Rolex Serial Numbers
Main Page › Serial Numbers
Rolex used numeric case serials, then letter-prefixed serials, and later randomized alphanumeric strings. Numeric and letter-prefixed ranges can suggest a production period. Randomized serials have no public year mapping. None of these systems establishes the originality of the dial, movement or bracelet.
The three systems
Rolex restarted its numeric case sequence in the mid-1950s. The same short number can therefore fall in more than one period. Letter-prefixed serials appeared around 1987; randomized serials followed around 2010. Neither change happened as a simple one-year boundary across every reference.
Finding the serial number
On many Oyster references made before the rehaut transition of the mid-2000s, the serial is engraved between the lugs at 6 o'clock, beneath the bracelet. The reference number is usually between the opposite lugs at 12 o'clock. Earlier case designs need reference-specific guidance.
Rolex moved the serial to the rehaut, the inner bezel ring that frames the dial, beginning around 2005, with the change complete across the catalog by about 2008. A rehaut watch carries the serial laser-etched on the flange at 6 o'clock, the crown logo and "ROLEX" repeating around the rest of the ring, and usually nothing between the lugs. Transition-period watches need comparison with documented examples of the same reference. Serial placement alone does not establish a case replacement.
Matching serials link a warranty card or guarantee paper to the case number, provided the document itself is authentic. They do not establish the originality of every component. The clasp uses a separate dating system. A movement can carry caliber designations, part references and an individual movement number; identify the marking before interpreting it.
Numeric serials (≤1987)
The table transcribes selected observations and ranges from the Pergola and Dowling–Hess charts, as reproduced in a widely-used collector reference (see Sources). These are unofficial collector charts. They disagree in places: Dowling–Hess places serial 132,562 in III 1953, while Pergola puts 63,425–139,166 in 1955. Do not average conflicting dates into a precise year.
The table is selective, with gaps between some entries. For a number outside it, compare documented examples of the reference. A matching row supplies an estimate, not proof of manufacture, assembly or sale in that year.
| Serial / range in source | Date assigned by source | Chart |
|---|---|---|
| 23,969 | 1928 | Dowling and Hess |
| 28,290 | 1930 | Dowling and Hess |
| 35,365 | 1935 | Dowling and Hess |
| 99,775 | 1940 | Dowling and Hess |
| 143,509 | 1942 | Dowling and Hess |
| 387,216 | 1946 | Dowling and Hess |
| 529,163 | 1947 | Dowling and Hess |
| 628,840 | 1948 | Dowling and Hess |
| 710,776 | 1951 | Dowling and Hess |
| 840,396 | 1952 | Dowling and Hess |
| 927,301–929,261 | 1952/1953 | Pergola |
| 929,262–974,681 | 1953 | Pergola |
| 974,682–982,114 | 1953/1954 | Pergola |
| 982,115–999,999 | 1954 | Pergola |
| 10,001–32,180 | 1954 | Pergola, restarted sequence |
| 32,181–63,424 | 1954/1955 | Pergola |
| 63,425–139,166 | 1955 | Pergola |
| 139,167–147,690 | 1955/1956 | Pergola |
| 147,691–261,715 | 1956 | Pergola |
| 272,289–360,987 | 1957 | Pergola |
| 381,923–426,480 | 1958 | Pergola |
| 437,255–530,168 | 1959 | Pergola |
| 539,969–663,484 | 1960 | Pergola |
| 688,767–785,296 | 1961 | Pergola |
| 840,046–919,916 | 1962 | Pergola |
| 950,451–974,197 | 1963 | Pergola, after the reset |
| 997,136–1,104,068 | 1964 | Pergola |
| 1,141,050–1,269,458 | 1965 | Pergola |
| 1,284,790–1,503,591 | 1966 | Pergola |
| 1,534,083–1,695,119 | 1967 | Pergola |
| 1,720,977–1,938,064 | 1968 | Pergola |
| 1,958,607–2,236,978 | 1969 | Pergola |
| 2,357,480–2,558,656 | 1970 | Pergola |
| 2,558,657–2,591,204 | 1970/1971 | Pergola |
| 3,215,500 | 1971 | Dowling and Hess |
| 3,478,400 | 1972 | Dowling and Hess |
| 3,741,300 | 1973 | Dowling and Hess |
| 4,004,200 | 1974 | Dowling and Hess |
Letter serials (1987–2010)
Letter-prefixed case serials usually contain one letter and six digits. The R prefix appeared around 1987; the Field Manual places L around 1989 and into early 1990. Prefixes overlap, and a guarantee date records sale rather than the exact date the case was numbered.
