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The Rolex reference encyclopedia

Rolexopedia is a reference guide to vintage and discontinued Rolex watches. Browse a family to compare generations, or open a reference number for its production history, movement, dial variants and case details.

A reference number can cover decades of changes. The articles distinguish documented variants and later replacements, with sources for further reading. The serial-number, movement and bracelet guides help compare the parts of an individual watch. About the project →

318wiki articles

12families

1,852image files

1920s onwardhistorical coverage

Browse by family

Submariner

Early divers through the ceramic generations

Big Crown models, the 5512 and 5513 dial changes, the Red Sub and the five-digit sapphire references.

Daytona

Manual-wind, Zenith and in-house chronographs

Manual-wind Valjoux chronographs, the Paul Newman exotic dials, the Zenith automatics and the in-house 4130 generation.

GMT-Master

GMT-Master and GMT-Master II

From the Bakelite-bezel 6542 through the long 1675 run to the ceramic GMT-Master II.

Explorer

Early Explorers and their sapphire successors

The 6150 and 6350, the long-running 1016, and the later sapphire-crystal models.

Explorer II

Fixed-bezel watches with a 24-hour hand

The orange-hand 1655 Freccione, the transitional 16550 and the long-run 16570.

Sea-Dweller

Saturation-diving references

Single Red, Double Red and Great White 1665s, the Triple Six, later references and documented COMEX examples.

Day-Date

Day and date displays, in gold or platinum

The President from the 1956 originals through the 1803 era, five-digit sapphire, Day-Date II and Oysterquartz.

Milgauss

Magnetic protection across two production eras

The lightning-bolt seconds hand of the 6541, the 1019 and the green-crystal 116400GV.

Air-King

Early Air-Kings through the 34mm sapphire models

Early hand-wound models, the long-running 5500 and the sapphire-crystal 14000 line.

Oyster Perpetual

Time-only automatic Oysters

The plain-dial Oyster: classic four-digit 1002 to 1018, five-digit and the last pre-refresh 116000 generation.

Bubbleback and early Oyster

Manual Oysters and early automatics

The first waterproof Oysters, the domed-caseback automatics, the Padellone, manual-wind Oyster Precision models such as the 6082, and later Oysterdate Precision references such as the 6094.

Prince

Rectangular and shaped cases

Rectangular Art-Deco chronometers: Classic 1343, Brancard 971, Railway and Tigre variants.

From the archive

Explorer

Explorer 1016

The 1016 is a 36mm Explorer with an acrylic crystal and a black 3-6-9 dial. Gilt and matte dials span its production run. The article compares their markings and explains how dial, movement and case details help identify a particular example.

Read the 1016 article →

Reference guides

Serial numbers

Serial systems and dating limits

Numeric and letter-prefix year ranges, hallmark dating for early watches, and the limits of randomized serials.

Bracelets

Bracelets, end links, clasps

Rivet, folded and solid Oyster, Jubilee and President bracelets, end-link numbers and the clasp date-code key.

Movements

Calibers across the watch families

From the early manual-wind Oyster calibers through the 1500 and 3000 series to the Zenith and in-house chronographs.

