Rolex Serial Number & Bracelet Clasp Code Dating Chart

Trying to work out what year your Rolex was made?

Use the tables below.

Rolex serial numbers can give a good indication of the production period for watches made before Rolex moved to random serial numbers around 2010.

Rolex bracelet clasp codes can also help date a bracelet, and in some periods can even narrow it down to the month.

These dates should always be treated as approximate. Rolex does not publish an official serial number dating chart.

Rolex Serial Number Quick Lookup: Letter Prefixes

If your Rolex serial starts with a letter, start here.

Serial Prefix	Approximate Year
R	1987 to 1988
L	1988 to 1990
E	1990 to 1991
X	1991 to 1992
N	1991 to 1992
C	1992 to 1993
S	1993 to 1994
W	1994 to 1996
T	1996 to 1997
U	1997 to 1998
A	1998 to 2000
P	2000 to 2001
K	2001 to 2002
Y	2002 to 2003
F	2003 to 2005
D	2005 to 2006
Z	2006 to 2007
M	2007 to 2008
V	2008 to 2010
G	2010 to 2011
Random 8-character serial	Around 2010 onwards

Quick examples

U serial Rolex: approximately 1997 to 1998

A serial Rolex: approximately 1998 to 2000

P serial Rolex: approximately 2000 to 2001

K serial Rolex: approximately 2001 to 2002

F serial Rolex: approximately 2003 to 2005

D serial Rolex: approximately 2005 to 2006

Z serial Rolex: approximately 2006 to 2007

M serial Rolex: approximately 2007 to 2008

V serial Rolex: approximately 2008 to 2010

G serial Rolex: approximately 2010 to 2011

If your modern Rolex has an 8-character serial containing a random mixture of letters and numbers, it cannot reliably be dated from the serial number alone.

Vintage Rolex Numeric Serial Number Chart

Before Rolex introduced letter-prefix serial numbers, watches used primarily numeric serials.

Find your serial number below and use the year as an approximate production date.

Approximate Year	Serial Number From Around
1987	9,863,279
1986	9,290,000
1985	8,624,000
1984	8,338,000
1983	7,862,000
1982	7,129,351
1981	6,594,000
1980	6,434,000
1979	5,952,834
1978	5,238,376
1977	5,008,000
1976	4,155,863
1975	3,886,050
1974	3,761,535
1973	3,523,678
1972	3,050,000
1971	2,728,000
1970	2,420,000
1969	2,060,000
1968	1,720,977
1967	1,554,000
1966	1,289,727
1965	1,193,000
1964	997,436
1963	Around 950,000
1962	763,663
1961	Around 646,900
1960	511,687
1959	Around 399,000
1958	353,343
1957	216,821
1956	139,400
1955	Around 30,634
1954	Serial sequence reset
1953	793,930
1952	726,639
1951	709,249
1950	Limited reliable data
1949	Limited reliable data
1948	628,840
1947	529,163
1946	367,946
1945	302,459
1944	269,561
1943	230,878
1942	143,509
1941	106,047
1940	99,775
1939	71,224
1938	43,793
1937	40,920
1936	36,856
1935	34,336
1934	30,823
1933	29,933
1932	29,312
1931	Limited reliable data
1930	29,312
1929	28,290
1928	23,969
1927	20,190

Important: Rolex reset its serial numbering during the 1950s, which means early Rolex serials need a little more care when dating. More on that further down.

Rolex Bracelet and Clasp Code Dating Chart

Your watch serial number dates the watch case.

The clasp code dates the bracelet or clasp.

They are not the same thing.

On many Rolex bracelets produced from the mid-1970s onwards, a code stamped inside the clasp can be used to estimate when the bracelet was manufactured.

Rolex Clasp Code Quick Lookup

Clasp Code	Approximate Year
A / VA	1976
B / VB	1977
C / VC	1978
D / VD	1979
E / VE	1980
F / VF	1981
G	1982
H	1983
I	1984
J	1985
K	1986
L	1987
M	1988
N	1989
O	1990
P	1991
Q	1992
R	1993
S	1994
T / W	1995
V / U	1996
Z / U	1997
Z / W	1998
X	1999
AB	2000
DE	2001
DT	2002
AD	2003
CL	2004
MA	2005
OP	2006
EO	2007
PJ	2008
LT	2009
RS	2010
CP	2011
Random alphanumeric code	Around 2011 onwards

There are some variations and crossover in recorded clasp codes, particularly during the 1990s, so don't treat the table as an exact factory calendar.

