Rolex Oyster Case Production Dates by Serial Numbers (1926 - 1987)

The Rolex serial number is located on the outside of the case between the lugs , the bracelet has to be removed to read it. 

4 digit Model # located at 12 o'clock
6695

1705216
7 digit Serial # located at 6 o'clock

 

Serial Number	Date	Serial Number	Date	Serial Number	Date
28,000	1926	543,400	1948	2,689,700	1969
30,430	1927	608,500	1949	2,952,600	1970
32,960	1928	673,600	1950	3,215,500	1971
35,390	1929	738,700	1951	3,478,400	1972
37,820	1930	803,800	1952	3,741,300	1973
40,250	1931	868,900	1953	4,004,200	1974
42,680	1932	934,000	1954	4,267,100	1975
45,000	1934	1,012,000	1955	4,539,000	1976
63,000	1935	1,090,000	1956	5,006,000	1977
81,000	1936	1,168,000	1957	5,482,000	1978
99,000	1937	1,246,000	1958	5,958,000	1979
117,000	1938	1,324,000	1959	6,434,000	1980
135,000	1939	1,402,000	1960	6,910,000	1981
164,600	1940	1,480,000	1961	7,386,000	1982
194,200	1941	1,558,000	1962	7,862,000	1983
223,800	1942	1,636,000	1963	8,338,000	1984
253,400	1943	1,714,000	1964	8,814,000	1985
283,000	1944	1,792,000	1965	9,290,000	1986
348,100	1945	1,871,000	1966	9,766,000	1987
413,200	1946	2,163,900	1967	9,999,999	1987	1/2
478,300	1947	2,426,800	1968	R,000,000	1987	1/2

 

 

RANGE	YEAR	VARIATIONS*
25000	1925	-
28000	1926	-
30430	1927	21691
32960	1928	23969
35390	1929	24747
37820	1930	28290
40250	1931	-
42680	1932	29312
45000	1933	29933
49000	1934	30823
63000	1935	35365
81000	1936	37596
99000	1937	40920
117000	1938	43739
135000	1939	71224
164600	1940	99775
194200	1941	106047
223800	1942	143509
253400	1943	230878
283000	1944	269561
348100	1945	302459
413200	1946	387216
478300	1947	529163
543400	1948	628840
608500	1949	---
673600	1950	---
738700	1951	710776
803800	1952	840396
868900	1953	---
934000	1954	---
1012000	1955	---
1090000	1956	---
1168000	1957	---
1246000	1958	---
1324000	1959	---
1402000	1960	---
1480000	1961	---
1558000	1962	---
1636000	1963	---
1714000	1964	---
1792000	1965	---
1871000	1966	---
2163900	1967	---
2426800	1968	---
2689700	1969	---
2952600	1970	---
3215500	1971	---
3478400	1972	---
3741300	1973	---
4004200	1974	---
4267100	1975	---
4539000	1976	4538000
5006000	1977	5008000
5482000	1978	---
5958000	1979	---
6434000	1980	6424000
6910000	1981	---
7386000	1982	7366000
7862000	1983	---
8338000	1984	8388000
8814000	1985	8614000
9290000	1986	---
9766000	1987	---
R000001	1987 1/2	---
R999999	1988	---
L000001	1989	---
L999999	1990	---
E000001	1990 1/2	---
E999999	1991 1/4	---
X000001	1991 1/2	---
N000001	1991 3/4	---
C000001	1992 1/4	---
S000001	1993 3/4	---
W000001	1995	---
T000001	1996	---
U000001	1997	---
A000001	1998	---
A Series	1999	---
P Series	2000	---
K Series	2001	---
K Series	Thru 1Q - 2002	---

Rolex Serial Number Notes
Completely accurate serial number to date of manufacture cross reference is impossible to obtain. However, this serial number list, with noted variations, is believed to be the most accurate available.

According to information on the WatchNet website, Rolex reached the production number of 999,999 in the early 1950's. Rather than going on to a seven digit system, they started over with serial numbers at 100,000. During this period, Rolex also stamped the inside caseback with production information. Look for the Roman numerals I, II, III, IV ( which denotes which quarter of the year the watch was produced) and a two-digit date code during the 1950's.
In the late '50's, Rolex again reached the 999,999 production serial. This time, they moved into the seven digit serial number system. When Rolex reached 9,999,999, they began using letters as the initial serial identifier. Initially, they used "R"," L", "E" & "X" (O was not used because it might be confused the number 0).
In 1991, Rolex began using other letters [CSWTU, etc]. Early in 1999, "A" became the initial serial identifier. The "A" series was still being used into the first part of 2000, as were "N" & "P".

According to James Dowling, coauthor of The Best of Times: Rolex Wristwatches, serial numbers with "S", "T", "W" and "U" run concurrently -- though some were introduced as early as 1993. In addition,"A" was introduced in late 1997, and ran concurrently with "W" and "U".

The "P" serial numbers were used during 2000 and into the early months of 2001. The "K" series was introduced in mid-2001 and is current as of the second quarter of 2002.

One additional note of interest: Replacement cases FROM ROLEX will usually (if not always) have a 4,4xx,xxx serial number, no matter the model. This is a standard for Rolex Service Centers to immediately identify an authentic replacement case.

Here is the "Rolex Serial Numer List - Handy Quick Reference" for estimating date of manufacture for Rolex oyster watches from the 1950's through the first quarter of 2002:

 

Serial Range	Date Range
673,600 - 1,401,999	1950's
1,402,000 - 2,689,699	1960's
2,689,700 - 5,957,999	1970's
5,958,000 - 9,999,999	1980 - 1987 1/2
R000001 - R999999 L000001- Lxxxxxxx	1987 1/2 - 1989
Lxxxxxx - L999999 E000001- Exxxxxx	1990
Exxxxxx - E999999 X Series^ N Series^	1991
Last of "N" Series^ C000001 - Cxxxxxx	1992
Cxxxxxx - C9999999 S000001 - Sxxxxxx	1993
Sxxxxxx - S9999999	1994
W Series	1995
W Series T Series	1996
T Series U Series A Series (intro late 1997)	1997
U Series (possibly early 1998) A Series	1998
A Series	1999
P Series	2000
P Series K Series (intro mid-2001)	2001
K Series (through mid-2002)	2002

.

 

^ = The author does not believe X & N were used in sequence from X000001- X9999999 and N000001 - N999999. I am not sure of the true number ranges, but the fact that three different designators was used in 1991 indicates that at least "X" & "N" were not serialized as one through nine hundred ninty-nine thousand, nine hundred ninty-nine. If that were the case, it would show that Rolex made more than 3 million watches in 1991 -- which is not accurate.