When was your watch made?

All watches have an individual serial number. Both to notate when the watch was made, and to track the watch and help verify it’s authenticity, ownership, and service history.

For Rolex, these serial numbers numbers are etch either between the 6 o’clock lugs or under the crystal on the rehaut, also at 6 o’clock. See pics 1 and 2. The reference number is engraved in between the lugs at 12 o’clock, see pic 3

Pic 1: 7 digit Serial Number (3 digits censored), starting with 426. This denotes a 1976 production year.

Pic 2: 8 digit Serial Number (3 digits censored) on the rehaut. This is from a 2022 timepiece.

Rolex Serial Numbers

8 digits, scrambled:
2010+

G: 2010

V: 2009

M, V: 2008

M, Z: 2007

D, Z: 2006

D: 2005

F: 2003-2005

Y: 2002

K, Y: 2001

K: 2000

P: 2000

A: 1999

U: 1997-1998

T: 1996

W: 1995

S: 1993-1994

C: 1992

N: 1991

X: 1991

E: 1990

L: 1989

R: 1987-1988

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

5,008,000: 1977

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

23,000: 1954

855,726: 1953

726,639: 1952

709,249: 1951

???: 1950

???: 1949

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

???: 1931

1930: 23,186

??? 1929

1928: 23,969

1927: 20,190

1926: 001

Audemars Piguet Serial Numbers

A: 1972-1975
B: 1976-1979
C: 1980-1986
D: 1987-1994
E: 1994-2000
F: 2001-2007
G: 2008-2010
H: 2011-2012
I: 2013-2015
J: 2016-2018
Scambled: 2019+