Every reference, by era

Submariner

Full Submariner index →

Pre-five-digit1953–90

6204 6205 6200 6536 6536/1 6538 5508 5510 5512 5513 5514 5517 1680

Five-digit1979–2010

14060 14060M 16800 16610 16610LV 16803 16808 16613 16618

Current2020–present

126610LN 126610LV

Daytona

Full Daytona index →

Manual-wind chronograph1962–1988

6238 6239 6240 6241 6262 6263 6264 6265

Zenith automatic1988–2000

16520 16518 16519 16523 16528

In-house cal 41302000–2016

116520 116523 116528

Pre-Daytona chronographs

Full family guide →

Early single-button1920s–1930s

2021

Early two-register1930s–1940s

2508

Round Oyster chronographsfrom c.1950

6034

GMT-Master

Full GMT-Master guide →

Vintage1955–99

6542 1675 16750 16753 16758 16700

GMT-Master II1983–2007

16760 16710 16713 16718

Ceramic 116xxx2005–19

116718LN 116713LN 116710LN 116710BLNR 116719BLRO

Ceramic 126xxx2018–present

126710BLRO 126711CHNR 126715CHNR 126710BLNR 126720VTNR 126713GRNR 126718GRNR 126710GRNR

Explorer

Full Explorer index →

Vintage1952–89

6150 6350 6298 6610 1016

Modern1989–2021

14270 114270 214270

Current2021–present

124270

Explorer II

Full Explorer II index →

Vintage Freccione1971–1984

1655

Transitional1985–1989

16550

Modern 40mm1989–2010

16570

Sea-Dweller

Full Sea-Dweller index →

Single Red to Great White1967–1983

1665

Triple Six and 166001978–2008

16660 16600

Ceramic2008–2017

116600

Day-Date

Full Day-Date index →

Originals1956–59

6510 6511 6611 6612 6612B

4-digit President1959–78

1803 1804 1806 1807 1811 1831

5-digit1977–2000

18038 18028 18048 18078 18238 18248 18348 18208

6-digit Day-Date 362000–19

118238 118208 118235 118138

Day-Date II 41mm2008–15

218238 218206

Oysterquartz1977–2001

19018 19028

Milgauss

Full Milgauss index →

Early and CERN erac.1955–1988

6543 6541 1019

Modern2007–2023

116400

Air-King

Full Air-King index →

Battle of Britain origin1945–53

4925 4365 4499

First automatic1953–57

6552

Long-run mainstay1957–89

5500 5501 5502 5504 5506 5520 5700 5701

Sapphire era1989–2014

14000 14000M 114200

Oyster Perpetual

Full Oyster Perpetual index →

Earlier referencesCatalogue dates conflict; no production span established

6548

Mid-centuryMostly 1950s catalogue dates; case 994893 has conflicting 1964 and 1954 estimates

6106 6502 6567 6609

Classic four-digit1957–1988 examples; limits vary by reference

1002 1003 1005 1007 1008 1009 1010 1011 1013 1018 1022 1023 1024

Last pre-refresh generation2007–2020

116000 114300 177200 176200

Bubbleback and early Oyster

Full Bubbleback and early Oyster index →

Pre-Oyster and Oyster1922–37

1925 2081 3666 2136 3003 3004

Manual-wind Oysterc.1930s–1940s

1573 2280 2416 2849

Bubbleback era1933–45

1858 3131 3372 3525

Straight-lug Empire Oystercatalogue dates circa 1940–1950s

3548 3716

Square Perpetual1940s–1952 catalogue examples

4643

Datejust, Padellone, Super Oyster1945–53

3478 6244 4467 5030 5031 6031 6075 6105 8171 6098

Oyster Precision

Oysterdate Precision

Brancard era1928–mid-1940s

1343 971 971U 1490 1491 1527 1862 3361 3937

Other rectangular PrincesCatalogue dates c.1927–1938

1768 1880

Prince Imperial pocket watchc.1930–1945

1645

Other vintage references

Manual-wind, small secondscatalogued 1929–1940s

2318

Rectangular manual-windcatalogued circa 1930–1938

1936

Manual-wind Oystercatalogued 1930s–c.1955

3096 3019 3116 3121 3136 5056 (Kew A Speedking) 6210 (Kew A)

Oyster Speedkingcatalogued c.1952–1953

6056

Chronometre Scientific1937 case marks; catalogued examples circa 1937

2942

Cellini

Vintage dress watchCatalogued examples dated 1967–69

3735

Modern Cellini Prince

5440/8 5441/9

Rolexopedia is an independent community reference and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Rolex SA. "Rolex" and the model names on this site are trademarks of their owners and are used only to identify the watches described. See the disclaimer.