| Letter | Production year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| R | 1987–1988 | Field Manual: around 1987 through late 1988. |
| L | Around 1989–early 1990 | Field Manual: 1989 into early 1990. |
| E | 1990 | Approximate collector dating; check the individual reference. |
| N | 1991 | Approximate collector dating; check the individual reference. |
| X | 1991–1992 | Approximate collector dating; check the individual reference. |
| C | 1992 | Approximate collector dating; check the individual reference. |
| S | 1993 | Approximate collector dating; check the individual reference. |
| W | 1994–1995 | Approximate collector dating; check the individual reference. |
| T | 1995–1996 | Approximate collector dating; check the individual reference. |
| U | 1997–1998 | Approximate collector dating; check the individual reference. |
| A | 1998–1999 | Approximate collector dating; check the individual reference. |
| P | 2000 | Approximate collector dating; check the individual reference. |
| K | 2001–2002 | Approximate collector dating; check the individual reference. |
| Y | 2002–2003 | A Sotheby's 116528, case Y239786, has an October 2002 guarantee; that dates sale. |
| F | 2003–2004 | Approximate collector dating; check the individual reference. |
| D | 2005–2006 | Approximate collector dating; check the individual reference. |
| Z | 2006–2007 | Approximate collector dating; check the individual reference. |
| M | 2007–2008 | Approximate collector dating; check the individual reference. |
| V | 2008–2009 | Approximate collector dating; check the individual reference. |
| G | Around 2010; overlaps randomized serials | Phillips records a G-prefix 114270 with a November 2010 guarantee. This does not establish a first-half-only production window. |
Letter-prefix ranges overlap. Use the table as an approximate date range, then compare the case, dial and movement with documented examples of that reference.
Case serial prefixes and clasp codes are different systems. A letter on the clasp cannot be read as the same letter in the case-serial table.
Random serials (mid-2010 onward)
Rolex began using randomized case serials around 2010, during the period of the final letter prefixes. Mixed-letter-and-digit serials have no public year mapping. A guarantee can establish a recorded sale date, but the serial alone cannot give the exact production year.
For a modern watch, start with the production span of the reference and any dated paperwork. Randomized clasp codes also lack a public year mapping. The case serial remains useful for linking records to a particular watch.
Pre-1948 vintage references and hallmark dating
For vintage references produced before about 1948, the numeric serial system on its own is rarely enough to date a watch precisely. That covers the Prince family (971, 1490, 1491, 1527, 1862, 3361, 3937), the early Bubbleback era (2240, 2574, 2764, 2940, 3065, 3132, 3458, 3595), and manual Oysters such as 1873, 2765, 2784, and 3009. Movement and case numbers were not always issued in strict chronological order, and Rolex's own archival material for the pre-WWII period is incomplete. On precious-metal cases bearing British hallmarks, assay marks provide a separate date anchor. Steel cases need other evidence.
Glasgow and Edinburgh assay marks
British hallmarks on precious-metal cases can identify the assay office, metal standard, sponsor and assay year. Imported cases may carry different office marks from domestic work. Match the complete mark, including its shield and lettering, to the correct office and period; a date letter records assay, not necessarily manufacture or retail sale.
For a hallmarked case, identify the assay office and the complete date-letter punch, then consult that office's chart. Compare the result with the reference and documented movement examples. Opening a case for inspection is work for someone equipped to avoid damaging it.
A specific example documents the workflow on the 971 reference: Antiquorum NY March 2010 lot 401 sold a sterling silver 971 with English hallmark dated 1928, case 70,064, movement 7,216, from the Arman Collection. The auction catalogue attributes the hallmark to 1928. That is a date anchor for the case, rather than proof of when every component was made or assembled.
Why the serial-system year-letter chart fails for the Prince era
The Rolex letter-prefix serial system documented above (1987–2010) postdates Prince production by 50+ years. The pre-1987 numeric system was sequential rather than calendar-locked: serial ranges advanced as production volume cleared blocks of numbers, and a watch with serial 70,000 in one year of pre-WWII production might overlap with a watch numbered 80,000 in the same year of a different reference. Rolex's own archival material for the era is incomplete, and the published numeric-serial-to-year correspondences cover the post-WWII era reasonably well but become unreliable before 1948. For a hallmarked Prince or pre-war Bubbleback, the assay date supplies an independent check on the estimated case date.
