Reference:Serial-numbers: Difference between revisions

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For ref. [[Reference:5006|5006]], published dates attach to individual watches: EBTH estimates a serial-masked steel example at 1948, TimeAnagram dates a masked “65++++” steel example to 1949, Antiquorum dates case 671819 to the early 1950s, and Finarte describes case 700389 as a 1950s watch. These are catalogue dates, not a serial-year sequence or a production span. [https://www.ebth.com/items/14105766-1948-rolex-oyster-perpetual-bubble-back-watch EBTH, serial masked as 60X,XXX] [https://timeanagram.com/products/7593 TimeAnagram, serial masked as 65++++] [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-5006-lot-272-142 Antiquorum, case 671819] [https://www.arsvalue.com/en/lots/1423503/rolex-ovetto-5006-anni-50?nav=True Finarte, case 700389]

For ref. [[Reference:5003|5003]], Christie’s dates case 724279 to circa 1951 and Antiquorum dates case 849609 to circa 1953. Antiquorum assigns a circa-1960s date to the lower-numbered case 565407. The catalogue estimates do not follow a clear sequence. They belong to individual sale records and do not form a generic serial chart. [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5643871 Christie’s, case 724279] [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-5003-oyster-perpetual-lot-359-125 Antiquorum, case 849609] [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-5003-oyster-perpetual-super-precision-lot-343-324 Antiquorum, case 565407]

The ref. [[Reference:6210|6210]] article lists five-digit case numbers with the individual sale records. James Dowling reported case 97458 from a Rolex letter. These records do not connect the 6210 numbers to the generic serial charts. [https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/the-rolex-kew-a-quite-possibly-and-very-likely-the-most-accurate-vintage-rolexes-ever-made Hodinkee on Dowling’s report]

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For early [[Reference:prince|Prince]], [[Reference:bubbleback|Bubbleback]] and manual Oyster references such as [[Reference:3478|3478]], compare the case number with examples of the same reference and material. A chart covering later Oyster production may not describe an earlier case-number sequence. British hallmarks on precious-metal cases provide a separate assay date. Steel cases need other evidence.

Christie’s records Glasgow import marks dated 1930 on case 69217 of ref. [[Reference:1381|1381]]. Toovey’s reports a Glasgow import mark dated 1930 on another ref. 1381 example and records “2590” above “1381” on its caseback. These reports anchor two case-level mark dates to 1930; they do not establish manufacture dates or production limits. [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-2077566 Christie’s, case 69217]; [https://www.tooveys.com/lots/630005/an-art-deco-rolex-18ct-gold-rectangular-cased-ladys-wristwatch/ Toovey’s, lot 1165]

For [[Reference:4919|ref. 4919]], catalogues attach case numbers 607232, 608098, 618966, and 619495 to estimates around 1947–1948. These entries are not a serial-year chart: the dates are catalogue estimates for individual watches, and Tennants reports an unexplained “4919 5011” caseback marking. Compare the case, movement, and any dated paperwork on the watch itself. [https://drouot.com/en/l/35278008-rolex-big-bubble-back-an-attractive-vintage-geneva Drouot, lot 84] [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-221-365 Antiquorum, case 608098] [https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/rolex-oyster-perpetual-ref-4919-c-1948-16-c-d184ffe918 Auctionata, case 618966] [https://auctions.tennants.co.uk/auction/lot/lot-2147---rolex-a-steel-and-gold-automatic-centre/?au=14302&ef=&et=&g=1&ic=False&lot=2560141&pn=2&pp=96&sd=1&so=0&st=&sto=0 Tennants, case 619495]

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Auction catalogues date case [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-108-107 1,738,626] to 1968, case [https://www.monacolegendauctions.com/auction/exclusive-timepieces-32/lot-176 1,987,824] to 1969, and case [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/95640 2,489,934] to 1972. These are dates assigned to individual 1009s by their sale catalogues, not a serial-year chart. Compare the case number, movement, and any independent date evidence on each watch.