For most watches, though, it is an extremely handy reference.

What Does the Number After a Rolex Clasp Code Mean?

This is where clasp codes get really useful.

On many Rolex clasps, the letters tell you the year and the number following them tells you the month.

For example:

PJ1 = January 2008

PJ5 = May 2008

PJ9 = September 2008

LT3 = March 2009

RS7 = July 2010

OP12 = December 2006

So if you've got something like PJ2 stamped inside your Rolex clasp, you're looking at approximately February 2008production for the bracelet.

That's a surprisingly useful little detail when you're checking whether a bracelet makes sense for a particular watch.

Rolex Clasp Month Number Chart

Number	Month
1	January
2	February
3	March
4	April
5	May
6	June
7	July
8	August
9	September
10	October
11	November
12	December

So:

CL4 = April 2004

MA10 = October 2005

EO6 = June 2007

Easy.

What Does "S" Mean on a Rolex Clasp?

An additional S on a clasp code can indicate a Rolex service replacement.

For example, you may find a code along the lines of:

DT11S

DT corresponds with 2002.

11 indicates November.

The additional S indicates a service replacement clasp.

This is different from a normal standalone S clasp code, which is associated with approximately 1994.

That distinction is worth knowing.

A service bracelet isn't necessarily a bad thing.

If you're buying a watch simply to wear, it may make absolutely no difference to you.

But if you're buying an older collectible Rolex where originality matters, knowing that the clasp or bracelet was replaced later can be important.

Does the Bracelet Date Have to Match the Rolex Serial Number?

No.

This comes up all the time.

If you have a watch dated to approximately 2007 and a bracelet clasp stamped EO for 2007, great.

But don't immediately assume something is wrong if they don't line up perfectly.

Cases, movements, dials and bracelets weren't necessarily manufactured on the same day and immediately assembled into a finished watch.

A bracelet could have been produced months before or after the case.

Then there is distribution time.

Then the watch could sit with an authorised dealer before being sold.

Then, 10 or 20 years later, somebody could have the bracelet replaced during servicing.

Think of the clasp date as another clue rather than absolute proof.

Where Is the Rolex Serial Number?

On older Rolex watches, remove the bracelet and look between the lugs at the 6 o'clock side of the case.

That's normally where you'll find the serial number.

At the opposite side, around 12 o'clock, you'll generally find the reference number.

Don't mix them up.

The reference tells you the model.

The serial identifies the individual case and can help estimate its age.

Where Is the Serial Number on a Newer Rolex?

During the 2000s Rolex began engraving serial numbers into the rehaut.

The rehaut is the inner ring running around the outside of the dial underneath the crystal.

Look around the 6 o'clock position.

Some transitional watches can have the serial both between the lugs and on the rehaut.

Later watches moved to the rehaut only.

Where Is the Rolex Clasp Code?

Open the bracelet clasp and look closely at the inside of the clasp blades or hinge area.

Depending on the bracelet and era, you'll usually see several different markings.

These can include:

• Rolex branding
• Bracelet reference
• Material markings
• Clasp date code
• Month number
• Service markings

Don't confuse the bracelet reference with the date code.

For example, something like 93150 is a bracelet reference.

Something like PJ4 is a clasp date code.

Completely different information.

Why Can't I Date My Modern Rolex From Its Serial Number?

Around 2010, Rolex moved to a randomised serial number system.

Instead of having a predictable letter prefix followed by numbers, modern Rolex serial numbers use an apparently random mixture of letters and numbers.

They're normally eight characters long.

Once Rolex did this, the old dating trick basically stopped working.

A modern random serial cannot reliably tell you what year the watch was made.

You might see a random serial beginning with a letter that Rolex previously used as an old prefix.

That doesn't suddenly make the watch 20 years older.

Count the characters and look at the complete serial format.

For a modern Rolex, the warranty card is normally the best indication of when the watch was originally sold.

Production Year vs Warranty Card Date

These are not necessarily the same thing.