Prince case-number anchors
The table collects dated Prince examples. Auction dates and dedications are different kinds of evidence from assay dates; keep those distinctions when comparing case numbers.
| Reference | Case number | Material / configuration | Hallmark / dating | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 971 | 70,064 | sterling silver | English hallmark 1928 — earliest documented 971 | Antiquorum NY 2010 lot 401 (Arman Collection) |
| 971 | 70,668 | sterling silver | Glasgow 1929 | Bonhams London 2018 lot 37 |
| 971 | 71,883 | sterling silver | c.1929–1930 | Sotheby's 2019 |
| 971 | 011,651 | steel + Beyer-double-signed dial | c.1928 (NOS, found 1998) | Phillips Geneva X CH080319/17 |
| 971 | 6,013 | platinum, Cal. 300 7½′′′ 18-jewel | c.1935 | Phillips Geneva V/X/XIV (sold 3×) |
| 971 | 6,047 | platinum | 1935 | Phillips 2015 Watch Auction One lot 210 |
| 971 | 6,077 | platinum | c.1930 | Antiquorum 2013 |
| 971 | 1,472 | stainless + 14K, Eaton 1/4 Century | dedication "1907–1932" | Monaco Legend July 2019 lot 156 |
| 971 | 60,206 | 9K bicolor "Zebra" | c.1934 | Antiquorum 2020 lot 235 |
| 971 | 65,196 | 18K Tiger Stripe (971A) | c.1930 | Antiquorum 2015 lot 275 |
| 971 | 65,377 | 18K Tiger Stripe (971A) | c.1932 | Antiquorum 2006 lot 316 |
| 971 | 68,305 | 9K bicolor "Zebra" (971A) | c.1932 | Bonhams NY 2017 lot 133 |
| 971 | 68,591 | 18K Tiger Stripe (971A) | c.1938 — latest documented 971A | Bonhams HK 2023 lot 644 |
| 971 | 74,768 | stainless steel (971U) | box + papers | Antiquorum 2024 lot 462 |
| 1490 | 13,009 | 18K yellow gold | Glasgow 1933 | Phillips NY 2023 NY080223/92 + Sotheby's 2019 L19070 (likely same watch) |
| 1490 | 17,365 | steel + pink gold | Cal. T.S. 300 Ultra Prima, 1935 | Antiquorum May 2006 Mondani lot 46 |
| 1490 | 38,525 | steel + Bucherer-double-signed dial | c.1937 | Sotheby's Watches Online July 2019 lot 13 |
| 1490 | 58,115 | 18K (group lot with 1862) | c.1930 | Christie's Geneva 1395 lot 307 |
| 1490 | 73,910 | steel | c.1936 | Bonhams Nov 2023 lot 50 |
| 1490 | 309,367 | 14K Observatory grade | caseback dedication 1947 — latest documented Prince case | veryimportantlot |
| 1862 | 1,608 | 9K | Glasgow 1934 — earliest documented 1862 | Antiquorum 249-98 |
| 1862 | 16,237 | 9K Glasgow + Cal. 527 | Glasgow 1934 | Christie's online lot 31 (sale 13523) |
| 1862 | 16,663 | 18K (group lot with 1490) | c.1938 | Christie's Geneva 1395 lot 307 |
| 1862 | 280,124 | 18K yellow (1862A variant) | c.1930 | Sotheby's NY 2018 n09911 lot 53 |
| 1491 | (Glasgow 1930) | 18K yellow gold jump-hour Brancard | Glasgow Import mark 1930 — earliest documented 1491 | Bonhams sale 29152 lot 23 |
| 1491 | F2149HS | white-gold 1491HS Bucherer-retailed | c.1945 (original Bucherer invoice) | Antiquorum 2008 lot 692 |
| 1491 | F220 | two-color 18K gold 1491HS jump-hour | c.1930 | Bonhams sale 29152 lot 6 (also 2024 lot, F220 stamp) |
| 1527 | (Vicenza 1992 lot 146/5) | 18 ct white + pink gold stepped Railway, beads-of-rice bracelet | 1930s — earliest documented "Prince Railway" catalog naming | Antiquorum Vicenza Oro 1992 lot 146/5 |
| 1527 | 189 | 18K white + yellow gold stepped Railway, original bamboo bracelet | dated 1931 (highest documented result, CHF 27,140) | Antiquorum May 2006 Mondani lot 108/33 |
| 1527 | 6920 | 18K white + pink stepped (catalogued "1527 M") | c.1930s | Drouot lot 182 (M suffix unexplained; possibly a factory bicolor variant code) |
| 1527 | 6936 | 18K white + pink stepped | Glasgow 1931 | EveryWatch lot 378 |
