Watch Serial Number Guide
Select your brand, then enter a serial number to identify the approximate production year. Browse the full reference charts below for serial ranges, model codes, and provenance data.
Select Your Brand
Serial Number
Audemars Piguet Serial Number Chart
AP serial numbers follow letter-prefix series from 1975 onwards. Note that series overlap — for example, both E and F series were produced simultaneously during 2003–2010. Dates are production period estimates only.
| Series | Range | Production Period | Approx. Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Numeric | 101 – 105,393 | 1951 – 1976 | 25 years |
| B | B1 – B99999 | 1975 – 1990 | 15 years |
| C | C1 – C99999 | 1984 – 1995 | 11 years |
| D | D1 – D99999 | 1991 – 2000 | 9 years |
| E | E1 – E99999 | 1998 – 2010 | 12 years |
| F | F1 – F99999 | 2003 – 2010 | 7 years |
| G | G1 – G99999 | 2009 – 2015 | 6 years |
| H | H1 – H99999 | 2011 – 2015 | 4 years |
| I | I1 – I99999 | 2013 – 2020 | 7 years |
| J | J1 – J99999 | 2015 – 2020 | 5 years |
Omega Serial Number Chart
Omega serial numbers are movement serial numbers and dates are approximations — production of a movement and final assembly of the watch can differ by months or more. The Speedmaster follows a separate sequence and is listed in its own chart below. All dates are estimates.
All Models (Excluding Speedmaster)
| Serial Range | From Year |
|---|---|
| 1,000,000 – 1,999,999 | 1894 |
| 2,000,000 – 2,999,999 | 1902 |
| 3,000,000 – 3,999,999 | 1906 |
| 4,000,000 – 4,999,999 | 1910 |
| 5,000,000 – 5,999,999 | 1915 |
| 6,000,000 – 6,999,999 | 1923 |
| 7,000,000 – 7,999,999 | 1930 |
| 8,000,000 – 8,999,999 | 1934 |
| 9,000,000 – 9,999,999 | 1939 |
| 10,000,000 – 10,999,999 | 1944 |
| 11,000,000 – 11,999,999 | 1947 |
| 12,000,000 – 12,999,999 | 1950 |
| 13,000,000 – 13,999,999 | 1952 |
| 14,000,000 – 14,999,999 | 1954 |
| 15,000,000 – 15,999,999 | 1956 |
| 16,000,000 – 16,999,999 | 1958 |
| 17,000,000 – 17,999,999 | 1959 |
| 18,000,000 – 18,999,999 | 1961 |
| 19,000,000 – 19,999,999 | 1962 |
| 20,000,000 – 20,999,999 | 1963 |
| 21,000,000 – 21,999,999 | 1964 |
| 22,000,000 – 22,999,999 | 1965 |
| 23,000,000 – 24,999,999 | 1966 |
| 25,000,000 – 25,999,999 | 1967 |
| 26,000,000 – 27,999,999 | 1968 |
| Serial Range | From Year |
|---|---|
| 28,000,000 – 31,999,999 | 1969 |
| 32,000,000 – 32,999,999 | 1970 |
| 33,000,000 – 33,999,999 | 1971 |
| 34,000,000 – 35,999,999 | 1972 |
| 36,000,000 – 37,999,999 | 1973 |
| 38,000,000 – 38,999,999 | 1974 |
| 39,000,000 – 39,999,999 | 1975 |
| 40,000,000 – 40,999,999 | 1977 |
| 41,000,000 – 41,999,999 | 1978 |
| 42,000,000 – 43,999,999 | 1979 |
| 44,000,000 – 44,999,999 | 1980 |
| 45,000,000 – 45,999,999 | 1982 |
| 46,000,000 – 47,999,999 | 1984 |
| 48,000,000 – 48,999,999 | 1985 |
| 49,000,000 – 50,999,999 | 1986 |
| 52,000,000 | Not used |
| 53,000,000 – 53,999,999 | 1991 |
| 54,000,000 – 54,999,999 | 1993 |
| 55,000,000 – 55,999,999 | 1995 |
| 56,000,000 – 59,999,999 | 1998 |
| 60,000,000 – 60,999,999 | 1999 |
| 61,000,000 – 64,999,999 | 2000 |
| 65,000,000 – 65,999,999 | 2001 |
| 66,000,000 – 67,999,999 | 2002 |
| 68,000,000 – 69,999,999 | 2003 |
| 70,000,000 – 71,999,999 | 2004 |
| 72,000,000 – 77,999,999 | 2005 |
| 78,000,000 – 80,999,999 | 2006 |
| 81,000,000 – 83,999,999 | 2007 |
| 84,000,000+ | 2008+ |
Speedmaster Only
The Speedmaster follows a different serial sequence to other Omega models. Use this chart if your watch is a Speedmaster.