=== Oyster Perpetual 1025 dated examples ===

Meticulous Watches dates a ref. 1025 with partial serial 673XXX to circa 1961. The Pergola chart places 663485–688766 in 1960/61; the Swiss Watch Time chart assigns 673,600 to 1950. Rolex restarted its numeric sequence in the mid-1950s, and the chart sources do not agree, so the partial serial cannot settle the date. Freeman's and Hindman dates serial 947479 to circa 1963; Aste Bolaffi dates 1,812,604 to circa 1968; Antiquorum gives a late-1960s estimate without a serial. L o'clock lists serial 960962 as a 1960s example. Vintage & Prestige dates partial serial 401*** to 1974, though the published charts place that number in much earlier bands. Antiquorum's 2011 date-display catalogue attribution and Christie's circa-1973 solid-gold attribution have no readable reference marks in the available photographs. Those dates belong to the disputed catalogue attributions; they do not establish the 1025's production span. [https://meticulouswatches.com/products/untitled-sep8_14-3 Meticulous Watches]; [https://swisswatchtime.com/serial-number-chart/ Swiss Watch Time serial chart]; [https://freemansauction.com/auction/2056-Watches/lot/71 Freeman's and Hindman]; [https://www.astebolaffi.it/pdf/auctions/276.pdf Aste Bolaffi]; [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-263-100 Antiquorum New York]; [https://shop.loclock.jp/items/109147651 L o'clock]; [https://www.vintageandprestige.com/product/rolex-oyster-perpetual-1025/ Vintage & Prestige].

=== Oyster Perpetual Date 1500 dated examples ===

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* [https://rolexhaven.com/serial-numbers.html RolexHaven, Serial numbers]: photographs of the Pergola and Dowling–Hess charts transcribed above.

* [https://swisswatchtime.com/serial-number-chart/ Swiss Watch Time serial chart]: generic table used to document the conflicting 673XXX estimate.

* Colin A. White, ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'', pp. 26–27: case-serial systems and the letter table.

* [https://rolexhaven.com/case-back-codes.html RolexHaven, Caseback date codes]: component-date caveats and photographed stamps.