| 1527 | (1940s) | steel + gold-filled stepped Railway | 1940s — late-production end of 1527 line | Bonhams NY 2006 sale 15217 lot 9 |
| 3361 | 899,568 | 18K yellow gold Aerodynamic | dated 1952 (Mondani Collection) | Antiquorum May 2006 Mondani lot 108/210 (hammer CHF 18,880) |
| 3361 | 899,677 | 18K pink gold Aerodynamic with monogrammed escutcheon | dated 1952 | Antiquorum May 2006 Mondani lot 108/209 (hammer CHF 21,240 — highest documented result for the 3361) |
| 3361 | (mvt T94122) | 18K yellow gold Aerodynamic | c.1940 | Antiquorum NY December 2015 sale 296 lot 73 (hammer USD 16,250) |
| 3361 | T61239 | 18K Aerodynamic — included in Phillips "Rolex Milestones" exhibition | (year not retrieved) | Phillips "38 Timepieces That Made History" Hong Kong |
| 3361 | 59,330 (mvt 1,847) | 18K pink gold with Cuervo y Sobrinos co-signed dial | (Cuban retail channel) | PatekMonger / Grailium / 1stdibs (dealer-level only — not auction-confirmed) |
| 3362 | 62,482 | 14K pink gold Aerodynamic case | c.1935 — earlier than canonical 3361 production; Friedberg dates 3362 to 1940 (contradiction unresolved) | Antiquorum May 2015 sale 291 lot 109 (hammer CHF 11,250) |
| 3937 | 64,190 | 14K yellow gold Rams Horn | 1938 — earliest documented 3937 | Bonhams 2023 lot 50 (production-launch anchor) |
| 3937 | (Garbett presentation) | 14K yellow gold, Eaton 1/4 Century Club | dial: post-service Rolex-signed; caseback: "Presented to Sidnet Garbett... 1926–1951" | Sotheby's NY 2020 lot 73 |
| 3937 | (Bird presentation) | 14K yellow gold, Eaton 1/4 Century Club, 21×45mm | caseback: "Presented to Donald M. Bird... 1926–1951" | 1stdibs (dealer-level) |
| 3937 | (McMackon presentation) | 14K yellow gold, Eaton 1/4 Century Club | caseback: "Presented to Fred W. McMackon... 1928–1953" — latest documented 3937 Eaton presentation | Collectors Weekly family-heirloom story |
| 6222 (Eaton successor) | (King presentation) | automatic Oyster — post-Prince Eaton continuity | caseback: "Presented to Reginald A. King... 1929–1954" | Antiquorum HK 2005 lot 86/19. Documents Eaton program continuing past the rectangular Prince era through 1966 |
Read down the table, the numbering falls into bands. Sterling and 9K Glasgow imports from 1928 to 1937 sit in the low-to-mid five digits. The listed platinum 971s have four-digit numbers (6,013 / 6,047 / 6,077). These examples do not establish annual production quantities. The 1862 reaches six digits at 280,124 on the 1862A 18K configuration, and the highest documented Prince case, 309,367 on a 1947-dedicated 14K 1490, sits at the top of the range. Those outliers bracket Prince production at roughly 1928 to 1947. Mid-1940s examples are rare; most documented watches date between 1929 and 1937.
Caseback engraving conventions
A second dating signal on pre-1948 references is the caseback engraving style. Factory casebacks of the period are stamped, with the marks physically pressed into the metal at production. Hand engraving needs examination in context; it does not by itself prove a replacement or a later alteration. Owner-presentation engraving (recipient names, dates, club affiliations) and retailer-program engraving are the exception. The Eaton 1/4 Century Club presentations on Princes are the canonical case, with caseback inscriptions along the lines of Presented to T.D. Switzer to mark a quarter-century of continuous service with T. Eaton C., Ltd., 1907–1932. Presentation engraving sits alongside the factory stamping rather than replacing it.
