Date your Rolex

The production years

Between the lugs on the underside of your Rolex is a number that can be traced back to the year ofmanufacture of your Rolex. Below you will find a list which links these numbers to a production year. Here it applies that this is not with complete certainty also the actual year of production as Rolex does not release any information.

When serial numbers reached 1 million in 1954, Rolex decided to start counting again.In 1987 Rolex started adding a letter for the 6 digit serial number.In the beginning of 2010, Rolex started using random numbers and letters which means that from that time it is no longer possible to determine from the serial number when the watch was produced.

Paperwork that will come with your Rolex

Delivered with a new one and hopefully still present with an existing one, the papers of the watch. It has a specific number listed such as the following, R16610/30B9235. This specific number has a meaning and tells a lot about the watch in question.

In the above case:

166 = The model (around the year 2000 many models added an extra 1 for the model number)

1 = Type of bezel in this case a rotating

0 = Metal type of the bezel in this case stainless steel

30 = Kind of Plate, 3-Black, 0-Stick

And ultimately the band;
B9325 = Bracelet type 93250

Below you will find a list of common numbers so that you can decipher your Rolex yourself.
In the unlikely event that you cannot resolve it, you can of course contact NLWatch to decipher the code.

Models

Bezel Codes

Dial Codes

Dating the clasp

It is good to know that with regard to the list of letters below that say something about the year in which the clasp was made, that it is based on a theory elaborated by Rolex enthusiasts. Rolex itself does not disclose exactly how the system works.S means that the lock has been replaced during serviceFrom 2011, the letters and numbers on the clasp will be random and that makes it difficult to add a year. There may be a sequence in it, but it has not yet emerged

.

Introduction years

And then the year of introduction of your Rolex, when did your Rolex first appear on the market. The years relating to the very first years that Rolex began to produce watches are being discussed and that will be the case for many years to come.
The list also shows major changes in timepieces as well as bracelet introductions and other details.

And finally a lot of reference numbers of famous Rolexes for you to see if your Rolex is listed.

Air-King: 14010M, 14000M, 114234, 114210, 114200, 14010, 14000, 7784, 6552, 6500, 5701, 5700, 5520, 5506, 5501, 5500, 4925, 4365, 1009

Date: 115234, 115210, 115200, 15505, 15238, 15233, 15223, 15210, 15203, 15200, 15053, 15038, 15037, 15010, 15000, 6627, 6605, 6534, 6518, 6335, 6075, 5075, 1625, 1603, 1570, 1560, 1550, 1505, 1503, 1501, 1500

Datejust: 166201, 116244, 116243, 116238, 116234, 116233, 116231, 116208, 116203, 116201, 116200, 116199, 116189, 116188, 116139, 116138, 17014, 17013, 17000, 16364, 16250, 16248, 16238, 16234, 16233, 16220, 16203, 16200, 16078, 16030, 16018, 16014, 16013, 16000, 6827, 6605, 6604, 6518, 6305, 1630, 1607, 1603, 1601, 1600

Datejust Mid-Size: 178383, 178313, 178288, 178286, 178279, 178278, 178275, 178274, 178273, 178269, 178248, 178246, 178245, 178243, 178240, 178239, 178238, 178159, 178158, 81339, 81338, 81308, 81209, 81208, 81158, 78288, 78286, 78279, 78278, 78274, 78273, 78266, 78248, 78246, 78243, 78240, 77438, 77080, 77014, 68278, 68274, 68273, 68248, 68243, 68240, 17824, 7518, 6824

Datejust OysterQuartz: 17014, 17013, 17000

Datejust Turn-O-Graph (Thunderbird): 116264, 116263, 116261, 16268, 16264, 16263, 16253, 6309, 1625

Day-Date: 118399, 118398, 118388, 118366, 118348, 118346, 118339, 118338, 118296, 118239, 118238, 118235, 118209, 118208, 118206, 118205, 19018, 18958, 18956, 18948, 18946, 18346, 18308, 18248, 18239, 18238, 18078, 18048, 18039, 18038, 18026, 6611, 6511, 1807, 1804, 1803

Day-Date Oysterquartz : 19019, 19018

Daytona: 116599, 116598, 116589, 116528, 116523, 116520, 116519, 116518, 116515, 116509, 116505, 16528, 16523, 16520, 16519, 16518, 16515, 6265, 6264, 6263, 6262, 6241, 6240, 6239

Explorer: 114270, 14270, 6610, 6350, 6298, 6150, 6098, 5504, 1038, 1016

Explorer II: 216570, 16570, 16550, 1655

GMT-Master: 16758, 16753, 16750, 16713, 16700, 6542, 1675

GMT-Master II: 116758, 116718, 116713, 116710, 16760, 16718, 16710, 16170

Ladies Date: 79240, 79240, 79190, 79160, 69240, 69190, 69174, 69173, 69163, 69160, 6919, 6917, 6916, 6519, 6517, 6516

Ladies Datejust: 197173, 179459, 179368, 179313, 179298, 179239, 179179, 179178, 179175, 179174, 179173, 179171, 179168, 179166, 179165, 179163, 179161, 179160, 179159, 179158, 179138, 179136, 80359, 80329, 80328, 80319, 80318, 80309, 80299, 80298, 79288, 79238, 79179, 79178, 79174, 79173, 79168, 79166, 79163, 79159, 79158, 79138, 79136, 79126, 79089, 79088, 79079, 79078, 79068, 69278, 69190, 69179, 69178, 69174, 69173, 69163, 69160, 69136, 6927, 6917, 6916, 6517

Ladies Oyster Perpetual: 761833, 176210, 176200, 79193, 77518, 76243, 76198, 76193, 76188, 76183, 76180, 76094, 76080, 76030, 67243, 67230, 67198, 67197, 67194, 67193, 67180, 6724, 6723, 6719, 6718

Milgauss: 116400GV, 116400, 6451, 1019

Oyster Perpetual: 14233M, 14208M, 14203M, 14238, 14208, 14203, 6634, 6623, 6605, 6590, 6584, 6582, 6580, 6569, 6567, 6565, 6564, 6556, 6552, 6551, 6549, 6548, 6546, 6532, 6518, 6284, 6202, 6177, 6103, 6085, 5500, 1565, 1501, 1500, 1038, 1030, 1025, 1024, 1023, 1018, 1014, 1010, 1008, 1007, 1006, 1005, 1004, 1003, 1002

Sea-Dweller: 116660, 16660, 16600, 1665

Submariner: 14060M, 114060, 14060, 6538, 6536, 6205, 6204, 6200, 5517, 5514, 5513, 5512, 5508

Submariner Date: 168000, 116619, 116618, 116613, 116610, 16808, 16803, 16800, 16618, 16613, 16610, 1680

Yacht-Master: 169628, 169623, 169622, 168628, 168623, 168622, 166233, 116689, 116688, 69628, 69623, 68628, 68623, 18622, 16628, 16623, 16622

Given that Rolex does not disclose production years, the above data has been collected by us with the utmost care. No rights can therefore be derived from this.