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
Big Crown models, the 5512 and 5513 dial changes, the Red Sub and the five-digit sapphire references.
Manual-wind Valjoux chronographs, the Paul Newman exotic dials, the Zenith automatics and the in-house 4130 generation.
From the Bakelite-bezel 6542 through the long 1675 run to the ceramic GMT-Master II.
The 6150 and 6350, the long-running 1016, and the later sapphire-crystal models.
The orange-hand 1655 Freccione, the transitional 16550 and the long-run 16570.
Single Red, Double Red and Great White 1665s, the Triple Six, later references and documented COMEX examples.
The President from the 1956 originals through the 1803 era, five-digit sapphire, Day-Date II and Oysterquartz.
The lightning-bolt seconds hand of the 6541, the 1019 and the green-crystal 116400GV.
Early hand-wound models, the long-running 5500 and the sapphire-crystal 14000 line.
The plain-dial Oyster: classic four-digit 1002 to 1018, five-digit and the last pre-refresh 116000 generation.
Rectangular Art-Deco chronometers: Classic 1343, Brancard 971, Railway and Tigre variants.
From the archive
Explorer
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.
Reference guides
Numeric and letter-prefix year ranges, hallmark dating for early watches, and the limits of randomized serials.
Rivet, folded and solid Oyster, Jubilee and President bracelets, end-link numbers and the clasp date-code key.
From the early manual-wind Oyster calibers through the 1500 and 3000 series to the Zenith and in-house chronographs.
Every reference, by era
Early single-button1920s–1930s
Early two-register1930s–1940s
Round Oyster chronographsfrom c.1950
Ceramic 116xxx2005–19
Ceramic 126xxx2018–present
Current2021–present
Vintage Freccione1971–1984
Transitional1985–1989
Modern 40mm1989–2010
Single Red to Great White1967–1983
Ceramic2008–2017
First automatic1953–57
Oysterdate Precision
Prince Imperial pocket watchc.1930–1945
Other vintage references
Manual-wind, small secondscatalogued 1929–1940s
Rectangular manual-windcatalogued circa 1930–1938
Oyster Speedkingcatalogued c.1952–1953
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.