Vintage Submariner / Explorer / GMT case-number anchors
The 1953–1979 vintage Sub / Explorer / GMT-Master cluster carries case-number bands tight enough to date heads to a year or two within each reference. The numeric-serial tables give the broad year band; the per-reference anchors tighten it once the reference is known. Cross-check against the inside-caseback Roman-quarter date code where present (II.53 = Q2 1953, III.57 = Q3 1957, IV.55 = Q4 1955, etc.).
| Reference | Case number | Configuration | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6204 (Submariner) | 949,136 | honeycomb dial | 1953 | Phillips Geneva XII 2020 lot 177 (CHF 75,600) |
| 6204 | 988,613 | gilt, US Navy provenance | c.1953–54 | Sotheby's 2018 lot 250 |
| 6204 | 988,773 | Sub-Aqua, end-link 65 | 1954 | Phillips Geneva Watch Auction TWO 2015 lot 292 |
| 6204 | 988,923 | pencil hands, gilt | c.1954, clasp 2.53 | Phillips NY Watch Auction 2021 lot 79 (USD 233,100) |
| 6204 | 988,929 | Sub-Aqua tropical | 1954 | Antiquorum Geneva 2013 lot 577 |
| 6204 | 42,439 | Sub-Aqua "prototype" (post-reset) | 1954 | Monaco Legend 2019 lot 69 (EUR 78,000) |
| 6205 (Submariner) | 21,354 | pencil hands, no-Submariner dial, riveted Oyster end-link 65 | c.1954, Series 1 | Phillips Game Changers NY 2019 lot 54 (USD 162,500) |
| 6205 | 21,442 | Mercedes hands, gilt gloss, stretch riveted bracelet | c.1954–55 | Sotheby's Fine Watches 2022 lot 13 |
| 6205 | 21,644 | re-lumed reprinted no-Submariner dial | 1954–55 | Antiquorum Geneva 2025 lot 377-180 (CHF 16,250) |
| 6205 | 85,972 | Mercedes, gilt no depth (Series 2) | 1955 | Sotheby's Important Watches NY 2019 lot 178 |
| 6205 | 86,033 | Atelier de Restauration 2023 restoration | 1955 | Sotheby's Important Watches II 2025 lot 336 |
| 6200 (Submariner) | 320,xxx–322,xxx | Big Crown 8mm Brevet, A296, Explorer or red depth | 1954–56 | Nicholas Foulkes, Oyster Perpetual Submariner (Wallpaper / ACC Art Books, 2024) — 303 examples in this cluster |
| 6536/1 (Submariner) | 112,256 | Q4 1955 caseback "4 55", Jubilee bracelet stamped 1960 | 1955 | Sotheby's 2021 lot 35 |
| 6536/1 | 112,341 | Red Depth, IV.55 caseback | 1955 | Bonhams Dec 2021 lot 36 |
| 6536/1 | 155,502 | Q2 1956 caseback II.56, on 7206 rivet bracelet | 1956 | Phillips Geneva V 2017 lot 102 |
| 6536/1 | 229,640 | I.57 caseback | 1957 | Sotheby's 2018 lot 215 |
| 6536 (parent) | 306,706 | gloss black gilt, red triangle bezel | March 1957 | Bonhams London 2012 lot 116 (GBP 21,250) |
| 6536/1 | 306,989 | III.57 caseback, no-hash red triangle, glossy gilt — world record | 1957 | Sotheby's NY 2018 lot 252 (USD 225,000 — small-crown record) |
| 6536 | 399,228 | brown tropical dial | c.1959 | Sotheby's London 2019 lot 121 |
| 6538 (Submariner) | 140,300–140,500 (Series 1) | ~200 watches per Blackbird Watch Manual | c.1956 | Blackbird Biebuyck (2019) |
| 6538 | 158,100–158,400 (Series 2) | four-line OCC dial concentration | c.1957–58 | Blackbird Biebuyck (2019) |
| 6538 | 307,100–307,600 (Series 3) | two-line gilt | 1958 | Blackbird Biebuyck (2019) |
| 6538 | 426,000–449,300 (Series 4) | late-run, fourth series | late 1958 / 1959 | Blackbird; Sotheby's Olmsted 2024 lot 170 case 449,004 |
| 5510 (Submariner big crown) | 362,153 | RAN MilSub Explorer dial, fixed lugs (~4 known) | 1958 | Sotheby's Important Watches 2023 lot 107 |
| 5510 | 362,187 | reprinted Explorer dial RAN | 1958 | Antiquorum Monaco 2018 lot 314-248 |
| 5510 | 362,252 | Royal Navy diver provenance, RN log, 9315/580 bracelet | 1958 | Bonhams 16805/140 |