| Serial Range | Year |
|---|---|
| 14,000,000 – 14,999,999 | 1957 |
| 15,000,000 – 15,999,999 | 1958 |
| 16,000,000 – 16,999,999 | 1958–1959 |
| 17,000,000 – 17,999,999 | 1960 |
| 18,000,000 – 18,999,999 | 1961 |
| 19,000,000 – 19,999,999 | 1962 |
| 20,000,000 – 21,999,999 | 1963 |
| 22,000,000 – 22,999,999 | 1964–1965 |
| 23,000,000 – 23,999,999 | 1966 |
| 24,000,000 – 25,999,999 | 1967 |
| 26,000,000 – 26,999,999 | 1968 |
| 27,000,000 – 27,999,999 | 1969 |
| 28,000,000 – 30,999,999 | 1970–1971 |
| Serial Range | Year |
|---|---|
| 31,000,000 – 31,999,999 | 1972 |
| 32,000,000 – 32,999,999 | 1973 |
| 33,000,000 – 33,999,999 | 1975 |
| 34,000,000 – 34,999,999 | 1976 |
| 35,000,000 – 36,999,999 | 1977 |
| 37,000,000 – 37,999,999 | 1978 |
| 38,000,000 – 39,999,999 | 1979 |
| 40,000,000 – 41,999,999 | 1980 |
| 42,000,000 – 42,999,999 | 1981 |
| 43,000,000 – 43,999,999 | 1982 |
| 44,000,000 – 44,999,999 | 1983 |
| 45,000,000 – 45,999,999 | 1984 |
| 46,000,000 – 46,999,999 | 1985 |
| 47,000,000 – 47,999,999 | 1986–1989 |
| 48,000,000 – 48,999,999 | 1990–1999 |
| 77,000,000+ | 1999+ |
Patek Philippe Serial Number Chart
Patek Philippe serial numbers are purely numeric from 1839 to present. During several periods, Patek ran parallel serial series simultaneously, meaning a single number may correspond to more than one production era. All dates are estimates — for a definitive production date, use the Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives service at patek.com.
