5513 giltx2, 5513 m-firstx2,5513 gloss WGx2,1680 Red,1680 White Mk1 & Mk2 *Sea-Dweller:1665 DRSDx3,Great Whitex3 *GMT-Master:6542x2 (1 Bakelite),1675x8 (2 gilt), 16750 & SeaKing 116710LN *Explorer:1016x6 (1 gilt),5500x3,14270 Blackout, Orange 1655 x4 *Milgauss 1019x3 *Cosmo 6263 *RNCD DSSD 116660.

Last edited by Haywood_Milton; 14 November 2015 at 03:13 AM.. Reason: I did not put enough "y"s in the word "fully."
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Old 14 November 2015, 05:58 PM   #5
greg35
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So HM.. can you pls elaborate?

i was under the impression that the serial number and the case back would place the watch in the right year....if not, i am searching for the wrong thing. I am searching for 1971 and some stamps on the case backs are 1172. Their serial numbers were in the 3.2mil ....so i have rejected them.

i am interested to know.

if i understand correctly... some serial numbers will place the watch as made in 1971 but then assembled in 1972....

But based on the vintage rolex serial number register, 3.2mil puts that watch in the 1972 range...

please help me understand.

Last edited by Tools; 15 November 2015 at 05:20 AM..
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Old 15 November 2015, 05:26 AM   #6
Tools
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Quote:
Originally Posted by greg35 View Post
So HM.. can you pls elaborate?

i was under the impression that the serial number and the case back would place the watch in the right year....if not, i am searching for the wrong thing. I am searching for 1971 and some stamps on the case backs are 1172. Their serial numbers were in the 3.2mil ....so i have rejected them.

i am interested to know.

if i understand correctly... some serial numbers will place the watch as made in 1971 but then assembled in 1972....

But based on the vintage rolex serial number register, 3.2mil puts that watch in the 1972 range...

please help me understand.
You are falling into the Internet Chart trap.

You cannot absolutely "date" your watch as you are attempting to do. Charts and stamps are estimates. Nobody knows exactly when the watch was assembled, stamped, marketed, or sold (unless receipted).

The charts were assembled (and not provided by Rolex) after much research, for research. To consider them as absolutes is a stretch; you should consider them as close-enough for your target.
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Old 15 November 2015, 06:49 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by greg35 View Post
please help me understand.
As Tools said, but I can elaborate a bit.

The charts you find have been assembled by compiling information about sales dates, case back stamps and bracelet stamps to get a rough estimate on when a watch might have been made/assembled just by looking at its serial number.

As far as I know Rolex at least made their watches, case backs and bracelet in batches so they will never be exactly right. So a watch sold in -73 might have a -72 bracelet and -71 case back. When the case was stamped is anybodies guess and it must have been assembled before the sales date and after the case back stamp in my example. You will not get closer than that. Personally I would go with the sales date, that's when it was taken into action.
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Old 15 November 2015, 12:24 PM   #8
greg35
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As Tools said, but I can elaborate a bit.

The charts you find have been assembled by compiling information about sales dates, case back stamps and bracelet stamps to get a rough estimate on when a watch might have been made/assembled just by looking at its serial number.

As far as I know Rolex at least made their watches, case backs and bracelet in batches so they will never be exactly right. So a watch sold in -73 might have a -72 bracelet and -71 case back. When the case was stamped is anybodies guess and it must have been assembled before the sales date and after the case back stamp in my example. You will not get closer than that. Personally I would go with the sales date, that's when it was taken into action.
sorry to tostan for threadjacking.....

Thanx Tools and Fredrik
OK.. but if the vendor does not have that Sales date information, i will have to, at best, use the serial number and the case back stamp to closely verify how close it is to the year 1971.

Would that be correct?

hmm i need to re visit the watches that i have rejected.... The search continues.
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Old 14 November 2015, 07:43 PM   #9
Nobody.Move
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@ tostan

Yes, SN 2774xxx corresponds to the year 1970-71.
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Old 14 November 2015, 07:52 PM   #10
tostan
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Thank you for all your answers
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