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 For ref. [[Reference:5006|5006]], published dates attach to individual watches: EBTH estimates a serial-masked steel example at 1948, TimeAnagram dates a masked “65++++” steel example to 1949, Antiquorum dates case 671819 to the early 1950s, and Finarte describes case 700389 as a 1950s watch. These are catalogue dates, not a serial-year sequence or a production span. [https://www.ebth.com/items/14105766-1948-rolex-oyster-perpetual-bubble-back-watch EBTH, serial masked as 60X,XXX] [https://timeanagram.com/products/7593 TimeAnagram, serial masked as 65++++] [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-5006-lot-272-142 Antiquorum, case 671819] [https://www.arsvalue.com/en/lots/1423503/rolex-ovetto-5006-anni-50?nav=True Finarte, case 700389]
+For ref. [[Reference:5003|5003]], Christie’s dates case 724279 to circa 1951 and Antiquorum dates case 849609 to circa 1953. Antiquorum assigns a circa-1960s date to the lower-numbered case 565407. The catalogue estimates do not follow a clear sequence. They belong to individual sale records and do not form a generic serial chart. [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5643871 Christie’s, case 724279] [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-5003-oyster-perpetual-lot-359-125 Antiquorum, case 849609] [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-5003-oyster-perpetual-super-precision-lot-343-324 Antiquorum, case 565407]
 The ref. [[Reference:6210|6210]] article lists five-digit case numbers with the individual sale records. James Dowling reported case 97458 from a Rolex letter. These records do not connect the 6210 numbers to the generic serial charts. [https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/the-rolex-kew-a-quite-possibly-and-very-likely-the-most-accurate-vintage-rolexes-ever-made Hodinkee on Dowling’s report]
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 For early [[Reference:prince|Prince]], [[Reference:bubbleback|Bubbleback]] and manual Oyster references such as [[Reference:3478|3478]], compare the case number with examples of the same reference and material. A chart covering later Oyster production may not describe an earlier case-number sequence. British hallmarks on precious-metal cases provide a separate assay date. Steel cases need other evidence.
+Christie’s records Glasgow import marks dated 1930 on case 69217 of ref. [[Reference:1381|1381]]. Toovey’s reports a Glasgow import mark dated 1930 on another ref. 1381 example and records “2590” above “1381” on its caseback. These reports anchor two case-level mark dates to 1930; they do not establish manufacture dates or production limits. [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-2077566 Christie’s, case 69217]; [https://www.tooveys.com/lots/630005/an-art-deco-rolex-18ct-gold-rectangular-cased-ladys-wristwatch/ Toovey’s, lot 1165]
 For [[Reference:4919|ref. 4919]], catalogues attach case numbers 607232, 608098, 618966, and 619495 to estimates around 1947–1948. These entries are not a serial-year chart: the dates are catalogue estimates for individual watches, and Tennants reports an unexplained “4919 5011” caseback marking. Compare the case, movement, and any dated paperwork on the watch itself. [https://drouot.com/en/l/35278008-rolex-big-bubble-back-an-attractive-vintage-geneva Drouot, lot 84] [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-221-365 Antiquorum, case 608098] [https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/rolex-oyster-perpetual-ref-4919-c-1948-16-c-d184ffe918 Auctionata, case 618966] [https://auctions.tennants.co.uk/auction/lot/lot-2147---rolex-a-steel-and-gold-automatic-centre/?au=14302&ef=&et=&g=1&ic=False&lot=2560141&pn=2&pp=96&sd=1&so=0&st=&sto=0 Tennants, case 619495]
@@ Line 216: / Line 220: @@
 Auction catalogues date case [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-108-107 1,738,626] to 1968, case [https://www.monacolegendauctions.com/auction/exclusive-timepieces-32/lot-176 1,987,824] to 1969, and case [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/95640 2,489,934] to 1972. These are dates assigned to individual 1009s by their sale catalogues, not a serial-year chart. Compare the case number, movement, and any independent date evidence on each watch.
+=== Oyster Perpetual 1025 dated examples ===
+Meticulous Watches dates a ref. 1025 with partial serial 673XXX to circa 1961. The Pergola chart places 663485–688766 in 1960/61; the Swiss Watch Time chart assigns 673,600 to 1950. Rolex restarted its numeric sequence in the mid-1950s, and the chart sources do not agree, so the partial serial cannot settle the date. Freeman's and Hindman dates serial 947479 to circa 1963; Aste Bolaffi dates 1,812,604 to circa 1968; Antiquorum gives a late-1960s estimate without a serial. L o'clock lists serial 960962 as a 1960s example. Vintage & Prestige dates partial serial 401*** to 1974, though the published charts place that number in much earlier bands. Antiquorum's 2011 date-display catalogue attribution and Christie's circa-1973 solid-gold attribution have no readable reference marks in the available photographs. Those dates belong to the disputed catalogue attributions; they do not establish the 1025's production span. [https://meticulouswatches.com/products/untitled-sep8_14-3 Meticulous Watches]; [https://swisswatchtime.com/serial-number-chart/ Swiss Watch Time serial chart]; [https://freemansauction.com/auction/2056-Watches/lot/71 Freeman's and Hindman]; [https://www.astebolaffi.it/pdf/auctions/276.pdf Aste Bolaffi]; [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-lot-263-100 Antiquorum New York]; [https://shop.loclock.jp/items/109147651 L o'clock]; [https://www.vintageandprestige.com/product/rolex-oyster-perpetual-1025/ Vintage & Prestige].
 === Oyster Perpetual Date 1500 dated examples ===
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 * [https://rolexhaven.com/serial-numbers.html RolexHaven, Serial numbers]: photographs of the Pergola and Dowling–Hess charts transcribed above.
+* [https://swisswatchtime.com/serial-number-chart/ Swiss Watch Time serial chart]: generic table used to document the conflicting 673XXX estimate.
 * Colin A. White, ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'', pp. 26–27: case-serial systems and the letter table.
 * [https://rolexhaven.com/case-back-codes.html RolexHaven, Caseback date codes]: component-date caveats and photographed stamps.