| Serial Range | Period |
|---|---|
| 100 – 1,199 | 1840–1844 |
| 1,120 – 2,999 | 1845–1849 |
| 3,000 – 6,999 | 1850–1854 |
| 8,000 – 14,999 | 1855–1859 |
| 15,000 – 22,999 | 1860–1864 |
| 22,000 – 34,999 | 1865–1869 |
| 35,000 – 44,999 | 1870–1874 |
| 45,000 – 54,999 | 1875–1879 |
| 55,000 – 69,999 | 1880–1884 |
| 70,000 – 84,999 | 1885–1889 |
| 85,000 – 99,999 | 1890–1894 |
| 100,000 – 109,999 | 1895–1899 |
| 110,000 – 124,999 | 1900–1904 |
| 125,000 – 149,999 | 1905–1909 |
| 150,000 – 174,999 | 1910–1914 |
| 175,000 – 189,999 | 1915–1919 |
| 190,000 – 200,199 | 1920–1924 |
| 801,000 – 801,999 | 1920–1924 (parallel) |
| Serial Range | Period |
|---|---|
| 200,200 – 822,999 | 1925–1929 |
| 823,000 – 823,999 | 1930–1934 |
| 824,000 – 834,999 | 1935–1939 |
| 835,000 – 855,999 | 1940–1944 |
| 856,000 – 866,999 | 1945–1949 |
| 700,000 – 724,000 | 1950–1954 (parallel) |
| 867,000 – 877,999 | 1950–1954 |
| 725,000 – 749,999 | 1955–1959 (parallel) |
| 878,000 – 888,999 | 1955–1959 |
| 750,000 – 774,999 | 1960–1964 (parallel) |
| 889,000 – 889,999 | 1960–1964 |
| 1,100,800 – 1,130,899 | 1960–1964 (parallel) |
| 775,000 – 794,999 | 1965–1969 (parallel) |
| 890,000 – 894,999 | 1965–1969 |
| 1,130,900 – 1,249,999 | 1965–1969 (parallel) |
| 795,000 – 895,000 | 1970–1974 (parallel) |
| 1,250,000 – 1,349,999 | 1970–1974 |
| 1,350,000 – 1,449,999 | 1975–1979 |
| 1,450,000 – 1,599,999 | 1980–1984 |
| 1,600,000 – 1,849,999 | 1985–1989 |
| 1,850,000+ | 1990+ |
Serial Number to Production Year Chart
The table below shows the approximate starting serial number for each production year. Dates for watches made before 1987 are estimates only — Rolex has never published an official serial number registry. From 2010 onwards, Rolex moved to randomised serial numbers with no fixed sequence.
| Serial | Year |
|---|---|
| Random | 2018+ |
| Random | 2017 |
| Random | 2016 |
| Random | 2015 |
| Random | 2014 |
| Random | 2013 |
| Random | 2012 |
| Random | 2011 |
| G xxxxxxx | 2010 |
| V xxxxxxx | 2009 |
| M or V | 2008 |
| M or Z | 2007 |
| D or Z | 2006 |
| D or F | 2005 |
| F xxxxxxx | 2004 |
| F xxxxxxx | 2003 |
| Y xxxxxxx | 2002 |
| K or Y | 2001 |
| K or P | 2000 |
| A xxxxxxx | 1999 |
| U xxxxxxx | 1998 |
| U 000001 | 1997 |
| T 000001 | 1996 |
| W 000001 | 1995 |
| S 860880 | 1994 |
| S 000001 | 1993 |
| C 000001 | 1992 |
| N 000001 | 1991 |
| E 000001 | 1990 |
| L 980000 | 1989 |
| R 598200 | 1988 |
| R 000001 | 1987 |
| Serial | Year |
|---|---|
| 9,400,000 | 1987 |
| 8,900,000 | 1986 |
| 8,614,000 | 1985 |
| 8,070,022 | 1984 |
| 7,400,000 | 1983 |
| 7,100,000 | 1982 |
| 6,520,870 | 1981 |
| 6,434,000 | 1980 |
| 5,737,030 | 1979 |
| 5,000,000 | 1978 |
| 4,115,299 | 1976 |
| 3,862,196 | 1975 |
| 3,567,927 | 1974 |
| 3,200,268 | 1973 |
| 2,890,459 | 1972 |
| 2,589,295 | 1971 |
| 2,241,882 | 1970 |
| 1,900,000 | 1969 |
| 1,752,000 | 1968 |
| 1,538,435 | 1967 |
| 1,200,000 | 1966 |
| 1,100,000 | 1965 |
| 1,008,889 | 1964 |