If a Rolex has a serial associated with approximately 2007 and the warranty papers are dated 2008, that's not immediately concerning.

The serial is helping you estimate when the case was produced.

The warranty card generally tells you when the completed watch was sold.

A watch didn't necessarily go from the Rolex factory to somebody's wrist the same week.

This is why you'll often see us describe older watches as:

Circa 2007

rather than pretending we can tell you the exact Tuesday it came out of the factory.

Why Rolex Serial Dating Is Approximate

This is worth mentioning because there are a lot of Rolex serial charts online that look extremely precise.

The problem is that Rolex hasn't published an official database giving exact manufacturing dates for every serial.

These charts have been built over decades by collectors, dealers and researchers comparing known watches, warranty papers, caseback stamps and other information.

They're very useful.

I use them regularly.

But they aren't gospel.

If one chart says your watch is late 1997 and another suggests 1998, that's completely believable.

When I'm looking at an older Rolex, I want everything to make sense together.

Serial.

Reference.

Dial.

Hands.

Bracelet.

Clasp.

Movement.

Case.

Papers if they're available.

One number doesn't tell the entire story.

What Happened to Rolex Serial Numbers in 1954?

Vintage Rolex gets a little weird around here.

Rolex's early serial numbers eventually approached the one-million mark.

Instead of simply carrying on, Rolex reset the serial sequence and began using lower numbers again.

That's why you'll see a big jump in the table from around 976,000 in 1954 back to much smaller serial numbers around the following period.

It also means some early serial ranges can overlap with much older watches.

If you're trying to date a Rolex from this era, I wouldn't rely purely on the serial number.

Caseback markings and the characteristics of the actual watch become much more important.

Can the Inside Caseback Date a Vintage Rolex?

Yes, on some older Rolex watches.

Vintage Rolex casebacks can have production markings inside.

You may see a Roman numeral representing the quarter followed by a two-digit year.

For example:

I.68

First quarter of 1968.

III.65

Third quarter of 1965.

IV.72

Fourth quarter of 1972.

Again, this dates the component rather than giving you an exact birthday for the finished watch.

But when you're trying to work out whether a vintage Rolex is correct, it's another useful clue.

Does the Serial Number Prove a Rolex Is Genuine?

No.

Please don't use a serial number chart to authenticate a Rolex.

A counterfeit watch can have a serial number.

It can even have a serial that matches the correct period for the model it's pretending to be.

Authentication involves looking at the complete watch.

Case.

Dial.

Movement.

Engravings.

Bracelet.

Serial.

Reference.

And whether all of it actually makes sense together.

Serial dating is a useful tool.

It isn't authentication.

Why Does the Year Matter?

On some Rolex watches, it barely matters at all.

On others, it can make a huge difference.

Rolex constantly changed small details during the production life of its watches.

That can include:

• Dial printing
• Luminous material
• Hands
• Bezel inserts
• Bracelets
• Clasps
• End links
• Movements
• Crystals
• Case details

This is especially important with vintage and neo-vintage Rolex.

Two Submariner 16610s can share the exact same reference number but have been produced 15 years apart.

Knowing the approximate year gives you somewhere to start when working out exactly which version you have.

What If My Serial or Clasp Code Doesn't Match?

Don't immediately assume there's a problem.

A bracelet can be replaced.

A clasp can be replaced.

A watch might have been serviced by Rolex.

A warranty card can be dated later than the approximate production year.

And the dating tables themselves aren't exact.

If the difference is significant, though, it's worth investigating.

That's half the fun with old Rolex.

Sometimes you start out trying to work out whether a Datejust is from 1988 or 1989 and an hour later you're comparing clasp fonts under a loupe.

It happens.

Need Help Identifying Your Rolex?

If you've got an older Rolex and can't work out exactly what it is, feel free to send us some photos.

The serial number, reference number, clasp code and clear photos of the dial and watch are normally a good place to start.

The Time Syndicate is based in Hobart, Tasmania and buys, sells and trades Rolex and other luxury watches Australia-wide.

If you've inherited a Rolex, found an old one sitting in a drawer, or you're considering selling something from your collection, we're always happy to have a look.

And if you're looking to buy, check our current Rolex stock or follow The Time Syndicate on Instagram.

A lot of our watches appear on Instagram Stories before they ever make it onto the website.