@@ Line 115: / Line 115: @@
 <div class="rp-card-title">[[Reference:bubbleback|Bubbleback and early Oyster]]</div>
 <div class="rp-card-meta">Manual Oysters and early automatics</div>
-<div class="rp-card-text">The first waterproof Oysters, the domed-caseback automatics, the [[Reference:padellone|Padellone]] and Oyster Precision manual-winds such as the [[Reference:6094|6094]].</div>
+<div class="rp-card-text">The first waterproof Oysters, the domed-caseback automatics, the [[Reference:padellone|Padellone]], manual-wind Oyster Precision models such as the [[Reference:6082|6082]], and later Oysterdate Precision references such as the [[Reference:6094|6094]].</div>
 </div>
 </div>
@@ Line 218: / Line 218: @@
 <div class="rp-index">
 <div class="rp-index-head"><div class="rp-index-title">[[Reference:oyster-perpetual|Oyster Perpetual]]</div><div class="rp-index-more">[[Reference:oyster-perpetual|Full Oyster Perpetual index →]]</div></div>
-<div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Mid-century<small>1950s examples</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:6567|6567]]</div></div>
+<div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Earlier references<small>Catalogue dates conflict; no production span established</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:6548|6548]]</div></div>
-<div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Classic four-digit<small>1959–1988</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:1002|1002]] [[Reference:1003|1003]] [[Reference:1005|1005]] [[Reference:1007|1007]] [[Reference:1008|1008]] [[Reference:1009|1009]] [[Reference:1010|1010]] [[Reference:1011|1011]] [[Reference:1018|1018]] [[Reference:1022|1022]] [[Reference:1024|1024]]</div></div>
+<div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Mid-century<small>Mostly 1950s catalogue dates; case 994893 has conflicting 1964 and 1954 estimates</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:6106|6106]] [[Reference:6502|6502]] [[Reference:6567|6567]] [[Reference:6609|6609]]</div></div>
+<div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Classic four-digit<small>1957–1988 examples; limits vary by reference</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:1002|1002]] [[Reference:1003|1003]] [[Reference:1005|1005]] [[Reference:1007|1007]] [[Reference:1008|1008]] [[Reference:1009|1009]] [[Reference:1010|1010]] [[Reference:1011|1011]] [[Reference:1013|1013]] [[Reference:1018|1018]] [[Reference:1022|1022]] [[Reference:1023|1023]] [[Reference:1024|1024]]</div></div>
 <div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Last pre-refresh generation<small>2007–2020</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:116000|116000]] [[Reference:114300|114300]] [[Reference:177200|177200]] [[Reference:176200|176200]]</div></div>
 </div>
@@ Line 225: / Line 226: @@
 <div class="rp-index-head"><div class="rp-index-title">[[Reference:bubbleback|Bubbleback and early Oyster]]</div><div class="rp-index-more">[[Reference:bubbleback|Full Bubbleback and early Oyster index →]]</div></div>
 <div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Pre-Oyster and Oyster<small>1922–37</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:1925|1925]] [[Reference:2081|2081]] [[Reference:3666|3666]] [[Reference:2136|2136]] [[Reference:3003|3003]] [[Reference:3004|3004]]</div></div>
-<div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Manual-wind Oyster<small>c.1930s–1940s</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:1573|1573]] [[Reference:2280|2280]]</div></div>
+<div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Manual-wind Oyster<small>c.1930s–1940s</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:1573|1573]] [[Reference:2280|2280]] [[Reference:2416|2416]] [[Reference:2849|2849]]</div></div>
 <div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Bubbleback era<small>1933–45</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:1858|1858]] [[Reference:3131|3131]] [[Reference:3372|3372]] [[Reference:3525|3525]]</div></div>
+<div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Straight-lug Empire Oyster<small>catalogue dates circa 1940–1950s</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:3548|3548]] [[Reference:3716|3716]]</div></div>
+<div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Square Perpetual<small>1940s–1952 catalogue examples</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:4643|4643]]</div></div>
 <div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Datejust, Padellone, Super Oyster<small>1945–53</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:3478|3478]] [[Reference:6244|6244]] [[Reference:4467|4467]] [[Reference:5030|5030]] [[Reference:5031|5031]] [[Reference:6031|6031]] [[Reference:6075|6075]] [[Reference:6105|6105]] [[Reference:8171|8171]] [[Reference:6098|6098]]</div></div>
+<div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Oyster Precision</div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:6082|6082]]</div></div>
 <div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Oysterdate Precision</div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:6094|6094]]</div></div>
 </div>
 <div class="rp-index">
 <div class="rp-index-head"><div class="rp-index-title">[[Reference:prince|Prince]]</div><div class="rp-index-more">[[Reference:prince|Full Prince index →]]</div></div>
-<div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Brancard era<small>1928–mid-1940s</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:1343|1343]] [[Reference:971|971]] [[Reference:1490|1490]] [[Reference:1491|1491]] [[Reference:1527|1527]] [[Reference:1862|1862]] [[Reference:3361|3361]] [[Reference:3937|3937]]</div></div>
+<div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Brancard era<small>1928–mid-1940s</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:1343|1343]] [[Reference:971|971]] [[Reference:971U|971U]] [[Reference:1490|1490]] [[Reference:1491|1491]] [[Reference:1527|1527]] [[Reference:1862|1862]] [[Reference:3361|3361]] [[Reference:3937|3937]]</div></div>
 <div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Other rectangular Princes<small>Catalogue dates c.1927–1938</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:1768|1768]] [[Reference:1880|1880]]</div></div>
 <div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Prince Imperial pocket watch<small>c.1930–1945</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:1645|1645]]</div></div>
@@ Line 241: / Line 245: @@
 <div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Manual-wind, small seconds<small>catalogued 1929–1940s</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:2318|2318]]</div></div>
 <div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Rectangular manual-wind<small>catalogued circa 1930–1938</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:1936|1936]]</div></div>
-<div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Manual-wind Oyster<small>catalogued 1930s–1940s</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:3136|3136]]</div></div>
+<div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Manual-wind Oyster<small>catalogued 1930s–c.1955</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:3096|3096]] [[Reference:3019|3019]] [[Reference:3116|3116]] [[Reference:3121|3121]] [[Reference:3136|3136]] [[Reference:5056|5056 (Kew A Speedking)]] [[Reference:6210|6210 (Kew A)]]</div></div>
 <div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Oyster Speedking<small>catalogued c.1952–1953</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:6056|6056]]</div></div>
+<div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Chronometre Scientific<small>1937 case marks; catalogued examples circa 1937</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:2942|2942]]</div></div>
 </div>
+<div class="rp-index">
+<div class="rp-index-head"><div class="rp-index-title">Cellini</div></div>
+<div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Vintage dress watch<small>Catalogued examples dated 1967–69</small></div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:3735|3735]]</div></div>
+<div class="rp-era"><div class="rp-era-name">Modern Cellini Prince</div><div class="rp-chips">[[Reference:5440/8|5440/8]] [[Reference:5441/9|5441/9]]</div></div>
+</div>
 <div class="rp-footnote">Rolexopedia is an independent community reference and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Rolex SA. "Rolex" and the model names on this site are trademarks of their owners and are used only to identify the watches described. See the [[Rolexopedia:General disclaimer|disclaimer]].</div>
 [[Category:Rolexopedia]]