| 824,000 | 1963 |
| 744,000 | 1962 |
| 643,153 | 1961 |
| 516,000 | 1960 |
| 399,453 | 1959 |
| 328,000 | 1958 |
| 224,000 | 1957 |
| 133,061 | 1956 |
| 97,000 | 1955 |
| 855,726 | 1953 |
| 726,639 | 1952 |
| 709,249 | 1951 |
| 628,840 | 1948 |
| 529,163 | 1947 |
| 367,946 | 1946 |
| 302,459 | 1945 |
| 269,561 | 1944 |
| 230,878 | 1943 |
| 143,509 | 1942 |
| 106,047 | 1941 |
| 99,775 | 1940 |
| 71,224 | 1939 |
| 43,739 | 1938 |
| 40,920 | 1937 |
| 36,856 | 1936 |
| 34,336 | 1935 |
| 30,823 | 1934 |
| 29,562 | 1933 |
| 29,132 | 1932 |
| 23,186 | 1930 |
| 23,969 | 1928 |
| 20,190 | 1927 |
| 00,001 | 1926 |
Model Reference Numbers
The model (reference) number is engraved between the lugs at 12 o'clock. A 4–6 digit code, it encodes the model type, bezel style, and case material. For example, 16234 breaks into 162 | 3 | 4 — Datejust · Fluted bezel · Stainless with 18k white gold.
| Model | Prefix Codes |
|---|---|
| Submariner (no date) | 55 · 140 |
| Submariner (date) | 16 · 166 · 168 |
| Sea-Dweller | 16 · 166 |
| GMT-Master | 16 · 65 · 167 |
| GMT-Master II | 167 · 1167 |
| Day-Date (President) | 65 · 66 · 18 · 180 · 182 · 183 |
| Datejust | 16 · 162 |
| Daytona (manual wind) | 62 |
| Daytona Cosmograph | 165 · 1165 |
| Explorer II | 165 |
| Oyster Perpetual | 10 · 140 · 142 |
| Air-King | 55 · 140 |
| Date | 15 · 150 |
| Oysterquartz Datejust | 170 |
| Oysterquartz Day-Date | 190 |
| Yacht-Master | 166 · 686 · 696 |
| Mid-size Oyster Perp DJ | 68 · 682 |
| Ladies Oyster Perpetual | 67 · 671 · 672 |
| Ladies Date | 65 · 69 · 691 · 692 |
| Ladies Datejust | 65 · 69 · 691 · 692 |
| Bezel Code | Type |
|---|---|
| 0 | Polished |
| 1 | Engine Turned |
| 2 | Engine Turned |
| 3 | Fluted |
| 4 | Hand-Crafted |
| 5 | Pyramid |
| 6 | Rotating Bezel |
| Material Code | Material |
|---|---|
| 0 | Stainless Steel |
| 1 | Yellow Gold Filled |
| 2 | White Gold Filled |
| 3 | Stainless & Yellow Gold |
| 4 | Stainless w/ 18k White Gold |
| 5 | Gold Shell |
| 6 | Platinum |
| 7 | 14k Yellow Gold |
| 8 | 18k Yellow Gold |
Clasp Codes
The clasp code is stamped inside the clasp hinge: one or two letters indicating the year, followed by a number indicating the month. For example, G4 = April 1982. A service replacement bracelet carries an additional S stamp alongside the year code.
| Code | Year |
|---|---|
| A or VA | 1976 |
| B or VB | 1977 |
| C or VC | 1978 |
| D or VD | 1979 |
| E or VE | 1980 |
| F or VF | 1981 |
| G | 1982 |
| H | 1983 |
| I | 1984 |
| J | 1985 |
| K | 1986 |
| L | 1987 |
| M | 1988 |
| N | 1989 |
| O | 1990 |
| P | 1991 |
| Q | 1992 |
| Code | Year |
|---|---|
| R | 1993 |
| S | 1994 |
| T or W | 1995 |
| V | 1996 |
| Z | 1997 |
| U | 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 |
| Random | 2011+ |
Country Codes
The 3-digit country code appears in the upper left corner of the Rolex Guarantee certificate. There is no country code for the USA. Most watches made before 1980 will not carry a country code.