| 5508 (Submariner small crown) | 361,650 | black gilt, red triangle insert | 1958 | Phillips Geneva NINE 2019 lot 213 (CHF 500,000) |
| 5508 | 400,505 | tropical dial, 1960 papers | 1958 | Sotheby's Fine Watches 2023 lot 40 |
| 5508 | 489,831 | small-crown James Bond catalogue | 1959 | Sotheby's Watches Online 2020 |
| 5508 | 490,575 | ghost bezel, rivet bracelet '63 | 1958 | Antiquorum Geneva 2020 lot 333-422 (CHF 56,250) |
| 5508 | 762,896 | exclamation gilt, II.62 caseback, 7206/64 bracelet | 1962 | Phillips Hong Kong SPORTS 2019 lot 881 (HKD 2,687,500) |
| 5508 | 764,524 | exclamation, 6636 clasp 4/64 | 1962 | Phillips Geneva XV 2022 lot 160 (CHF 132,300) |
| 6098 (Pre-Explorer / Oyster Perpetual) | 912,378 | steel + Sesto Continente "Super Oyster" provenance, IV.52 caseback | Q4 1952 | Vailati 1953 letter to Rolex Archives (Perezcope) |
| 6150 (Pre-Explorer) | 931,134 | H.S.10 CD Royal Navy with crow's foot | c.1953 | Sotheby's Fine Watches 2025 L25713 |
| 6150 | 944,811 | H.S.10 CD, Burford matte-black Swiss T Precision printing, MOD broad-arrow | February 1953 | Bonhams 18849/181 (GBP 8,400 incl. premium) |
| 6150 | 944,925 | "Oyster Perpetual Precision" dial | 1953 | Antiquorum Geneva 2022 lot 349-152 |
| 6150 | 945,021 | "KANGCHENJUNGA 1955 G.C BAND" caseback engraving | 1953 case, 1955 expedition gift | Phillips Geneva Watch Auction SIX 2017 lot 244 (CHF 200,000) |
| 6150 | 945,096 | A296 18j, Oyster expandable bracelet | c.1953 | Sotheby's 2022 / 2024 (same example reoffered) |
| 6350 (Explorer chronometer) | 955,190 (low) → 955,948 (high) | A296 chronometer-rated, 3-6-9 chapter ring "Explorer" + OCC, ~760-unit numerical span | 1953–55 | Documented as a tight single-batch run |
| 6350 | 955,761 | Sir Douglas Prior 1956 Royal Society Antarctic Expedition, Cal. 775 service replacement | 1953 case | Antiquorum Geneva 2018 lot 317-570 (CHF 62,500) |
| 6610 (Explorer second-gen) | 113,092 → 360,272+ | Cal. 1030 25j COSC, gilt chapter-ring; red-depth concentrates in 113,xxx first-year batch | 1955–59 active, leftover stock to 1963 | Phillips Geneva 8 lot 95; Phillips Watch Auction One lot 167; Antiquorum lot 368-493 |
| 5513 (Submariner, no-date) | 765,450 | gloss black "exclamation" Explorer dial, cal. 1530; riveted Oyster 7206 / 80 end-links, clasp 4.62 | c.1962 (I.62) | Phillips Geneva EIGHT lot 23 |
| 5513 | 979,313 | gilt / gloss underline Explorer dial; folded Oyster 9315 / 580 end-links | c.1963 | Phillips Geneva XIV lot 153 |
| 5513 | 991,837 | underline double-Swiss gilt dial; Oyster 6636, clasp dated Q1 1964 | 1963 (III.63) | Phillips Geneva THREE lot 106 |
| 5513 | 1,023,362 | gloss Explorer (3-6-9) dial, Garrard guarantee 23 March 1965; Jubilee bracelet | c.1964 | Sotheby's Important Watches 2020 lot 377 |
| 5513 | 6,2XX,XXX | Mark III "maxi" dial, cal. 1520; 93150 Oyster, service-replacement clasp S6 | c.1979 | Bonhams Watches and Wristwatches 2019 lot 103 |
| 5514 (Submariner COMEX) | 2,833,552 | 5513 COMEX HEV Prototype No. 24 | autumn 1970 | Antiquorum Geneva 2006 lot 144-323 (CHF 76,700) — pre-5514 5513-COMEX-HEV anchor |
| 5514 | 3,804,841 | prototype-batch ~20 pieces, no COMEX logo on dial — "stealth" early 5514 | 1972 | Antiquorum NY 2009 lot 223-373 (USD 72,000) |
| 5514 | 4,089,919 | COMEX 377, matte black, 9315 bracelet, Henry Hudson letter | 1975 | Phillips NY Watch Auction SIX 2022 lot 153 (USD 252,000 — record) |
| 5514 | 4,155,901 | COMEX 446, "Cuerpo Infanteria" Argentine Navy / COMEX joint variant | 1974 | Phillips Geneva 2015 lot CH080215/145 |
| 5514 | 5,230,258 | COMEX 878, "Big Numbers" wrap-around caseback | 1977 | Antiquorum Monaco 2025 lot 383-172 (EUR 91,840) |
| 5517 (MilSub, Royal Navy / Army) | ~3,926,000 cluster (Batches 1–2) | 5513-only and 5513/5517 double-reference; issue years 77/79 | 1972–1975 | Phillips New York 2019 lot 28 case 3,926,768; Phillips HK 2017 lot 807 case 3,926,923; Antiquorum Monaco 2022 lot 77 case 3,926,842 |
| 5517 | ~5,339,000 cluster (Batch 3) | 5517-only between-lugs engraving, sword hands, full 60-min bezel; issue year 78 | 1977–1978 | Phillips Geneva XIV 2021 lot 152 case 5,339,827 (CHF 504,000 — record); Sotheby's 2023 lot 3 case 5,339,705 issue 853/78 (CHF 482,600) |
| 1680 (Submariner Date, Red Sub) | 2,241,069 | Mark II "tropical" meters-first dial, red Submariner text; Oyster 9315, clasp 3.71 | c.1969 (III.69) | Phillips WINNING ICONS lot 4 |
| 1680 | 2,421,653 | Mark IV "tropical" Red Sub, feet-first "open 6s"; folded Oyster 9315, 280 end-links, clasp 4.70 | c.1970 | Phillips Geneva XIV lot 155 |
| 1680 | 2,631,521 | Mark IV red dial, cream indexes; Oyster 7836, clasp 3-69 | 1970 (I.70) | Phillips Geneva SEVEN lot 108 |
| 1680 | 3,184,430 | single-red Submariner dial; 93150 Oyster, clasp CL9 | c.1972 | Bonhams London Fine Watches 2025 lot 18 |
| 1680 | 3,740,344 | feet-first Red Sub dial, Tiffany & Co. retailer signature | c.1974 | Sotheby's Important Watches II 2024 |
| 1680 | 5,429,380 | ref. 1680/8 18k yellow gold, blue sunray dial; gold Oyster, clasp 3.71 | c.1978 | Phillips Geneva SEVEN lot 238 |
| 1680 | 6,1XX,XXX | Mark 1 "White Submariner" (closed 6s), first white-text dial — end of the run | c.1979 | Bonhams Hong Kong Watches 2022 lot 928 |
| 1675 (GMT-Master, Pepsi) | 1,004,133 | underline + double-Swiss gilt dial, pointed crown guards, cal. 1560; bracelet 6636 / 80 end-links, clasp 3.64 | c.1963 (IV.63) | Phillips "Rolex Milestones" lot 810 |
| 1675 | 1,323,448 | MK III late-gilt gloss dial (SWISS - T<25), cal. 1570; bracelet 7206 / 80 end-links, clasp 4.65 | c.1965 (IV.65) | Phillips Hong Kong Sessions Spring 2026 lot 8019 |
| 1675 | 1,686,416 | matte black dial, steel Pepsi, cal. 1570 | c.1967 | Sotheby's Watches 2020 lot 76 |
| 1675 | 1,796,673 | matte black "Fuchsia" insert, cal. 1570, mvt D091203 (ROW / US delivery); clasp 7-68 | 1967 (II.67) | Phillips New York Watch Auction SEVEN lot 25 |
| 1675 | 5,468,961 | 18k yellow gold, black dial, President bracelet, cal. 1570 | c.1978 | Sotheby's Watches 2020 lot 77 |
| 16750 (GMT-Master, first quickset) | 6,250,744 | matte black dial, black bezel insert (spare Pepsi included), cal. 3075; 93150 Oyster, clasp VC | c.1981 | Bonhams Knightsbridge 2024 lot 95 (£10,240) |
| 16750 | 7,625,315 | black dial, Omani Police royal-issue emblem, cal. 3075; 62510H Jubilee / 555 end-links, clasp G4 | c.1983 | Bonhams Fine Watches 2021 lot 68 |
| 16750 | 8,631,078 | glossy "spider" (zapon-crackle) dial, cal. 3075; 78360 Oyster / 580 end-links, clasp I6 | c.1984 | Phillips Hong Kong EIGHT lot 1180 |
| 16750 | R672618 | gloss black dial, R-prefix — final-year production at the numeric→letter cutover | c.1988 | Bonhams Hong Kong Watches 2019 lot 845 |
| 16760 (GMT-Master II Fat Lady) | 8,463,283 | Coke bezel, cal. 3085 27j, "Fat Lady" attribution | c.1984 | Sotheby's Important Watches HK 2021 lot 2004 |
| 16760 | R275863 | Coke, mvt 1994435, 78790 service-replacement bracelet | c.1988 | Bonhams Knightsbridge 2023 lot 28031/167 |
| 16760 | R434190 | full set with Merksamer Jewelers guarantee, mvt 2102621 | c.1988 | Phillips Geneva Watch Auction X 2019 lot 149 (CHF 20,000) |
| 16700 (Last caller GMT-Master) | R-serial | 1988 Pepsi, 78360 / RS11 clasp | 1988 | Bonhams 25956/4 |