| Code | Country |
|---|---|
| 010–026 | Switzerland |
| 033–045 | Switzerland |
| 100 | Germany |
| 110–113 | France |
| 120–128 | Austria |
| 130 | Belgium / Luxembourg |
| 133–138 | Netherlands |
| 150 | Spain |
| 160 | England |
| 170 | Italy |
| 200–208 | Greece |
| 201 | Malta |
| 202 | Turkey |
| 213–217 | Portugal |
| 226–233 | Denmark |
| 237 | Iceland |
| 265–271 | Sweden |
| 283 | Finland |
| 321 | Czech Republic |
| 400 | Hong Kong |
| 413 | Korea |
| Code | Country |
|---|---|
| 430 | Singapore / Brunei |
| 431 | Malaysia |
| 440 | Taiwan |
| 500 | India |
| 505 | Pakistan |
| 527 | Middle East |
| 532 | Saudi Arabia |
| 536 | Abu Dhabi |
| 537 | Dubai |
| 538 | Oman |
| 542 | Iran |
| 548 | Israel |
| 680 | South Africa |
| 700 | Canada |
| 710 | USA |
| 720 | Mexico |
| 741 | Bahamas |
| 742 | Bermuda |
| 752 | Jamaica |
| 758 | Virgin Islands |
| 761 | Netherlands Antilles |
| Code | Country |
|---|---|
| 762 | Aruba |
| 765 | Antigua |
| 766 | Saint Martin |
| 767 | Grand Cayman |
| 768 | Panama |
| 770 | Venezuela |
| 780 | Brazil |
| 781 | Chile |
| 783 | Peru |
| 790 | Argentina |
| 810 | Australia |
| 818 | Philippines |
| 828 | China |
| 842 | New Zealand |
| 871 | Hawaii |
| 872 | Alaska |
| 873 | Guam |
| 888 | Hong Kong |
| 900 | Japan |
| 906 | NATO Airbase (Germany) |
Sapphire Crystal Upgrade Timeline
Rolex progressively transitioned from acrylic (plexiglass) to sapphire crystals across its range. The table below shows the year each model received the upgrade, by case material.
| Model | Stainless | Rolesor | Gold | Platinum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quartz Beta 21 Ref 5100 | — | — | 1970 | — |
| Perpetual Ref. 1530/1630/1831 | 1975 | 1975 | — | 1975 |
| Oysterquartz | 1978 | 1978 | 1978 | — |
| Air-King | 1991 | — | — | — |
| Perpetual | — | 1991 | 1991 | — |
| Date | 1989 | 1989 | 1989 | — |
| Datejust | 1989 | 1989 | 1978 | — |
| Turn-O-Graph | New Plexi Ref 16250 | 1989 | 1989 | — |
| Day-Date | — | — | 1978 | 1978 |
| Submariner 14060 | 1990 | — | — | — |
| Submariner (date) | 1981 | 1984 Ref. 16803 | 1981 | — |
| Sea-Dweller | 1981 | — | — | — |
| GMT-Master | 1989 | Plexi Ref 1675/3 | 1981 | — |
| GMT-Master II | 1984 | 1989 | 1989 | — |
| Explorer | 1990 | — | — | — |
| Explorer II | 1984 | — | — | — |
| Cosmograph Daytona | 1988 | 1988 | 1988 | — |
Red Letters — US Certificate Codes
Some older Rolex guarantee certificates issued in the United States carry red letter stamps indicating when the watch was shipped from Rolex USA to an authorised dealer. Each letter corresponds to a digit using the cipher below.
R1
O2
L3
E4
X5
W6
A7
T8
C9
H0
Example: L RCCT decodes as 3 · 1 · 9 · 9 · 8 = March 19, 1998.