| 16700 | T254282 | 1996 Pepsi delivered Dec 1996, full set with Beyer receipt | 1996 | Antiquorum Geneva 2020 lot 329-88 (CHF 11,875) |
| 16700 | T848499 | c.1996 Pepsi, with extra black bezel, cal. 3175 | 1996 | Sotheby's Geneva Important Watches 2019 lot 10 |
| 16700 | W752611 | c.1995 Pepsi, faded bezel, tritium dial | 1995 | Sotheby's Fine Watches Online 2024 lot 417 |
| 16700 | U443556 | 1997 Chuck Yeager / Real McCoy's No. 14/50, Bell X-1 1947 caseback | 1997 | Bonhams 25232/969 (HKD 106,250 incl. premium) |
| 16700 | U453541 | c.1997 Chuck Yeager / Real McCoy's No. 21/50 | 1997 | Phillips Hong Kong XI 2020 lot 862 |
| 16700 | A245609 | c.1999 Chuck Yeager / Real McCoy's | 1999 | Sotheby's Hong Kong 2019 lot 2023 |
Vintage Submariner case-number bands run tighter than the year-band tables suggest. The 6204's dominant cluster sits in the 988,xxx range across 1953–54. The 6205 splits cleanly between the post-reset 21,3xx–21,6xx (Series 1, 1954) and 85,9xx–86,0xx (Series 2, 1955). The 5510 clusters in 362,xxx in 1958, and the 6536 / 6536-1 cluster spans 112,xxx through 399,xxx across 1955–59. For any 1953–62 Submariner or Explorer head the Roman-quarter caseback stamp inside the case is the cleaner anchor. Read it before trusting a case number on its own.
Cross-referencing for full dating
An early serial range suggests a case date. Compare the bracelet reference, dial and movement separately. A clasp code dates the marked component, and a replacement clasp or bracelet does not change the case date.
A bracelet from the same period as the case may be period-correct without being original to that watch. Matching date estimates alone cannot establish original delivery.
Per-reference serial detail
For numeric and letter-prefixed serials, the tables suggest a year band; the individual reference pages carry the detailed tables. The 16520 is the clearest letter-by-letter example, and the manual-wind Daytonas sit on Pergola's numeric ranges.
The Air-King 5500 had a long production run, commonly dated from 1957 to 1989. Its case-number band spans roughly 365,000 (early 1958) through to the late seven-million range (1985 to 1989) — covering the full numeric-serial era and crossing into the early letter serials toward the end. Inside-caseback Roman-quarter date stamps (II.65, III.71, IV.83, etc.) are the cleaner per-watch dating tell on a 5500 since the case-number band overlaps with much of the broader Oyster Perpetual / Datejust production. Caseback inside stamps frequently read "1002" rather than "5500" on 1970s-onward production — period-correct, since the 5500 shares its case middle with the 1002 Oyster Perpetual.
Sources
- Phillips Hong Kong 2022, lot 8012: Explorer 114270, G-prefix case, guarantee dated 30 November 2010.
- Goldsmiths' Company Assay Office, What is a hallmark?
- David Boettcher, British import hallmarks: office marks and date-letter cycles
- RolexHaven — Serial Numbers (Pergola + Dowling charts)
- Dowling, J.M. and Hess, J.P., The Best of Time: Rolex Wristwatches (1996, revised editions through the 2010s). Schiffer Publishing.
- Pergola, C., Rolex Daytona, A Legend Is Born.
- Boettcher (vintagewatchstraps.com) — case-serial methodology and the parallel clasp date-code system.
- Millenary Watches — Rolex Bracelet and Clasp Codes — clasp date-code key A=1976 → CP=2011 plus the post-2011 randomization note.
- The Vintage Rolex Field Manual — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra
- Sotheby's catalog records for case-anchored letter-year boundaries on 116528 (P421022 = 2000, Y'239'786 = 2002).